She was always way ahead of her time, championing the cause of the LGBTQ+ community.
While some might recognise Marilyn Monroe for her iconic subway stunt where she stood on a grate trying to prevent her white dress from being fluttered in the wind, it is pertinent to note that she is a lot more than the commercialisation and commodification of her images that take place decades after her death. Amidst the hyper-masculine domain, there existed a female cultural phenomenon who was the epitome of innocence and seduction, the perfect example of the Victorian pre-requisite of a “virgin nymphomaniac”- the ethereal Marilyn Monroe who became the object of affection for people all around the world, with her honest and vulnerable persona, was a trailblazing icon in her truest sense. Yet the 1950s saw the dazzling Elvis woo his audience while other extraordinary actors popularised films, earning themselves fame. With the advent of the Cold War, paranoia and terror set in, as it had only been five years since the Great Wars subsided the marginalised were treated with hatred and contempt. The ‘American Dream’ was being chased relentlessly by people who pictured perfect Sundays in houses with picketed fences, surrounded by happy families.
The era in which Marilyn Monroe thrived was the era of conformity. It’s a pity so many people despise and crush this feeling.”Įlton John, gay and proud, had written his famous single ‘Candle In The Wind’ in 1973, dedicating it to the great Marilyn Monroe, celebrating her short-lived yet whirlwind of a life.