The Wasp — February 28, 1880 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon addresses a legal ruling striking down anti-dive ordinances affecting women. The text box explains Judge Daingerfeld ruled that ordinances banning women from "diving" (performing in theaters/saloons) are unconstitutional under Article XX, Section 18 of the Constitution, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in professions. The Judge's quoted remarks sarcastically highlight the law's absurdity: men can sell beer, play piano, or perform at night without restriction, yet women face bans—contradicting stated legal principles. The cartoon's "Cause and Effect" shows financial consequences: a woman (the "diver") demands payment owed since the ordinance prevented her from working, while her employer protests the lost revenue now that dives are "lawful."