Judge — November 25, 1916 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon by Will Ranelli depicts a stylishly dressed woman in 1920s fashion—bowler hat, long coat, and heeled shoes—holding an umbrella. The caption "NO HALF BACK!" appears to be a play on words referencing football terminology. The satire likely comments on women's changing social roles and fashion during the Jazz Age. "No half back" suggests the woman won't compromise or retreat from modern behavior—possibly referring to women's increasing independence, shortened skirts, or other contemporary social changes that conservatives resisted. The fashionable, assertive pose reinforces this message of women refusing to return to traditional constraints. The cartoon reflects Judge magazine's satirical commentary on evolving gender norms of the era.