Bettie Page is known as the most photographed woman in the world. She was a walking contradiction in her body of work; a combination of naughty and nice came across in all of her photographs. She defied what was taboo in the world of nudity and sexiness. The bar that she set has been challenged, but never exceeded by, such provocateurs as Madonna and Britney Spears. The ground she broke back in the 1950's has made Bettie Page a legend to millions, even today, despite her 45 year seclusion form the public eye. .
Much can be speculated about what turned Bettie Page into the sexual icon she is known as. A lot of it can be traced back to her childhood, when her father started sexually abusing her at the age of thirteen. She was ashamed that her nymphomaniac father gave her her first sexual experience, especially since sex was something that was never discussed in that era. She escaped her troubling home life by getting involved in almost every club and organization in her Tennessee high school. .
Bettie had always dreamed of becoming an actress and even lost class valedictorian in favor of her school's play. However, her passion was for acting and the high school plays she participated in did not quench her thirst. In the back of her mind, she kept that dream going, even as she received her BA in Education at Peabody College (members.tripod.com/~spaceagegirl/bet5.html). Bettie's teaching career was something she only briefly entertained, since her young marriage moved her to San Francisco. To pass the time while her husband was away on leave, she began modeling in local newspaper ads, her first being modeling fur coats. .
When Bettie's husband returned from the service, they moved around the country, finally settling in Miami. She took a job as a secretary until both the job and her marriage fell apart. Bettie set her sites on New York City, where she thought she could spark the acting flame once again.
