The__Revolution__of_American_Women_in_the_Flapper_Era

The "Revolution" of American Women in the Flapper Era ~ Research paper ~ Professor: Ruth Blidar Student: Daniela Zaloaga American Studies III The "Revolution" of American Women in the Flapper Era Were the 1920's a decade of great social change in American History' The answer is affirmative, especially when it comes to women, who radically changed all the aspects of their lives. Indeed, in the 1920's, a revolution was taking place throughout America, but,, according to Frederick Lewis Allen, “the shock troops of the rebellion were not alien agitators, but the sons and daughters of well-to-do American families. Their defiance was expressed not in obscure radical publications or in soap-box speeches, but right across the family breakfast table into the horrified eras of conservative mothers and fathers” (76). The parents realized that the moral code of the country was in danger. This code meant that women were supposed to be the guardians of morality; they were more sensitive and sensible than men and were expected to act according to the standards of their roles. Of course young girls had to look forward in innocence, to a romantic love match, and until the "right man" came along they were not allowed to be kissed by any male. The general opinion was that it was morally wrong for women to smoke, drink or experience any temptations. In July, 1920, a fashion-writer reported in the New York Times that "the American woman … has lifted her skirts far beyond any modest limitations" (Allen 77). In fact, the hem was of nine inches above the ground. In terms of fashion, the flapper wore thin dresses, short sleeved, and occasionally, in the evening, sleeveless. "Some of the young girls rolled their stockings below their knees, and many of them were visibly using cosmetics; (…) the intoxication of rouge is an insidious vintage known to more girls that mere man can ever believe" (Allen 77). Some of the women were also abandoning their corsets. The emergence of public dancing indicated not only changes in dancing; it also symbolized broader transformations in the culture as a whole. The best people were now breaking the formal Victorian boundaries that separated men from women, blacks from whites, and upper- from lower-class culture. The current "trend" in dancing created still more consternation, as the editor of Hobart College Herald disgustedly called it "syncopated embrace" - no longer did even an inch of space separate them, they danced as if glued together, body to body, cheek to cheek. “Supposedly nice girls were smoking cigarettes - openly and defiantly. They were drinking - somewhat less openly but often all too efficaciously” (Allen 78). Smoking came to be accepted - though towards the end of the century, but still frowned upon on the streets or in the office. But in restaurants, at dinners, parties, in theatre lobbies women were allowed to do it. As well as very soon, smoking with their husbands or brothers became increasingly popular. Even more striking was the fact that men and women started drinking together during mixed parties. Apparently the "petting party" had been current as early as 1916, and was now widely established as an "indoor sport". "None of the Victorian mothers - and most of the mothers were Victorian - had any idea how casually their daughters were accustomed to be kissed", wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald. (Allen 78) Since flappers had a taste for strong liquor, they had to have a taste for strong language as well – this was obvious in the late 1920’s. “An unexpected damn or hell uttered on the New York stage (…) becoming the commonplace of everyday talk” (Allen 97). The frankness in everyday language brought a new frankness in books and the theatre as well. Mothers felt as if every decent standard was being thrown over. They thought that nice girls could not behave in that manner and talk openly about passion. Parents could actually do little to prevent or cure the “disease” that was affecting more and more young girls. But official figures did not hesitate in revolting and trying to take serious measures. Religious representatives were even more alarmed than the average family. Dr. Francis E. Clark, the founder and president of the Christian Endeavor Society, declared that the modern "indecent dance" was an "offence against womanly purity, the very fountainhead of our family and civil life". The new style of dancing was denounced in religious journals as "impure, polluting, corrupting, debasing, destroying spirituality, increasing carnality". (Allen 79) Also, “a group of Episcopal church-women in New York, speaking with the authority of wealth and social position, proposed an organization to discourage fashions involving an ‘excess of nudity’ and ‘improper ways of dancing’.” (Allen 80) Education representatives did not appreciate these changes either. “The low-cut gowns, the rolled hose and short skirts are born of the Devil and his angels, and are carrying the present and future generations to chaos and destruction” said president Murphy of the University of Florida. Even the press became increasingly alarmed. “The Y.W.C.A. conducted a national campaign against immodest dress among high-school girls, supplying newspapers with printed matter carrying headlines such as Working Girls Responsive to Modesty Appeal” (Allen 80). Legislators in several states introduced bills and firmly decided to reform feminine style for good. The New York American reported in 1921 that a bill was pending in Utah providing fine and imprisonment for those who wore on the streets “skirts higher than three inches above the ankle”. That did not scare women at all, because by the end of the decade the knee-length skirt proved to be exactly what women wanted. Women also loved the flesh-colored stockings, which also became a standard in fashion. “Not content with the freedom of short and skimpy clothes, women sought, too, the freedom of short hair” (Allen 91). So, all American women wanted their hair bobbed by 1924 and they started visiting barber shops for haircutting - place which in some people’s opinion was unsuitable for their standards. Despite this, bobbed hair became very common among young girls. Enormous profits were made out of cosmetics, because rouge, pomade, astringents, make-up and the coloring of eyebrows came to be used regularly and were not looked upon anymore as immoral. Meanwhile, innumerable families were completely against cigarettes, gin and all-night automobile rides. But this did not stop flappers nor had any extraordinary effect upon their youngsters; it did the contrary. “Sons and daughters evaded questions, lied miserably and unhappily, or flared up to reply rudely that at least they were not dirty-minded hypocrites, that they saw no harm in what they were doing and proposed to go right on doing it” (Allen 81). People became calmer thinking that perhaps in a short period of time, these young people would give up this rebellious behavior and everything would be fine again. Anyway, they were wrong, because the revolution in manners and morals had barely begun, but had immediate and strong effects; besides, the era was bound to revolutionize lifestyle for a long period of time in all the countries, not only throughout America. “A whole generation had been infected by the eat-drink-and-be-merry-for-tomorrow-we-die spirit”(Allen 80). According to John F. Carter, this new generation believed that the older generation “had certainly pretty ruined” their world before passing it on to them. This revolution in manners was accelerated by the Big Red Scare, but also by the growing independence of American women. Later on, women won the suffrage and they also voted. Though this consolidated woman’s position as man’s equal, it seemed not enough. They wanted more. It is true though that few would be interested in politics, because this field appeared as “a sordid and futile business, without flavor and without hope” (Allen 83). Frederick Lewis Allen implies that “even more marked was the effect of woman’s growing independence of the drudgeries of housekeeping” (83). Women learned how to ease their work in the kitchen – they bought more and more canned food and often visited delicatessens and bakeries. Almost every work in the house was simplified by the use of machines such as the electric irons and the electric washing machines. “The housewife was learning how to telephone her shopping orders, to get her clothes ready-made and to (…) buy a vacuum cleaner” (Allen 83). There was still something that women had not achieved yet - jobs. Up to the 1920’s, women had been “largely restricted to school teaching, social service-work, nursing, stenography, and clerical work in business houses” (Allen 80). So, the best thing they had to do was taking up jobs in these field and not only. According to Frederick Lewis Allen, they “sold antiques, sold real estate, opened smart little shops, and finally invaded the department stores” (84) This brought up a new furiously discussed topic – whether married women should take a job and whether the mother had the right to do so. Well, this brought up another issue that women were experiencing, and this was the desire for economic independence. Once with the Eighteenth Amendment, evasion of the law began and “the results were the bootlegger, the speakeasy and a spirit of deliberate revolt which in many communities made drinking the thing to do” (Allen, 86). The entire era was characterized by a strong revolution in manners, morals, ideals and apparel; all these were obvious in women’s lives. Their radical changes concerning their social status and gender roles, as well as their defying behavior, acted as a “mirror” reflecting the true face and importance of the “Roaring Twenties”. In the 1920's, a lot of artificial wealth was created, because companies invested in each other and the stock market was boosted. This happened until October 1929, when citizens began a "run" on banks to withdraw their money, and they discovered that their money was not really there. This led to panic, bankruptcies, unemployment, and foreclosures, which led to the Great Depression, and this meant the end of the “Roaring Twenties”. Even though the era was over, its effects were enormous and intense. Women took the courage and lead a "revolt" to gain their rights to revolutionize their thinking and act according to their desires, ideals and hopes. Unfortunately, the effects that the "Roaring Twenties" had upon women were not valid for every female individual across the globe, but did help in creating another vision upon their lives and "plant" a seed of hope for the better in their hearts. Works cited: - Allen, Frederick Lewis. "Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920's". John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: New York, 1997. Bibliography: - Copelman, Dina M. "Review: Masculine Faculty, Women's Temperament: Victorian Women's Quest for Work andPersonal Fulfillment". Feminist Studies, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Spring, 1987), pp. 185-201 - Doan, Laura. Passing Fashions: Reading Female Masculinities in the 1920s. Feminist Studies, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Autumn, 1998), pp. 663-700 - Erenberg, Lewis A. "Everybody's Doin' It: The Pre-World War I Dance Craze, the Castles, and the ModernAmerican Girl". Feminist Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1/2 (Autumn, 1975), pp. 155-17 - Schneider, Dorothy, and Karl, Schneider J. "American Women in the Progressive Era: 1900-1920". Facts on File: New York, 1993 - Wrigley, Julia. "Review: Feminists and Domestic Workers". Feminist Studies, Vol. 17, No. 2, Constructing Gender Difference: The FrenchTradition (Summer, 1991), pp. 317-329