There has been a lot of discussion lately about gender labels and this has led to a broadening of the standards for "normal" behaviour which were very narrow in the Mad Men era. The storybook image of the ideal woman in the 1950s was June Cleaver, a domestic caregiver. Her husband had a career and "brought home the bacon". Magazines were active in reinforcing these stereotypes.
The May, 1953 issue of pulp magazine The Girl Friend ( and The Boy Friend ) offered 2 gender specific tests for its readers. The quiz, strictly for girls, asked the question
“What are Your Best Fitted for: Love or Career?"
The second quiz titled
"Will You Make a Good Lover?" was strictly for males, but directed “girl readers” to quiz their boyfriends.
Aren't you glad you didn't grow up in that era?
More here
Thanks Bruce!
Eh, kind of. I think that I could have been born 10 years earlier than I was and be quite happy. But I'd be horrified of growing up 10 years later. And I already am for my kids.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya, John.
ReplyDelete