Life — September 15, 1927 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is Life's "Feminine Number" cover featuring a satirical illustration about the Tunney-Dempsey boxing match. The image shows a woman in a negligee, holding a syringe, appearing to inject a man (likely representing one of the boxers). Two other male figures observe the scene. The satire likely mocks the intense public fascination with the heavyweight championship fight between Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey—specifically suggesting that women were so captivated by the bout that they'd resort to extreme measures (the injection metaphor) to influence its outcome or secure attendance. The caption "It Won't Be Long Now" references the imminent fight date. This cover satirizes 1920s popular culture obsession with boxing and the unusual interest shown across gender demographics.