Playboy: So to start us off. Where were you born?
Sumner Stroh: I was born in Houston Texas but then we moved to Braunfels, Texas, to a small town on a ranch. So technically I was born in a big city, but I feel like a small town girl because I lived there until High School.
Playboy: Do you take pride in being a small town gal?
Sumner Stroh: I love it. Because…I just think it makes you more of a relatable person. I feel like I’m seen as a city girl and I love being able to say “No, I’m actually really down to earth!” I feel like I wouldn’t be as down to earth as I am now if I didn’t have that small town experience.
Playboy: Totally. Can you touch a little bit about growing up on a ranch?
Sumner Stroh: So, we didn’t have any animals, because it was in the hill country. But we had a ton of ATVs and a lot of acreage. Growing up, my would brothers actually try and copy the stunts I would do on my ATV… I used to go from the top of the driveway and go all the way down really really fast. If you don’t do it right, you could easily roll. My little brothers would try it and he’d roll off of it immediately and kept getting hurt. I’ve always been like a little Daredevil. A tomboy at heart.”
Playboy: Not to be rude, but were you always a bad influence on your little brothers?
Sumner Stroh: My God. Yeah, in the sense that I was doing shit that was risky for me and then my brothers were like, “I can do that!” And then they’d end up in the hospital getting stitches. So my mom was like “Whatever your sister does: don’t do it. She might make it look easy, but it’s not!”
Playboy: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever given?
Sumner Stroh: Develop a more “Fuck You” attitude because If you take no for an answer. it’s just gonna delay your growth, your career, your relationship. If you’re sure about something, go for it. If it takes longer for you to get to your goal…that’s fine. That’s much better than settling because you want to follow the status quo.
Playboy: Do you believe in astrology?
Sumner Stroh: Honestly, I fervently believe in astrology. I cannot express that enough. I love to read people’s symmetry charts just to see an example of why someone is in your life and vice versa. Recently, I checked my secondary progressions, and those are basically where your planet—honestly, I’m not gonna go on about that.
Playboy: What’s your chart look like?
Sumner Stroh: I’m a Leo moon and Capricorn rising. I have vertex in Leo and North Node and Leo…so I’m a heavy Leo.
I also have Leo in the eighth house, which is the house of the taboo. Which I love, because that’s what I do. I post my body, I talk about women’s rights, and I’m a big advocate for talking about the injustices we face.
Playboy: If we can touch on that…what’s one setback you believe women uniquely face?
Sumner Stroh: I think it’s just unfortunate that if someone sees a woman who dresses a certain way they might respect them less. Because there’s just such a double standard.
The patriarchy’s so deeply embedded, that I even catch myself thinking certain awful things. I catch myself and I’m like, “Whoa, why did I just mentally hold myself back?” No, both of us can do anything, and gender should not be considered in the argument. Your sexuality should not negatively affect your career at all. If anything, it should boost it. You know what I mean?
Playboy: Totally! Is there a viral video or a tweet that speaks to you?
Sumner Stroh: Yes, hold on, it’s a Daryl Owens tweet that’s…let me pull it up and read it. “Really makes no fucking sense how taking pictures of yourself without clothes on is “selling your body” but destroying your back permanently at a warehouse in service of investors and shareholders while you get paid minimum wage isn’t.”
Playboy: What quality do you think is most desirable in a person?
Sumner Stroh: For me, it has to be passion for something in life. If you’re just laying around and not doing anything and don’t have anything that makes you get up in the morning…to me, that’s kind of like a turnoff. If you aren’t working towards something, if you have no goals…it’s a turn off. A turn on is seeing someone that really, truly cares about something and puts purpose behind it.
Playboy: Who was the first fictional character you fell in love with?
Sumner Stroh: This is so cheesy, but, I’m sorry: Katniss Everdeen. I feel like she embodies who I am in the sense that…she is fighting back. Her life is obviously way different, but when I speak out, I’m doing it at the cost of my image. I don’t care if people hate me for advocating for the causes I care about…I don’t care if I know it’s right. Because I don’t have a platform to just post myself looking cute.
I love that she was like “All right, I’ll eat the poison berries with—what’s his name—Peta? Then the whole Hunger Games just shut down and everyone fell in love with her because they related to her. She’s amazing. I love her.
Playboy: What’s your favorite thing to splurge on?
Sumner Stroh: I have a shopping problem. Just about anything from jewelry, to purses, to crystals. But when it arrives, I’m like, “Why in the hell that I buy that?”
Playboy: Who is a woman that inspires you?
Sumner Stroh: Honestly Pamela Anderson. I love her. She’s been at the forefront of having a “Fuck You” attitude. She dealt with a lot in her early career…people over sexualizing her and she was so resilient throughout and became this iconic figure of pop culture.
Now, she doesn’t wear makeup because she says “I’m not trying to be the prettiest person in the room, I don’t care.” And I just love that. She’s always authentically been herself. No matter what, she’s really helping society get over those gender norms that we’ve had for so long. She’s been a pivotal part of that, I believe.
Sumner Stroh is on The Playboy Club. Talk to her now.
