Life — April 6, 1911 — page 30: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical illustration commenting on changing social norms regarding women and smoking in early 20th-century America. The caption reads: "Of course the women smoke now, but only cigarettes and as amateurs." The cartoon appears to depict women in various states of smoking, likely contrasting "respectable" cigarette smoking with other forms (cigars, pipes) traditionally associated with men. The satire targets the hypocrisy of the era: society was beginning to accept women smoking cigarettes as a modern, fashionable behavior, yet still maintained strict moral boundaries—women could only participate "as amateurs" in this previously male-exclusive activity. This reflects genuine social tension of the 1920s-era when cigarette smoking became increasingly feminized and commercialized, yet remained controversial. The "amateur" designation suggests women were merely dabbling in a masculine practice, rather than truly claiming equal social rights.