Judge — November 16, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "She Has the Feet, But He Has the Hands" This 1889 *Judge* cartoon employs gendered symbolism to critique political power dynamics. The figure on the right—labeled with what appears to be female attributes and wearing a dress—represents a woman or feminine political force with "feet" (suggesting movement, agency, or electoral power). The left figure, depicted as a military or government authority with "hands," controls the machinery of state power shown below. The satire suggests that despite women possessing popular support or ability to effect change, actual governmental control remains firmly in male hands. The industrial/governmental infrastructure illustrated below emphasizes this imbalance. This likely comments on women's suffrage debates or political participation limitations during the Gilded Age.