Life — January 19, 1922 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Infernal Feminine" This 1922 *Life* cartoon satirizes modern women's behavior through a humorous scene. A woman in a bonnet and patterned dress holds up a large fish, displaying it triumphantly to a young boy. The caption at top reads: "A woman impudent and amusingly grown / is not more loaded / than an effeminate man / in issue of action." The joke appears to target the perceived boldness and assertiveness of modern women—specifically their willingness to engage in traditionally male activities like fishing or hunting. The "infernal feminine" title suggests satirical criticism of women's changing social roles in the 1920s, likely referencing the post-suffrage era when women were gaining greater independence and challenging traditional gender expectations. The cartoon mocks this shift through exaggerated, playful imagery.