Pamela Anderson, an actress, model and activist from Ladysmith, British Columbia, has become a significant cultural figure through her multifaceted career. In the 1990s and early 2000s, she was widely portrayed as a sex symbol, featured on Playboy covers, known for her role as “C.J.”, the lifeguard on Baywatch, and often, within tabloid framing of the ‘Pam and Tommy’ era. By the 2010s and 2020s, however, Anderson has been reframed as a more authentic and self-authored figure – an activist, spokesperson and a public personality embracing age with grace.
Her rise to fame happened in 1990 when she was depicted as a sex symbol in the Playboy magazine and the Baywatch film. She was sexualized and known for her blonde hair, curvy figure and her stunning smile. The film industry also created this narrative that characterized her as a stereotypical “dumb blonde”. The media stripped Pamela Anderson of her personal identity and pictured her as the ultimate “blonde bombshell”. Adding to this is the leak of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s private sex tapes that turned into a media spectacle with her especially sensationalized in the tabloids.
In the later stage of her career, what she was known for shifted. She is now known as a woman of advocacy. In the Netflix documentary, Pamela, A Love Story she reflects her activism and reframes her narrative: “Since I am in public and people have access to so many private moments of life, the best thing I can do is double down and tell my story right from day one … I’m not trying to change anyone’s idea of me. It’s just a life story.” Further, she reflects and contradicts certain stereotypes that are put on women, through encouraging women to embrace their authentic selves. She has challenged beauty standards by choosing to no longer wear makeup and instead accepting and showing gratitude for her natural beauty.
Three interconnected aspects of Pamela Anderson’s construction that illustrated the shift in how she was represented were, age, gender and expression. Firstly, Anderson image was based on a youthful figure. As she has matured in age, she has become her own authentic individual self. Secondly, she was feminized in both her acting and modeling careers as producers wanted to depict her as this image of a “blonde bombshell”. This was an unrealistic stereotype created by publishers that affected viewers, specifically young girls and women. She was shaped into an image of a women that ideally could be sexualized by men. Now, she has shifted away from being an image designed for a man and rather focusing on her own self-image that she believes in. Finally, when Anderson was in the film and modeling industry, she could not expression her genuine self as the agencies would control what was being shown. Today, she can express herself freely through her online platforms and documentary on Netflix. She no longer must conform to certain stereotypes. Pamela Anderson is a symbol of change on how women can and should redefine their original image.
Media has constructed many stereotypes about women. These stereotypes present how women should act and the way in which they should be presenting themselves. The way Anderson was shaped at a young age was a direct reflection of these ideals. The role of producers was to make content that was going to be appealing to everyone, but in doing so sexualized women to increase men viewership. This ultimately framed how men view women. Today, Anderson is trying to shine a light on accepting yourself for who you are. We are still surrounded by stereotypes daily, but she is fighting against them by putting herself out to the public, willingly and vulnerably. She speaks on the way women are viewed and have been treated poorly throughout history, and how this is still an issue today.
In conclusion, Pamela Anderson has had two clear versions of herself that ultimately shaped the woman she is today. She was placed into an environment where she was sexualized and depicted to be this ideal woman. Today, she has reclaimed her personal narrative through her voice and actions. Her story reflects on how stereotypes are put onto public figures to create an unrealistic and sexualized image of a person. Anderson stands as proof that a woman can reclaim her story for the better and in doing so, challenge the media culture that imposed a different narrative upon them.
Biblography
Brown, Jeffrey A. “Pamela Anderson and Marilyn Monroe: Sex Symbols and the Naked Truth.” Celebrity Studies, February 29, 2024, 1–18.
https://doi.org/10.1080/19392397.2024.2323463.
Bella, Timothy. “Pam and Tommy, Sex Tape Pioneers, Changed the Internet Forever. They Didn’t Ask for It.” Washington Post, January 30, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/01/30/pamela-anderson-tommy-lee-sex-tape-internet/.
Ouellette, Laurie. “Showgirl.” Film Quarterly 79, no. 1 (January 1, 2025): 73–79. https://doi.org/10.1525/fq.2025.79.1.73.
Ward, L. Monique. “Media and Sexualization: State of Empirical Research, 1995–2015.” The Journal of Sex Research 53, no. 4-5 (March 15, 2016): 560–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2016.1142496.
Amira Alam
Senna approached this project with a thoughtful and unique example, which was executed very effectively. While her subject, Pamela Anderson, is not a fictional character, she represents a real shift in media identity and image construction. As Senna noted, the media “stripped Pamela Anderson of her personal identity and pictured her as the ultimate ‘blonde bombshell’.” Her essay offered a concise, chronological account of Anderson’s career, highlighting key moments that shaped her public perception. Senna’s use of diverse sources – including scholarly works and media outlets such as The Washington Post and Celebrity Studies – was especially effective, as it reflected the intersection between celebrity culture, tabloid journalism, and the erosion of personal privacy that defined much of Anderson’s career.
Senna’s central argument focused on Anderson’s reclamation of her own image. Through choices like going makeup-free and producing a self-narrated documentary, Anderson has taken control of her narrative after decades of objectification. Senna connected this transformation to a larger commentary on the portrayal of women in media; how historically, women have been commodified and molded to satisfy the male gaze. Her analysis thoughtfully illustrated the growing agency of women in reclaiming their stories, challenging stereotypes, and reshaping the conversation around femininity and fame. Visually, Senna’s image selection reinforced her argument perfectly. The contrast between an older, hyper-sexualized and full-body beach photo and a recent, bare-faced portrait captures the evolution of Anderson’s self-presentation; from a public object of fantasy to an autonomous, authentic individual.
Overall, Senna’s project was cohesive, well-researched, and insightful. The only thing missing was perhaps a bit more information about Pamela’s current success and public perception, especially in contrast to the media phenomenon she was in the 80s. Her analysis not only captured the nuances of Pamela Anderson’s transformation but also reflected a broader cultural shift toward self-representation and empowerment among women and other marginalized groups in media.