Life — October 22, 1925 — page 45: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon from Life magazine's "Mental Hazards" series, specifically issue No. 7 titled "The Wife." The image depicts a golf scene where a woman in light-colored clothing is about to putt while several men watch nervously, some appearing to shield their eyes or look away anxiously. The satire addresses the social anxiety surrounding women golfers in early-to-mid 20th century America. The "mental hazard" appears to be the psychological pressure men experience when women participate in golf—a sport traditionally dominated by men. The anxious male spectators suggest discomfort with female athletic participation, poking fun at gender attitudes of the era. The cartoon mocks both the men's nervousness and, implicitly, the social resistance to women's sports involvement.