Who Is Valerie Solanas? Age, Biography and Wiki
Valerie Solanas was born on April 9, 1936, in Ventnor City, New Jersey. She was an influential American radical feminist, known for her assertive stance on women's rights and her provocative ideas, which she outlined in her SCUM Manifesto. Solanas passed away on April 25, 1988, yet her ideas remain influential in contemporary feminist discourse.
In 2025, we reflect on Solanas' remarkable impact on literature, feminism, and activism, recognizing her as a pivotal figure in radical feminist theory. Though her life was marred by controversy, her writing and activism continue to inspire new generations.
| Occupation | Playwright |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | April 9, 1936 |
| Age | 52 Years |
| Birth Place | Ventnor City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | Jersey |
| Date of death | 25 April, 1988 |
| Died Place | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Popularity
Valerie Solanas's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Valerie Solanas stood at a height of approximately 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm). Her weight fluctuated throughout her life, but she was often described as having a slender build. While specific measurements are not well-documented, Solanas exuded a unique physical presence that matched her formidable intellect.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Throughout her life, Valerie Solanas experienced tumultuous relationships. While not widely publicized, she was known to have had romantic involvements with both men and women. Solanas famously had a brief but impactful relationship with artist Andy Warhol, which intensified her notoriety after the infamous incident when she shot him in 1968. In 2025, any discussion of her relationship status remains historical, as she is no longer alive to engage in contemporary dating.
Her father was a bartender and her mother a dental assistant. She had a younger sister, Judith Arlene Solanas Martinez. Her mother was an Italian-American of Genoan and Sicilian descent born in Philadelphia.
Net Worth and Salary
Estimating Valerie Solanas' net worth in 2025 is challenging given her erratic career and posthumous fame. During her lifetime, she struggled financially and often lived on the fringes of society. However, since her death, her writings have gained significant popularity, leading to an estimated net worth that could range in the low millions due to book sales, adaptations, and speaking engagements. Her most prominent work, SCUM Manifesto, has been analyzed and discussed extensively, contributing to a renewed interest in her life and philosophy.
In 1967, Solanas called pop artist Andy Warhol at his studio, the Factory, and asked him to produce Up Your Ass. According to Warhol, he thought the title was "wonderful" and he invited her to come over with it. He accepted the script for review, told Solanas it was "well typed", and promised to read it.
However, when he read the script he thought it was so pornographic that it must have been a police trap. Solanas later contacted Warhol about the script and when she was told that he had lost it, she started demanding money.
She was staying at the Chelsea Hotel and told Warhol that she needed money for rent so he offered to pay her $25 to appear in his film I, a Man (1967).
Career, Business and Investments
Valerie Solanas was primarily known for her provocative writing and radical feminist philosophy. Her seminal work, SCUM Manifesto, was published in 1967 and aimed to highlight the socio-political issues faced by women in a patriarchal society. Solanas's career included work as a playwright, but her notoriety stemmed more from her activism and confrontations with notable figures in the art world, particularly Andy Warhol.
In addition to her writing, Solanas made a brief foray into entrepreneurship by attempting to establish a women's only commune, showcasing her commitment to feminist ideals. Her influence is also felt in various art and performance pieces inspired by her life and writings.
In her role in I, a Man, Solanas leaves the film's title character, played by Tom Baker, to fend for himself, explaining, "I gotta go beat my meat" as she exits the scene. She was satisfied with her experience working with Warhol and her performance in the film, and brought Maurice Girodias, the founder of Olympia Press, to see it.
Girodias described her as being "very relaxed and friendly with Warhol". Solanas also had a nonspeaking role in Warhol's film Bike Boy (1967).
Social Network
While Valerie Solanas did not have social media as we know it today, her legacy is celebrated across various platforms by feminist groups and academic communities. In 2025, her impact is alive on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, where feminist activists and scholars continue to discuss her ideology and the relevance of her work in modern discourse.
In the mid-1960s, Solanas moved to New York City and supported herself through begging and prostitution. In 1965, she wrote two works: an autobiographical short story, "A Young Girl's Primer on How to Attain the Leisure Class", and a play, Up Your Ass, about a young prostitute.
According to James Martin Harding, the play is "based on a plot about a woman who 'is a man-hating hustler and panhandler' and who ... ends up killing a man." Harding describes it as more a "provocation than ... a work of dramatic literature" and "rather adolescent and contrived". The short story was published in Cavalier magazine in July 1966.
Up Your Ass remained unpublished until 2014.
Education
Valerie Solanas attended several institutions, including the University of Maryland and the University of Pennsylvania, studying subjects ranging from sociology to psychology. Her educational background, though not extensively documented, contributed to her radical ideas and her understanding of societal structures, particularly around gender and power dynamics.
In conclusion, while Valerie Solanas has been a topic of controversy, her writings and ideas endure, prompting ongoing conversations about feminism, identity, and societal norms. As we look into 2025, her legacy continues to serve as a point of reference for discussions surrounding women's rights and radical feminism.
After high school, Solanas earned a degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she was in the Psi Chi Honor Society. While at the University of Maryland, she hosted a call-in radio show where she gave advice on how to combat men. Solanas was an open lesbian, despite the conservative cultural climate of the 1950s.
