Judge — December 29, 1928 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes **women's rights and changing social norms** in early 20th-century America, labeled "The New Americana." The top cartoon mocks women's expanding freedoms: a woman exercises vigorously in public while men object that "a woman has a right to be as homely as she wants to be—but she abuses the privilege." Lower panels joke about **gender role disruptions**: one gag references Julius Tannen (a contemporary performer) claiming women's pants are so voluminous the wearer must take eleven steps before they move. Another depicts a man disappointed his wife didn't produce a son, only a daughter. The Christmas scene at bottom shows a child excited about toy "ex-lil' pals"—likely satirizing modern commercialism or toys for girls. The humor relies on mocking women's liberation, physical independence, and departure from traditional domestic roles—reflecting period anxieties about changing gender relations. These "jokes" expose rather than celebrate these social shifts.