Marilyn Monroe Quotes She Didn’t Say, But Gets Credit For Anyway

With all of the things Marilyn Monroe supposedly said, she might be better known as a motivational speaker than a sex symbol. The actress, who would have turned 89 years old Monday, tragically died at the age of 36.

Since then, fascination with Monroe has failed to subside-- even fifty years after her untimtely death-- and she’s been credited with more saying more than a dozen famous quotes. The only problem is that she didn’t say most of the things people said she did, Buzzfeed and New York Magazine wrote. Some of the most common quotes and phrases have been shared below, along with the true author/speaker:

1.“Independence is happiness.” --Susan B. Anthony

2. “Being a sex symbol is a heavy load to carry, especially when one is tired, hurt and bewildered.” --Clara Bow said this about Monroe

3. “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” --Confucius

4. “I like to feel dumb. That’s how I know there’s more there’s more in the world than me.” --Susan Sontag

5. “Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.” --Kurt Cobain

6. “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” --Bette Midler

7. “I’m pretty, but I’m not beautiful. I sin, but I’m not the devil. I’m good, but I’m not an angel.” --a paraphrased quote by Alona Kimhi.

8. “It’s better to be hated for what you are than love for what you are not.” --Andre Gide

9. “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” --Lauren Thatcher Ulrich

10. “Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” --Thomas Leary

Bonus: The following quote is one of the most popular ones that Monroe supposedly said. The main problem with it is that it didn’t surface on the Internet until the last decade, and there’s no record that she uttered these words: “I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.”

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