Judge — April 26, 1924 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a humorous comparison between mules and women, using equestrian training as a vehicle for social satire. The cartoon depicts a woman attempting to harness a stubborn mule, paralleling female behavior: the mule resists being dressed (like struggling with clothing), kicks unpredictably (women are temperamental), responds to compliments (susceptible to flattery), and—in the final jab—styles its tail fashionably like contemporary women. The satire relies on early 20th-century gender stereotypes: women as irrational, vain, difficult to manage, and obsessed with fashion. The "step-ins" reference suggests undergarments, adding a mildly risqué note typical of Judge's sophisticated humor. The comparison between animals and women was common period satire, though crude by modern standards.