The term sex symbol was first used between the 1910s and 1920s to describe the first emerging film stars of the era. One of the first sex symbols on-screen was Sessue Hayakawa for men and Asta Nielsen for women. Movie studios have relied heavily on the looks and sex appeal of their actors to be able to attract audiences.[2][3] The use of this concept increased during World War II.[4]
In the 20th century, sex symbols could be male as well as female: actors such as the romantic Sessue Hayakawa and the athletic Douglas Fairbanks were popular in the 1910s and 1920s. Archetypal screen lover Rudolph Valentino's death in 1926 caused mass hysteria among his female fans.[5][6] In Hollywood, many film stars were seen as sex symbols, such as Errol Flynn, Gary Cooper, and Clark Gable. The "bad boy" image of the 1950s was epitomized by sex symbols such as James Dean and Marlon Brando[7] and women like Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield were seen as the archetype of the blonde bombshell.[8]
While until the 1950s, the sex symbol was just seen as a sexual ideal, in the 1960s it was seen as a symbol of the emancipation of bodies and sexuality with the sexual revolution.[9]
Video games have had a few characters that are considered sex symbols; one example would be Lara Croft,[12][13][14] who has had several appearances in mainstream media.
^"BBC World Service – Witness, The Death of Marilyn Monroe". BBC. 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
^ abPam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to Sean Connery, pp. 169–171. Quote: "– the sex symbol is usually defined in terms of her excessive sexuality"
^Williams, Gregory Paul (1990). The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History. B L Press. ISBN978-0977629923.
^Flexner, Stuart Berg; Soukhanov, Anne H. (1997). Speaking freely: a guided tour of American English from Plymouth Rock to Silicon Valley. Oxford University Press. p. 373. ISBN978-0-19-510692-3.
^Hutchinson, Pamela (22 February 2016). "Last of the red-hot myths: what gossip over Rudolph Valentino's sex life says about the silents". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
^"The Queen at 90: The key events of 1926, in pictures". The DailyTelegraph. 21 April 2016. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
^Weinberg, Thomas S.; Newmahr, Staci, eds. (2014). Selves, Symbols, and Sexualities: An Interactionist Anthology: An Interactionist Anthology. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. ISBN978-1483323893.
^King, S. (2019). Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. Blurb. ISBN978-1388059033.
^Bourget, Jean-Loup (1998). Hollywood, la norme et la marge. Armand Colin. ISBN978-2200341763.
^"Betty Boop: Boop Oop a Doop". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
^"Amanda Knox Is Like Jessica Rabbit". Sky News. 27 September 2011.
^Barboza, David (19 January 1998). "Video World Is Smitten by a Gun-Toting, Tomb-Raiding Sex Symbol". The New York Times.
^"Channel 4 Top 100 Sex Symbols internet poll". Channel4.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
^. Telegraph. London. 24 June 2001. Archived from the original on 24 October 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
Further reading
Donna Leigh-Kile, Sex Symbols, Random House Inc, Aug 28, 1999, ISBN188331951X
April 21, 2023
symbol, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, about, people, graphic, icons, gender, symbol, symbol, icon, person, character, widely, considered, sexually, attractive, according, marilyn, monroe, perhaps, hollywood, most, enduring, symbol, contents, hist. For other uses see Sex symbol disambiguation This article is about people For graphic icons see gender symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive 2 According to the BBC Marilyn Monroe is perhaps Hollywood s most enduring sex symbol 1 Contents 1 History 2 Fictional sex symbols 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingHistory Elvis Presley and Madonna considered sex symbols The latter attracted a great deal of scholarly analysis in this vein The term sex symbol was first used between the 1910s and 1920s to describe the first emerging film stars of the era One of the first sex symbols on screen was Sessue Hayakawa for men and Asta Nielsen for women Movie studios have relied heavily on the looks and sex appeal of their actors to be able to attract audiences 2 3 The use of this concept increased during World War II 4 In the 20th century sex symbols could be male as well as female actors such as the romantic Sessue Hayakawa and the athletic Douglas Fairbanks were popular in the 1910s and 1920s Archetypal screen lover Rudolph Valentino s death in 1926 caused mass hysteria among his female fans 5 6 In Hollywood many film stars were seen as sex symbols such as Errol Flynn Gary Cooper and Clark Gable The bad boy image of the 1950s was epitomized by sex symbols such as James Dean and Marlon Brando 7 and women like Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield were seen as the archetype of the blonde bombshell 8 While until the 1950s the sex symbol was just seen as a sexual ideal in the 1960s it was seen as a symbol of the emancipation of bodies and sexuality with the sexual revolution 9 Fictional sex symbolsWith regard to fiction Rotten Tomatoes states that the 1930s cartoon character Betty Boop is the first and most famous sex symbol on animated screen 10 Jessica Rabbit voiced by Kathleen Turner from the 1988 live action animation crossover film Who Framed Roger Rabbit has been described as a sex symbol as well 11 Video games have had a few characters that are considered sex symbols one example would be Lara Croft 12 13 14 who has had several appearances in mainstream media See alsoBombshell slang Blonde bombshell Sex kitten Bimbo Himbo Pin up model Matinee idol Sexual objectificationReferences BBC World Service Witness The Death of Marilyn Monroe BBC 2012 Retrieved 30 December 2014 a b Pam Cook The trouble with sex Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon In Bruce Babinigton ed British Stars and Stardom From Alma Taylor to Sean Connery pp 169 171 Quote the sex symbol is usually defined in terms of her excessive sexuality Williams Gregory Paul 1990 The Story of Hollywood An Illustrated History B L Press ISBN 978 0977629923 Flexner Stuart Berg Soukhanov Anne H 1997 Speaking freely a guided tour of American English from Plymouth Rock to Silicon Valley Oxford University Press p 373 ISBN 978 0 19 510692 3 Hutchinson Pamela 22 February 2016 Last of the red hot myths what gossip over Rudolph Valentino s sex life says about the silents The Guardian Retrieved 12 December 2017 The Queen at 90 The key events of 1926 in pictures The DailyTelegraph 21 April 2016 Archived from the original on 2022 01 12 Retrieved 12 December 2017 Weinberg Thomas S Newmahr Staci eds 2014 Selves Symbols and Sexualities An Interactionist Anthology An Interactionist Anthology Los Angeles Sage Publications ISBN 978 1483323893 King S 2019 Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield Blurb ISBN 978 1388059033 Bourget Jean Loup 1998 Hollywood la norme et la marge Armand Colin ISBN 978 2200341763 Betty Boop Boop Oop a Doop Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved 30 December 2014 Amanda Knox Is Like Jessica Rabbit Sky News 27 September 2011 Barboza David 19 January 1998 Video World Is Smitten by a Gun Toting Tomb Raiding Sex Symbol The New York Times Channel 4 Top 100 Sex Symbols internet poll Channel4 com Retrieved 18 May 2012 Boom Raider Telegraph London 24 June 2001 Archived from the original on 24 October 2008 Retrieved 5 March 2008 Further readingDonna Leigh Kile Sex Symbols Random House Inc Aug 28 1999 ISBN 188331951X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sex symbol amp oldid 1147760053, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
