Life, 1913-09-18 · page 38 of 44
Life — September 18, 1913 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This story-cartoon satirizes male attitudes about women by presenting a scientist who has discovered how to create human life. When asked to manufacture "a perfect woman," the older man and younger scientist immediately disagree on specifications: she should be 19 vs. 21; blonde vs. brunette; five feet eight vs. five feet seven; blue eyes vs. black; and—most tellingly—she should have a "lively, snappy disposition" versus being "soft and womanly." The satire's point: no "perfect woman" exists because men's contradictory expectations are impossible to satisfy. The two male characters cannot agree on any detail, suggesting that male ideals of femininity are fundamentally incompatible. This was likely published during the early 20th century, when debates about women's roles and suffrage were heated, making the joke a commentary on male confusion and unreasonable standards regarding women.
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