The Wasp — 1895 — page 198: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes women's emerging participation in sports, particularly football. The drawings mock female athletes with exaggerated, unflattering physiques and ungraceful poses—a common satirical approach when women entered traditionally male-dominated activities. The vignettes show: "Half Time" (women eating/socializing), "A Skirt Dance Training" (suggesting dance as athletic preparation), "A New Vocation" (woman collecting baskets, implying women belong in domestic roles), and "A Scrimmage" (chaotic pile-up of players). The accompanying text references Sacramento legislature's 31st session concluding with retiring members. The satire conflates legislative incompetence with women's athletic incompetence, suggesting both are absurd departures from traditional roles. The "Spectator" figure indicates this entertainment is meant for public consumption and mockery.