Judge — June 4, 1921 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This June 1921 *Judge* magazine cover satirizes women's fashion and body anxiety. The illustration depicts a woman standing in or emerging from a large sphere, surrounded by bubbles, with the caption "Why Worry About the Submerged Tenth?" The "submerged tenth" is a sociological term referring to the poorest segment of society. Here, the satire appears to mock women's preoccupation with fashion and appearance—specifically the silhouette created by undergarments and corsets—as trivial compared to serious social problems. The bubble imagery and spherical form suggest either obesity concerns or the distorting effects of fashionable dress of the era. The joke criticizes women (or society generally) for prioritizing superficial beauty standards over substantive social welfare issues.