Sex symbol

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A sex symbol is a famous and/or notable person, male or female, who is found sexually attractive by the general audience.

Contents

[edit] Sources

[edit] Film

The film industry played an important part in the rise of sex symbols. It disseminated images of beautiful people around the world.

The first sex symbols were Victorian actress and singer Lillian Russell, Danish silent-film actress Asta Nielsen (nicknamed 'The Silent Muse') and 'It Girl' Clara Bow in the 1910s and 1920s. Although not seen as a real sex symbol, Lillian Gish ('The First Lady of the Silent Screen') became the most popular actress of the era. Theda Bara and Pola Negri, famed for their vamp roles, were also early female sex symbols. Rudolph Valentino was cinema's first male sex symbol.

Film's Golden Age sex symbols include 1930s stars Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow ("The Platinum Blonde"), Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Mae West and Clark Gable. 40s and 50s icons Rita Hayworth (nicknamed "The Love Goddess"), Ava Gardner, Jane Russell, Betty Grable, Bettie Page (in print and underground films), Lana Turner, the three "Blond Bombshells": Marilyn Monroe (the most iconic sex symbol of Hollywood's Golden Age)- Jayne Mansfield - Mamie Van Doren, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Kim Novak, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, James Dean, Rock Hudson, Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck and Cary Grant.

Important 60s and 70s sex symbols included Ursula Andress, Ann-Margret, Jacqueline Bisset, Barbara Bouchet, Jane Fonda, Sharon Tate, Raquel Welch, Catherine Deneuve, Pam Grier, Ali MacGraw, Helen Mirren,[1] Meryl Streep[1], Sean Connery, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Harrison Ford, Robert De Niro and John Travolta.

In the 80's, other signtificant sex symbols included Matt Dillon, Charlie Sheen, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mel Gibson, Meg Ryan & Carrie Fisher.

As TV's influence grew during the last three decades there was a slight shift[citation needed] to TV stars becoming more famous, Pamela Anderson,[2] Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Carmen Electra, Farrah Fawcett, Valerie Bertinelli, Halle Berry[3] and Don Johnson, all became sex symbols through TV.

More recent silver screen icons are Angelina Jolie,[4]Demi Moore, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore, Rebecca Romijn, Keira Knightley, Alicia Silverstone, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, George Clooney,[5] Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Colin Farrell,[6] ,[7][8][9][10]Matthew McConaughey, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Megan Fox, Charlize Theron and the late Heath Ledger.[5]

[edit] Cartoons

1930's cartoon character Betty Boop is known as the first and one of the most famous sex symbol on animated screen.[11][12] After Betty Boop, Jessica Rabbit, who was voiced by Kathleen Turner, is widely considered as the next biggest animated sex symbol.[13]

[edit] Music

Blues musicians were some of the first artists to become sex symbols.[citation needed] Rock n' roll and pop would follow later on. Some classic example of former or older sex symbols are Madonna, Marvin Gaye,[14] Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Jordan Knight, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Robert Plant, Steven Tyler, Jon Bon Jovi[15][16] , Prince, Sting, Janet Jackson, Tom Jones, Cher, Grace Slick, Bruce Springsteen, and Rod Stewart set the stage for contemporary examples, such as Beyonce, Nick Carter, Dannii Minogue, Nicole Scherzinger, Britney Spears, Brandon Flowers, Christina Aguilera,[17] Rihanna,[18] Justin Timberlake,[17] Shakira, Uhm Jung-hwa, Usher, Shania Twain, Alicia Keys, Kylie Minogue, Jonathan Scott-Taylor. A few music groups are referred to as sex symbols. Such as Pussycat Dolls, Danity Kane, Destiny's Child, and TLC.

[edit] Models

Model Gisele Bündchen
Model Gisele Bündchen

Many models and supermodels are widely known enough to be considered sex symbols. Some of today's sex symbols who have become famous as models include Anna Nicole Smith, Twiggy, Cindy Crawford, Elle Macpherson, Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bündchen,[19][20] Christy Turlington, Ana Beatriz Barros, Laetitia Casta, Adriana Lima.[19], Alessandra Ambrosio[19], Heidi Klum[19], Tyra Banks[19], Kate Moss[21][22] Male models: Tyson Beckford.[23]

Jennifer Hawkins Megan Gale

[edit] Video games

Video games have had a few characters that are considered sex symbols, although their fame often does not extend into the mainstream. The most well-known example of this category would be Lara Croft,[4][24] which has had several appearances in mainstream media. The first Lara Croft model, Nell McAndrew, appeared on Playboy on August of 1999, although the magazine was prevented legally from displaying the name "Lara Croft" next to the model..[25]

Other sex symbols with less notoriety in the mainstream include:

[edit] Teen idols

Many teen idols are also sex symbols. In particular, boy bands are frequently regarded as sex symbols by adoring fans. Fans frequently focus their attention on a single member of the group, but the entire group is seen as a sex symbol by association[citation needed]. Some excellent examples of boy bands are Backstreet Boys and N Sync. Examples of teen idols are Ricky Martin, Jarrod Tavares, Chris Brown, and Robert Pattinson and Bill Kaulitz.[28][29]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b ABC News: Senior Sex Symbols steal the screen
  2. ^ The Sun: Pammi is telly's sexiest star
  3. ^ "FHM Readers Name Scarlett Johansson World's Sexiest Woman; Actress Tops Voting in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006 Readers' Poll", Business Wire, 2006-03-27. Retrieved on 2008-01-01. 
  4. ^ a b Channel 4 Top 100 Sex Symbols internet poll
  5. ^ a b So just who was it for you last night? Independent, published 2007-08-10
  6. ^ Company Magazine's 100 Sexiest Men of 2003. Obtained 6th position. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  7. ^ Listed on People Magazine, "50 Most Beautiful People", 2006-04-28.
  8. ^ "Hottest Bachelors of 2006.", People magazine, (2005-11-10), "Ten Things to Love about Jake". Retrieved 2006-09-19.
  9. ^ Position #1 on Jenson, Michael. (2007-07-23), "The AfterElton.com Hot 100 List", AfterElton. Polling of thousands of gay and bisexual men. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  10. ^ People Magazine's Top 50 Sexiest Man Alive of 2007 Ranked #8
  11. ^ Betty Boop - Boop Oop a Doop (1986) from Rotten Tomatoes
  12. ^ Video World Is Smitten by a Gun-Toting, Tomb-Raiding Sex Symbol from The New York Times
  13. ^ THE LAST MOVIE STAR from Entertainment Weekly.
  14. ^ Ebony magazine: The greatest African-American sex symbols, November 1, 2005, retrieved March 21, 2008
  15. ^ Jackson, Laura: "Jon Bon Jovi", page 73. Citadel Press, 2004
  16. ^ Awarded Sexiest Rock Star by People magazine on 2000, 2002 and 2003
  17. ^ a b , Michael JacksonThe New Yorker: Sex Symbols, New albums from Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake, November 1, 2005, retrieved March 21, 2008
  18. ^ Popsugar: Victoria's Secret Thinks Rihanna Is Sexy
  19. ^ a b c d e PalmBeachPost.com: Victoria's secret Angels Across America Tour
  20. ^ FHM 100 Sexiest Women in The World 2007 List - Shoryuken
  21. ^ Daily Star Sunday: Sexiest women
  22. ^ Kate drops out of 100 sexiest
  23. ^ named "Man of the Year" in 1995 by the cable television music channel VH1, as well as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People magazine
  24. ^ "Boom Raider" Telegraph retrieved 5 March 2008
  25. ^ Lara saved from Playboy
  26. ^ AT's Top 10 Video Game Chicks Actiontrip. Retrieved on December 2, 2007
  27. ^ Guinness World Records Gamers Edition 2008 pg.81 (bottom-right) ISBN 978-1-904994-20-6
  28. ^ Time Warner: Ricky Martin Is A Hit With AOL Audience Mojo'ng Mike Myers Up Next June 1999, retrieved March 17, 2008
  29. ^ "He's the perfect mass-market sex symbol for a simple reason: Martin projects no inner life that might distract fans from the malleable boy-toy fantasy." --Jim Farber of Daily News (October 29, 1999), reviewing Martin's concert at Madison Square Garden, retrieved from [1] on March 17, 2008

[edit] External links