She was the greatest goddess of cinema, the first sex symbol alive in her time; Marilyn Monroe was desired by many men and still serves as an inspiration to many generations of women. Even more than fifty years after her death, she continues to be an unrivaled icon of fashion and cinema. Even though Marilyn Monroe is no longer alive today, she continues to influence today's society by challenging typical "role model" norms. Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Baker on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. During her early years, she overcame many difficulties. Marilyn's father abandoned the family before she was born, so she spent most of her childhood without knowing the identity of her father. There are two possibilities: Edward Mortenson, named on his birth certificate, and Stanley Gifford, who worked with his mother Gladys. Marilyn moved between numerous foster homes, when her mother was sent to a psychiatric hospital after developing psychiatric problems. Eventually, Grace McKee, her mother's best friend, became her guardian. McKee allowed nine-year-old Marilyn to curl her hair and wear makeup until McKee married and sent her to an orphanage. She was then sent to live with her great-aunt, Olive Brunings, and it was believed that Marilyn had been sexually assaulted by Olive's son. When Marilyn was sixteen, she escaped her old life by marrying Jim Dougherty, a twenty-one-year-old aircraft factory worker. worker, from whom she unfortunately divorced four years later. Around this time, she had started posing for pin-ups and glamor photos, having bleached her hair blonde – which took her nine times to get the color right. Howard Hughes tried to get him a screen test, but was beaten by 20th Century Fox, who offered him a contract. Mari...... middle of paper ......nist, June 2, 2002. Web. April 17, 2014. “The Hidden Life of Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood's Original Slave to Mind Control.” » TheVigilantCitizen.com. The vigilant citizen, May 21, 2013. Web. April 23, 2014. .Warlick, Heather. “50 years later, Marilyn Monroe still influences fashion and beauty.” NewsOK.com. OK News, July 30, 2012. Web. April 15, 2014. .Wilson, Craig. “The legend of Marilyn Monroe continues 50 years after her death.” USAToday.com. USA Today, July 31, 2012. Web. April 16. 2014. .