Sex symbol

A sex symbol is a famous person, male or female, who is found sexually attractive by the general audience. The term was first used circa 1911.

Sources

The movie industry played an important part in the rise of sex symbols. It disseminated images of beautiful people around the world, especially in the time of silent film, when there were no language barriers. One of the first sex symbols was the Danish actress Asta Nielsen in the 1910s and 1920s.

Related Topics:
Movie - Silent film - Asta Nielsen - 1910s - 1920s

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Although movies are still important, sex symbols nowadays are often created by television in general and soap operas and music videos in particular. Many "supermodels" of the fashion industry are also regarded as sex symbols.

Related Topics:
Soap operas - Music videos - Supermodel

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Sometimes sex symbols, mostly male, can even be people who are not portrayed as beautiful or handsome, but possess other qualities that make them sexually attractive. Adolf Hitler was regarded as a sex symbol in Nazi Germany.

Related Topics:
Adolf Hitler - Nazi Germany

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Many teen idols, such as Skye Sweetnam and Christina Aguilera, 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.

Related Topics:
Teen idol - Skye Sweetnam - Christina Aguilera - Boy band

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Fictitious, animated, or virtual sex symbols also sometimes achieved popularity. Especially among fans of anime and manga, referred to as otaku, fictitious characters frequently featured in fan-authored dōjinshi, some of which are erotic (ecchi) or pornographic (hentai) in nature. See also: bishōjo and bishōnen. Besides anime and manga, non-Japanese animation and video games are the source for a number of fictitious sex symbols.

Related Topics:
Anime - Manga - Otaku - Dōjinshi - Ecchi - Hentai - Bishōjo - Bishōnen - Japan - Video games

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Males who display signs of androgyny and/or transvestism may also achieve sex symbol status. particularly in the gay community. Popular examples are musician Brian Molko, comedian Eddie Izzard and the Rocky Horror Show's main character, Frank N. Furter.

Related Topics:
Androgyny - Transvestism - Brian Molko - Eddie Izzard - Rocky Horror Show

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