Why Marilyn Monroe Never Fully Understood Her Sex Symbol Status: “I’d Rather Have It Sex Than Some Other Things”

Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, Marilyn Monroe transformed from an ordinary girl in Los Angeles into an enduring American icon, renowned worldwide for her blonde bombshell image and sensual allure. Yet behind the glamorous façade lay a woman who struggled to fully grasp—and sometimes resented—the cultural label of “sex symbol” that came to define her.

From Norma Jeane to Marilyn Monroe: Crafting an Icon

Marilyn’s journey began humbly. After being discovered in a factory and posed as a pin-up model, she soon adopted her famous stage name and dyed her hair platinum blonde, setting the stage for a career that would captivate audiences. While she appeared in films in the late 1940s, it was the early 1950s when Monroe truly broke into the Hollywood spotlight.

From the start, Monroe’s willingness to appear scantily clad and her natural sex appeal made her a go-to choice for filmmakers seeking a seductive female presence. Roles often emphasized her beauty, curves, and flirtatious charm, frequently typecasting her as the “dumb blonde” or a pretty face with little substance. Yet Monroe’s talent shone through in classics like Some Like It Hot and The Seven Year Itch, where her wit, confidence, and comedic timing captivated audiences beyond her looks.

The Objectification of a Legend

Despite her on-screen charisma, Monroe was persistently objectified, her identity reduced largely to her physical appearance. The image of her in a billowing white dress remains the quintessential snapshot of her legacy, often overshadowing her acting skills and personal complexity. This persistent framing of Monroe as merely a sex symbol has endured well beyond her lifetime, to the point that many remember her more for her iconic image than her films.

Monroe’s Own Words on Being a Sex Symbol

In a candid 1962 interview with Life magazine’s Richard Meryman, titled Last Talk With A Lonely Girl: Marilyn Monroe, Monroe expressed a nuanced perspective on her public image. “I never quite understood it, this sex symbol,” she admitted. “I always thought symbols were those things you clash together! That’s the trouble, a sex symbol becomes a thing. I just hate to be a thing.”

Still, Monroe acknowledged a reluctant acceptance: “If I’m going to be a symbol of something, I’d rather have it sex than some other things they’ve got symbols of!” This ambivalence captures the tension between her awareness of how she was perceived and her desire to be valued for who she truly was.

Beyond the Symbol: A Desire for Authentic Recognition

Monroe also spoke about the yearning for genuine acceptance beyond her public persona. “It’s nice to be included in people’s fantasies, but you also like to be accepted for your own sake,” she said. “I don’t look at myself as a commodity, but I’m sure a lot of people have.” Her reflections revealed a longing to be appreciated for her talent, her humor, and her kindness—not just as a glamorous object.

“I’m sometimes invited places to kind of brighten up a dinner table like a musician who’ll play the piano after dinner, and I know you’re not really invited for yourself. You’re just an ornament,” Monroe lamented, poignantly illustrating the isolating side of fame and objectification.

The Complex Legacy of Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe remains the ultimate sex symbol in popular culture, her image iconic and instantly recognizable worldwide. Yet her own words remind us that behind the legend was a complex woman who sought respect for her full humanity—her intellect, her artistry, and her spirit.

Her candid admissions continue to resonate, challenging us to look beyond the surface and honor the person beneath the persona. Monroe’s legacy is not just in the symbol she became, but in the woman who longed to be seen and valued on her own terms.