On Jan. 31, “Pamela, A Love Story” was released on Netflix. The documentary follows the icon Pamela Anderson as she shares a condensed, close look at her life. Things got even more intimate following the release of her memoir, “Love, Pamela,” which was published the same day. It’s a collection of autobiographical memories, original poetry and prose. As it seems her adult life has been recounted by others, she is finally taking overdue control of her narrative.
Life became a series of seeming miracles for 22-year-old Anderson, a small-town girl from Ladysmith, Canada. She was discovered when she appeared on the big screen at a football game. Shortly after, Playboy reached out to her, adamant that she needed to model for them. Everything changed for her, taking her from girl-next-door to international sex symbol.
Most know her from her role as C.J. in “Baywatch” or from her fervent relationship with Tommy Lee. Unfortunately, some know her from the release of a stolen tape of intimate relations between her and Lee. Back in 1996, the former couple’s private videos were stolen from their home and made public with no permission or profit for the couple. Anderson recalls the time as being traumatic and invasive. Her image was threatened, while Lee’s rockstar status only thrived. In legal proceedings some argued she had no right to privacy, considering her modeling past. Her experience is another unfortunate one of double standards and sex shaming fueled by misogyny.
In February 2022, Hulu released a series, “Pam & Tommy,” recounting the ‘story’ of their tumultuous relationship and experience in the theft of their personal property. In reality, Anderson and Lee never provided the network with the rights to their story. Anderson described the making of the series as “salt in a wound.”
In her documentary and memoir, Anderson discusses her traumatic experiences of sexual assault, domestic abuse, miscarriage, theft of her personal property and life in the spotlight. But apart from that, she focuses on the true nature of her soul — a woman of many layers.
She’s never been regretful or ashamed of her past at Playboy, even against the media’s attempts to encourage it. She finds her experience to be empowering as well as a useful tool. 26 years ago, she did her first campaign with PETA against the use of animal fur in fashion. She stated, “activism is sexy, and you have to be brave, and you gotta use what you got!”
She’s also made international ripples, especially in her advocation for the prohibition of the importation of seal products in Russia. Making an ally out of Putin, she successfully made it illegal to import seal products into Russia, hoping to end the Canadian seal hunt. As a long-time animal lover, she still practices activism through The Pamela Anderson Foundation. She’s dedicated to animal, human and environmental rights, stating, “they are all connected.”
Before the release of her documentary and memoir, Anderson starred as Roxie in “Chicago” on Broadway for eight weeks in 2022. Her persona embodies the character and she put on a damn good show. Critics called her a “natural performer.” She received standing ovations and outstanding reception, despite having never worked in a musical setting. Anderson recalls in her memoir that it was time for her to push herself for something like that; she was ready.
Now at 55, she’s returned to Canada and lives alone on her farm by the beach close to family. She stopped prioritizing romantic love and is comfortable in her own company. She’s experienced so much to be resentful for but refused to let it harden her. Anderson is not a victim. She’s an activist, writer, performer, mother, creator, lover and so much more.
To me, a mermaid era, a term I may have coined (?), is the exact opposite of a b*tch era. A b*tch era, while a rightful and arguably inevitable passage of the divine feminine experience, entails leveling up and coming into who you are. While it’s not necessarily negative, I find it to be fueled by the desire for revenge. The mermaid era is embracing who you are. It embodies the surrender to peace: to arrive and thrive in your truth. And Pamela Anderson is in her mermaid era.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org.