9 Female Icons That Redefined Sexuality Forever (2 of 5)

Megan Fox

Megan Fox became a big sex symbol in the early 2000s after her role in Transformers, especially with that famous scene of her leaning over a car engine, which was shot in a way that’s all about showing off her body. She’s eye-candy and, boy, do men love eye-candies. After Transformers, Fox started getting more roles like that, which paid the bills, sure, but weren’t all that fulfilling for the actress. The movie Jennifer’s Body switched things up a bit. Being a horror-comedy that pokes fun at how guys view women, objectify them, and dominate, Megan Fox was a perfect cast for the main villainess. Her story shows the tricky side of becoming famous for being sexualized, as it can lead to instant fame but often takes away any real depth or control.

Anna Nicole Smith

When Anna Nicole Smith took over Claudia Schiffer’s Guess Jeans campaign in 1992–1993, her fame skyrocketed. She even landed a spot on the cover of Playboy after Hugh Hefner reached out. She wasn’t trying to fool herself, though, as it felt like brands and tabloids were more interested in her looks than her as a person, constantly commenting on her weight, makeup, and sex appeal. At first, people were happy and praised her body, but when she gained weight, the comments completely changed. And then the gold digger allegations started when she married 89-year-old oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall at just 26. Smith died at 39 from an overdose in 2007, and looking back, many see her story less as a wild scandal and more as a cautionary tale about a culture that exploits women’s sexuality and then tosses them aside when the image strays away from what the people want to see.