YAHOO posted this humorous series of vintage anti-suffragette cartoons today, but not without giving us a dose of bitter medicine. Therese O’Neill of This Week informs us:

One of the most notable things about the arguments put forth by the anti-suffragette movement was how weak its position was. Anti-suffragette arguments relied heavily on emotional manipulation and downright hateful nastiness. Humor was a much-used weapon against suffragettes. They were easy to depict as embittered old maids, brutal scolds, and cigar-smoking transvestites.

Ms. O’Neill forgets to tell us what those arguments were. But then you get the idea with these cartoons. Anti-suffragettes, who included many women, believed that political power was de-feminizing and that women can wield plenty of power without the vote.

Embittered old maids, brutal scolds and transvestites aren’t all that funny anymore, are they? They’re all too real.

Please follow and like us: