Pop culture has always been obsessed with “what’s sexy.” But here’s the twist: a lot of the women who got stuck with that label didn’t just sit there looking hot — they flipped it, fought it, or redefined it completely. Some became legends, some got crushed by it, and a few turned it into pure power.
Here’s the rundown.
Marilyn Monroe — The Sex Symbol Created By Others
Marilyn is often described as THE bombshell of the 50’s. Everything about her was sexy – the platinum blonde hair, the red pouty lips, that sexy voice and especially her outfits that highlighted her perfect body. But that wasn’t the real Mailyn. It was a look cooked up by Hollywood and plastered on her like a costume.
Behind the glam, she was battling insomnia, anxiety, depression, and an addiction to pills. By 1960, she was in a psych ward, and just two years later she was gone — found in her bed, the official cause an overdose. Everyone wanted Marilyn the icon, but barely anyone cared about Norma Jean, the woman.
Madonna — The Queen Who Broke Every Rule
If Marilyn was constrained, Madonna emerged in the 1980s, shattering the boundaries and performing on top of them while wearing a cone bra.
She didn’t wait for permission — she owned her sexuality and used it like a weapon.
Her album Erotica, that infamous Sex book, and the Justify My Love video? Pure chaos — but also pure genius. She made it clear: female desire wasn’t something to hide. It was something to flaunt.
Pamela Anderson — Running in Slow Motion (Forever)
You can probably picture it right now: Pam in a red swimsuit, sprinting down the beach in Baywatch. That scene made her the fantasy of the ’90s.
The problem? Nobody looked past the swimsuit. Interviewers treated her like a walking body part, and then came the stolen tape with Tommy Lee — which turned into a cruel punchline, even though she was the victim. Later, Pam admitted she hated the whole “sex symbol” thing. She wanted people to see her brain, not just her boobs.
Britney Spears — From Schoolgirl to #FreeBritney
When Britney hit the scene in the late ’90s, she was packaged as “innocent but sexy.” Cue that schoolgirl outfit in …Baby One More Time, and boom — instant legend.
But the world went way too far. She was followed by cameras no matter where she went, the paparazzi literally stalked her, her whole life was being photographed and sold as entertainment, and when she understandably had a breakdown that was also turned into entertainment by the press. By 2019, fans revolted with #FreeBritney, exposing just how tightly she was being controlled. In 2021, she finally broke free — and said the movement literally saved her life.
Lara Croft — The Virtual Bombshell
Not even real women were safe from sexualization. In 1996, Lara Croft burst out of Tomb Raider, all guns, acrobatics, and… let’s be honest, cartoonishly impossible proportions.
On one hand, she was groundbreaking: a badass female lead in gaming. On the other, she was a digital fantasy designed by dudes. Lara became both a feminist icon and Exhibit A in “why do video game women look like this?”
Megan Fox — Too Hot for Her Own Good
Megan Fox hit Hollywood like a firework with Transformers in 2007, instantly crowned the sex icon of the 2000s. And guess what? That crown came with shackles.
She kept getting cast as “the hot girl,” while her actual talent was ignored. Megan later called it out herself: “In Hollywood, you’re a product. They sell you, and it’s all based on sex.” Brutal honesty, but also kind of iconic.
Anna Nicole Smith — Glamour With a Dark Side
In the early ’90s, Anna Nicole Smith was everywhere — Guess campaigns, Playboy covers, the whole blonde bombshell package. At first, she was praised for bringing curves back into fashion. But the second her weight changed? The press tore her apart.
What many didn’t realise at the time was that the image of a naive and outrageous blonde was just a facade. Underneath all that Anna Nicole Smith was just a woman struggling with addiction and dealing with a lot of trauma. It was a classic case of media building women up just to tear them down.
Angelina Jolie — From Sex Symbol to Superwoman
Angelina Jolie could’ve coasted forever as the “sexy bad girl,” but she chose not to. Instead she decided to use her fame for something truly worthy and important, she used her spotlight to bring attention to the importance of humanitarian work. Yes she’s a Hollywood A-lister, but she’s also been a UN ambassador, she’s all about defending women’s rights, and she tries her best to help refugees. Angelina is real life proof that you can be both hot and smart and also try to change the world for the better. Basically, she made multitasking look effortless.
So, What Did We Learn Here?
From Marilyn’s tragic glamour to Madonna’s rebellion, Britney’s fight for freedom, and Lara Croft’s pixelated curves, these women (and one video game avatar) show that sexuality in pop culture is never just about looks. It’s about power, control, and the battle over who gets to define what’s “sexy.”
Some women were crushed by it, some rewrote the rules, and some turned it into their superpower. Either way, they all changed the game.