emma ly dissertation

8/18/2019 Emma Ly Dissertation

1/53

10236

Emma Ly 1016 084 Final Year Frenchand History 2013-2014

The pulic !oicin" o#pri!ate desires$ Trans#ormin" %ender&deals throu"h 'opular

'rint (aterial in 1)*0s+merica,omparati!e +merican tudies$ +(401(c,arthyism to El!is


2/53

1

The public voicing of private desires: Transforming GenderIdeals through Popular Print Material in 1950s America

The post .ar decade .as one o# patent pro"ression #or +merican

popular culture/ morality and society The optimism o# post-.ar

auence/ its thri!in" cultural landscape/ the ,i!il i"hts (o!ement that

rou"ht #aith in pulic political contriution to.ards social chan"e/ the

automoile re!olution/ all point to.ards the reain" o# traditions o# a

nation that mo!ed #or.ards in all senses espite clear marers o#

lieratin" impulses/ scholars ha!e een too ready to accept the

conser!ati!e/ 5ie and Harriet style depiction o# 1)*0s +merica This

assi"nment sees to re!ert the assumption o# se7ual reticence and

static "ender norms that commonly dene the decade/ concernin" in

particular .hite/ middle class +mericans/ as the principle tar"ets o#

consumer ideolo"y/ chie# memers o# the auent society/ and those

most persistently caricatured as house.i!es and read.inners o# the

suuran +merican ream &n my opinion/ the Fi#ties merit "reater

reco"nition as the decade that stimulated social and cultural chan"e

that pa!ed .ay #or "reater re!olutionary #er!our in the i7ties

The pre!ious .ritin"s o# iesman 91)61:/ ;rienes 91))2:/

(eyero.it 91))4:/ Ehrenreich 91)8uality as ?a"ents o# socialisation/ promul"atin"


3/53

2

!alues and attitudes o# a "i!en society at a "i!en time@ 1 Ae must ear

in mind that popular print material .ere inBuential sources o#

in#ormation/ entertainment/ ad!ice/ and social ideals at a time much

e#ore electronic mediums impacted the daily decisions o# the mass

pulic

The Fi#ties .as the decade in .hich Cice 'resident ichard

Di7on proclaimed the ?#emale homemaer and male read.inner/

adorned .ith an array o# consumer "oods asthe essence o# the

+merican #reedom@2 The conser!ati!e "ender constraints o# ,old Aar

society/ supposedly e7istin" to ensure +merica@s position as the "loal

astion o# democracy/ did indeed stiBe .omen@s #ull potential as #ully

en"a"ed citiens o# society Lie.ise/ it ept men tied to a !irile

masculine ideal that .ar e7periences had made some.hat unattainale

#or the a!era"e man ;ut such dominant ideolo"ies .ere ?neither .holly

monolithic nor unrelentin"ly repressi!e@ 3 Ho.e!er/ & ar"ue that the

clear lines o# demarcation et.een male and #emale "ender norms

.ere lurrin"/ rather than sharpenin" in ,old Aar +merica/ reiterated

y alternati!e messa"es in popular printed media

The other side o# popular consumer culture o# the Fi#ties/

o#ten "i!en little historical attention/ promoted ne. social e7periences/

1 Fer"uson/ (arorie/ Forever Feminine: Women’s Magazines and the Cult of Femininity 9London/ 1)83:/ p2

2 Elaine Tyler (ay/ Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era 9De. Yor$;asic ;oos/ 1))0:/ p16

3 Goanne (eyero.it/ ?;eyond the Feminine (ysti>ue@/ in ot !une Cleaver: Women and"ender in #ostwar America$ %&'()%&*+$ ed y Goanne Gay (eyero.it/ 9'hiladelphia$ Temple ni!ersity 'ress/ 1))4:/ pp22)-62 9p 231:


4/53

3

a.aened ne. senses o# indi!idual #ullment and se7uality/

destailisin" there#ore/ traditional "ender dichotomies & ha!e chosen to

#ocus in particular on the (aiden#orm under.ear company@s ?&

reamed@ campai"n #rom 1)4)-1)60 and Thomas (ario@s #ood

articles in #lay,oy ma"aine #rom 1)*4-1)*) as .indo.s into

pro"ressi!e "endered ideolo"ies to.ards se7/ .or/ politics and the

opposite se7

Aith respects to ;etty Friedan@s Feminine Mysti-ue/

91)63: a oo !ital to the rea.aenin" o# #eminism/ her caricatured

depiction o# the ?Happy House.i#e Heroine@ .ho secretly suIered ?the

prolem .ith no name@ is too simplied an account o# +merican

.omen@s li!es Juestionin" her elie# that society told .omen marria"e

and motherhood .as the ultimate path to #eminine #ullment/ 4 the rst

chapter o# this dissertation e7plores ho. popular print mediums such as

the (aiden#orm campai"n helped a.aen .omen@s senses o# social and

indi!idual identitiesK ne. attitudes to.ards .or/ politics and

consumerism laid out ne. ideolo"ical discourses o# emancipation

+s #or men/ Aorld Aar && parado7ically espoused tou"h

masculinity as much as it undermined it (ale issues o# the ,old Aar

?masculinity crisis@ and the so-called #eminisin" culture o# +merica ha!e

een .ell oser!ed y scholars/ ut in chapter t.o/ & oIer the !ie. that

consumer +merica/ .ar e7periences and modern industrial climate

made .ay #or a positi!e remodellin" o# masculinity/ that #lay,oy

4 ;etty Friedan/ .he Feminine Mysti-ue 9De. Yor$ AA Dorton and ,o/ 1)63:/ pp13-21


5/53

4

ma"aine helped shape (illions o# +merica@s men/ psycholo"ically

aIected #rom attleeld e7periences/ returned home to soon nd ne.

contradictory roles mapped out #or them$ the lo!in" read.inner o# the

?nuclear #amily o# the nuclear a"e/@ 9Tyler (ay/ p3: !irile anti-

,ommunists/ and success#ul competitors o# the auent society

#lay,oy reassurin"ly mer"ed such anta"onistic male concepts .ith the

#antastical #lay,oy achelor/ .ho .as at once com#ortaly attuned to

con#ormism and domesticity/ ut also prided a masculine demeanour o#

9hetero: se7uality and pro#essionalism Thus/ oth pro"ressi!e "ender

constructs reBected the social currents o# +merica itsel#/ and its path

to.ards modern lieralism

,urious to relate the hyperolic optimism o# popular

culture to reality/ a study into the ?dream lie@ >ualities o# the

(aiden#orm campai"n and #lay,oy .ill try to mae meanin" o#

"endered #antasies that .ere communicated to the pulic Ahat

could the (aiden#orm model@s dreamin" o# runnin" the election/ ein"

a lady editor/ or sailin" Europe tell us aout .omen@s personal

aspirations Lie.ise/ ho. did the #lay,oy achelor@s ne. #ound hoy

o# main" coctails and canapMs .ith his electrical lender help shape

ne. "ender ideals 'rint culture played a deniti!e role in shapin" ne.

social attitudes/ as .ell as reBectin" them/ and this cannot e stressed

enou"h &t united rather than polarised traditional male and #emale

representations/ there#ore main" .ay #or ideolo"ical chan"es to

"ender relations


6/53

*

;e#ore the politicised re!olutions o# the i7ties/ the initial

!oicin" o# pri!ate desires throu"h popular culture .as mani#ested in the

Fi#ties &t .as only a matter o# time e#ore +mericans stopped dreamin"

and started doin"

hapter 1: Maidenform!s "I #reamed$! campaign: personal

dreams before political action

This chapter e"ins .ith the (aiden#orm ?& reamed@

campai"n as a mirror to ideolo"ically pro"ressi!e e7periences o# .hite

#emale e7periences in the 1)*0s Launched in 1)4)/ t.o hundred and

ten ad!ertisements * .ere produced in the success#ul ei"hteen

yearlon" campai"n/ #eaturin" models paradin" in some.hat surreal

situations/ proudly e7posin" their (aiden#orm ras They appeared in

leadin" .omen@s ma"aines/ such as /adies Home !ournal$ .hich

durin" the 1)40s and 1)*0s claimed the .orld@s lar"est ma"aine

circulation$ McCall’s$ 0ed,oo1 and "ood House1ee2ing3 they enoyed

suscrier lists ran"in" #rom t.o to ei"ht million6 ;eyond the

contro!ersy/ humour and curiosity that the ad!ertisements pro!oed/

the potent messa"e that .omen could condently Baunt their odies

and their personal attriutes .ith sel#-condence aroused curiosities o#

many post-.ar .omen in +merica/ and eyond The Chansonette ra/

* Ettorre/ ;arara/ ?The (aiden#orm .oman returns@/ .he ew 4or1 .imes/ 91 Gune1)80:/ p3

6 Dancy + Aaler/ Women’s Magazines %&'+)%&*+: "ender 0oles and the #o2ular#ress 9;ed#ord$ ;ed#ordNt (artin@s/ 1))8:/ p2


7/53

6

.hich sold )0 million units in more than 100 countries #rom 1)4)

throu"h 1)


8/53

<

attitudes and their enhanced se7ual appeal The rst ad!ert/ ?8 wish 8

went sho22ing in my Maidenform ,ra’ 9&ma"e 1 in appendi7: captures

the sentiment o# post-.ar +merican .omen enterin" a ne. .orld o#

aundance a#ter .artime economy stru""les The o!eroyed model/

prancin" around in a surreal settin" o# a shop .ith Byin" #oods captures

this oyous post-.ar relie# and emer"ence o# .omen@s ne. purchasin"

po.er 5n one hand/ the surreal ima"e reconrms the .oman@s

domestic/ maternal essence/ ut on the other/ her e7posure in ust a

(aiden#orm ra and sirt connotes somethin" untraditional/ non-

maternal/ and re#reshin"ly darin"

;y the turn o# the i7ties/ the (aiden#orm .oman poses

inside a china plate/ .earin" ust a ra and "ure hu""in" sirt The

se7ual innuendo o# the lady dreamin" ?she .as a real dish in OherP

(aiden#orm ra@ 9&ma"e 2: that "uaranteed to mae the se7ually

condent consumer ?the tal around to.n@ reBects the lieralied

se7ual attitudes in the later years o# the decade The campai"n/

?dreamt up@ y (adison +!enue@s Dorman/ ,rai" and =ummel a"ency

increasin"ly tested the oundaries o# .hat .as acceptale at the time/

10 ut at the same time endorsed .hat could and should e deemed

acceptale For the ad!erts to e comprehensile to real .omen/ the

ne. #eminine ?po.er@ did not stray too #ar #rom traditional ?#emininity@

The doule meanin" o# the ?dish@ metaphorically descries the doule

personalities o# the Fi#ties .oman as domesticated/ ut also

independent and se7y/ oIerin" .hat (eyero.it calls ?a post-.ar

10 ?Dorman/ ,rai" Q =ummel@/ Ad Age/ eptemer 1* 2003http$NNada"ecomNarticleNada"e-encyclopediaNnorman-crai"-ummelN)8801N Oaccessed1* ecemer 2013P

http://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/norman-craig-kummel/98801/http://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/norman-craig-kummel/98801/


9/53

8

!ersion o# today@s ?super.oman@11 rather than Friedan@s ?un#eminine/

unhappy O.omanP .ith pro#essional amitions to e OaP poet/ or

physicist or president@ 9Friedan/ p13: +ssumin" that these t.o ad!erts

mirror the #emale consciousness #rom the start to end o# the decade/

(aiden#orm success#ully understood ho. #emale consumers aspired

more to.ards se7ual condence and independence as the years

ad!anced

&n the ad!ertisements/ the idealised (aiden#orm .oman

#antasised o# ?masculine@ pro#essions and in doin" so/ challen"ed the

social structure o# male e7clusi!e pro#essions Echoin" the #emale

e7perience o# ?men@s os@ durin" the .ar/ the ?& dreamed & .as a

reman in my (aiden#orm ra@ 9&ma"e 3: ad!ertisement/ captioned

?dan"erous/ yet eauti#ully under control@ resonates as a potent

messa"e o# .omen@s capacities and ?hands on@ .or ethic ;y 1)61/ the

Ahite House tatement y the 'resident@s ,ommission on the tatus o#

Aomen reco"nised this &t claimed .omen ?should not e employed

periodically/ only to e denied opportunity to satis#y their needs and

aspirations .hen unemployment rises or a .ar ends@12 The masculine

amitions in (aiden#orm ad!ertisements/ alon" .ith oRcial reco"nition

#or the re!i!al o# .omen@s ri"id social roles y the i7ties there#ore

taes the dream aspect o# the campai"n into to a more realistic

>uestion o#/ ?Ahy can@t &@ Ahy could a .oman not e a reman

11 (eyero.it/ ?;eyond the Feminine (ysti>ue@/ pp22)-62 9p233:

12 ?The Ahite House tatement y the 'resident@s ,ommission on the tatus o#Aomen@/ ecemer 14 1)61/ http$NN...#liraryor"N+sset-Cie.erN+rchi!esNGF='5F-0)3-004asp7 Oaccessed * Feruary 2014P

http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-093-004.aspxhttp://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-093-004.aspxhttp://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-093-004.aspxhttp://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKPOF-093-004.aspx


10/53

)

+#ter the .ar/ .omen@s os in manual laour may ha!e

een returned to men/ ut one domain in .hich .omen could ll the

pro#essional "ap .as politics The (aiden#orm .oman #antasised aout

?.innin" the election@ 9&ma"e 4: in her ra and surprisin"ly/ this dream

.as not eyond .omen@s capacities &n 1)*


11/53

10

.ime Women .oo1 irect Action’ 9Ganuary 1)*2: and ?.hey o 8t;4ou

Can .oo;@ 9+pril 1)*6: These moti!ational messa"es .ere

unami"uous ;y praisin" politically acti!e .omen/ Hicey encoura"ed

.omen to do more than ust !ote he stressed the re.ards o#

multitasin" politics and domesticity #or the /H! readership .ho .ere

lar"ely house.i!es and mothers ?(ae politics your usiness/@ she

said ?5Rce holdin"/ raisin" your !oice #or ne. and etter la.s is ust

as important to your #amily as the e!enin" meal@ 16 +"e and children

.ere no reason to a!oid social in!ol!ement For e7ample/ as early as

1)48 orothy (c,ullou"h Lee/ a #orty-se!en year old mother o# t.o

ecame 'ortland@s rst mayor/ main" her +merica@s rst #emale head

o# a city .ith o!er !e hundred thousand citiens 1


12/53

11

The increased importance o# .omen in politics/ and

admiration #or stron" #emale "ures/ communicated throu"h .omen@s

ma"aines compliments the "enuine pro"ressi!e outloo to.ards more

democratic "ender ideals +lan 'eti"ny illustrates this in his ndin"s o#

the rise in the +merican pulic@s #aith in #emale political inBuence &n

the .ae o# Gapan@s surrender to +merica in Do!emer 1)4*/ an opinion

poll ased #teen hundred +mericans i# they .ould support a #emale

president ?i# she seemed est >ualied #or the o@ Fi#ty-!e percent

said they could not/ thirty-three said they could/ and t.el!e remained

undecided The same >uestion .as ased in 1)*)K #ty-se!en percent

said they could support a #emale president/ thirty-nine said they could

not/ and #our remained undecided1) E!idently/ ri"id conser!ati!e !ie.s

o!er .omen@s social potential .ere steadily loosenin" as the 1)60s

approached

emonstratin" masculine patterns o# thou"ht in

conunction .ith maintainin" a #eminine appearance can e seen as a

continuation o# #emale orientated #ashion and eauty propa"anda

ad!ertisin" in the mid-Forties .hich tar"eted the ?ne. cosmetic maret-

.omen .ar .orers@20 (any maor cosmetics rms such as ,oty and

Eliaeth +rden inte"rated eauty .ith .ar-time .or duties/ ut The

House o# Tan"ee@s campai"n/


13/53

12

eauti#ul .omen in military uni#orm and applauded their multiple duties

as homemaers/ "hters .orin" alon"side +merican men and symols

o# morale 9&ma"e *: 5n one ad!ert/ ,onstance Lu#t Huhn/ head o# the

House o# Tan"ee descried lipstic as$

+ reBection o# the #ree democratic .ay o# li#e

that you ha!e succeeded in eepin" your #emininity- e!en

thou"h you are doin" a man@s .orU &t symolises the

precious ri"ht o# .omen to e #eminine and lo!ely - under

any circumstances

The .ar may ha!e een o!er in 1)4*/ ut the coe7istence

o# .or/ domesticity and #emininity endured a!id Halerstam@s

"eneralised assumption o# the post .ar redenition o# .omanhood/ that

to e #eminine/ .omen must not .or/ and i# she did/ it ?made her

hard and a""ressi!e and almost doomed to loneliness@ 21 may

accurately reBect conser!ati!e +merican attitudes/ ut ud"in" #rom the

popular discourses and ima"es o# attracti!e .orin" .omen endurin"

a#ter the .ar/ it seems ideals o# #emininity and ri"id "ender

constructions had een positi!ely and permanently chan"ed a#ter the

.ar/ .ith "ro.in" acceptance o# .omen@s permanent roles in the .or

place

=athy 'eiss@ ideas on eauty culture/ ?a system o# meanin"

that helps .omen na!i"ate the chan"in" conditions o# modern and

21 a!id Halerstam/ .he Fifties 9De. Yor$ ;allantine ;oos/ 1))4:/ p*)0


14/53

13

social e7perience/@22 is !aluale in understandin" .omen@s hei"htened

sense o# sel# in the ne. consumer a"e +lthou"h cosmetics and the

manu#actured eauty industry .ere .ell estalished in +merica #or

many decades/ the post .ar conditions harnessed a unity o# eauty and

consumerism as a po.er#ul maret/ and .hich #ocused on ?se7ual allure

and desire as ey attriutes o# the normal #emale psyche@23 as .artime

se7ual containment .as o!er The re!olutionary creations o# the Fi#ties/

such as hairspray/ ,lairol@s home hair colourin" it and e!lon@s array

o# ?Fire and &ce@ lipstic shades allo.ed .omen "reat choice in adoptin"

diIerent appearances and oIered a psycholo"ical oost Throu"h

ad!ertisin"/ cosmetics rands sold play#ul se7 appeal and indi!idualistic

!alues as .ell as products ,lairol@s home hair colourin" it/ ad!ertised

.ith the su""esti!e slo"an ?oes she or doesn’t she;=@ oosted sales

#rom V2*million .hen the ad!ert .as launched in 1)*6/ to V200 million

y 1)6224 +s .ith (aiden#orm/ its phenomenal success reBects ho.

inBuential ad!ertisin" o# #emale consumer "oods helped nurture and

lieralise #emale psyches

ndoutedly/ the promise o# per#ection in "lossy

ma"aines and ad!ertisements is .idely denounced #or promotin"

unattainale eauty and e7clusi!ely representati!e o# slim "ures ;ut

in the conte7t o# the ne. mass consumer society/ its !alue is not to e

22 =athy 'eiss/ Ho2e in a !ar$ .he Ma1ing of America’s Beauty Culture 9De. Yor $Henry Holt and ,ompany/ &nc/ 1))8:/ p6

23 'eiss/ Ho2e in a !ar$ p248

24oert =lara/ ?Ho. ,lairol Hair ,olor Aent From Taoo to De. You$ Hair dyein" shi#ts

#rom shame#ul secret to Villion onana@/ Ad Wee1 / Feruary 28 2013/http$NN...ad.eecomNne.sNad!ertisin"-randin"Nho.-clairol-hair-color-.ent-taoo-ne.-you-14


15/53

14

underestimated ;eauty culture and its ad!ertisements .ere part o# the

consumer capitalist ideolo"y that inherently #ostered sel#-esteem and

se7ual condence (aiden#orm@s maretin" o# the eauti#ul/

independent sel# .as a reath o# #resh air #rom the .artime mentality o#

sacrice #or othersK and e!en #or married mothers the reminder that

they .ere also indi!iduals .as important &t .ould e .ron" to assume

they had ?lost their #emininity@ or ?had no identity other than as a .i#e

and mother@ as ;etty Friedan put #or.ard 9Friedan/ pp23-6: E>ually/

the #osterin" o# sel#-esteem throu"h cosmetics and #ashion can e

!ie.ed as a precursor to politicised #eminism/ .herey .omen .ould

demand #or sel#-reco"nition to e dened y personal capacities rather

than ust appearance The socially uni#yin" element o# eauty culture/ a

?system o# meanin" that helped .omen na!i"ate the chan"in"

conditions o# modern social e7perience@ 2* is also a si"nicant element

#or the second .a!e o# #eminism This uni!ersal interest in #ashion/

cosmetics and hairstyles created a notion o# to"etherness/ a shared

dream to e part o# social li#e/ and a common #emale e7perience on a

national scale that transcended across diIerent a"es/ classes and races

o# +merican .omen

Dot many #emale aimed ad!ertisements acno.led"ed

and made use o# the "enuine rise o# .orin" .omen as (aiden#orm

did/ thus main" its maretin" o# the se7y/ amitious indi!idual stand

out .ith success The reinsertion o# traditional homemain" roles did

undoutedly pre!ail/ ut #or many .omen/ their duties stretched

eyond domesticity &n 1)*0/ t.enty nine percent o# the .or #orce .as

2* 'eiss/ Ho2e in !ar / p6


16/53

1*

made up o# .omen/ hal# o# them .orin" #ull time 26 Lie.ise/ in 1)*6/

one third o# the si7ty-si7 million +mericans .orin" a.ay #rom home

.ere .omen 5# these t.enty-t.o million .omen/ si7 million .ere

sin"le and the rest married 9Aaler/ p8ut to Wor1: A History of Wage)Earning Women in the ?nited5tates 9De. Yor$ 57#ord ni!ersity 'ress/ 1)82:/ p301

2< Calerie =incade 5ppenheimer/ ?the Female /a,or Force in the ?nited

5tates: emogra2hic and Economic Factors "overning 8ts "rowth and ChangingCom2osition’ / 9;ereley$ &nstitute o# &nternational tudies/ ni!ersity o# ,ali#ornia/1)


17/53

16

other popular press material/ pro!ed .omen too/ .ere acti!ely oIerin"

their personal !alue to the "reater society

Ha!in" #ocused on married .omen as the a"e "roup that

too most ad!anta"e o# .or and political opportunities/ youn"er

.omen in the .orplace could not e i"nored Ahilst a 4* percent drop

in #emale .orers a"ed t.enty-!e to thirty-!e #rom 1)40 to 1)*0

28represents the "enuine/ massi!e trend o# youn"er marria"es and the

ay-oom in the immediate post .ar climate/ the "ure o# si7 million

sin"le .orin" ladies is tellin" o# the alternati!e #emale attitude

9Aaler/ p8): Aith no children or husand to care #or/ the sin"le "irl@s

#ullment .as personally dri!en and more liely to e se7ually

moti!ated + !oice that united .omen@s pro#essional amitions and

se7uality .as Helen %urley ;ro.n .ith her estsellin" oo/ 5e@ and

the 5ingle "irl in 1)63 isturin" ut e7citin" .as her celeration o#

the se7y/ se7-osessed oRce .orer and her !ision o# po.er#ul .omen

main" their .ay in the .hite-collar .orld 2)Her !isions may e the

polar opposite to ;etty Friedan@s/ ut oth elie!ed that .omen should

e in control o# their o.n #ullment For ;ro.n/ this #ullment arose

#rom se7ual #reedom as .ell as a career 5e@ and the 5ingle "irl .ith its

encoura"ement o# promiscuity in the .orplace seems outlandish to

oth a contemporary and modern reader ut re"ardless/ she held that

.omen should de#y "ender ostacles/ and "ain a !oice .ith .hich they

could challen"e the suordinate position o# .omen in the oRce a

28 &id/ p8

2) Gulie ;ereitsy/ ?the Goy o# Aor$ Helen %urley ;ro.n/ %ender/ and e7uality in theAhite-,ollar 5Rce/


18/53

1<

.oman had ?male responsiilities@ o# pro#essional duties and nancial

independence/ she should reap the same re.ards that came .ith it 30

The impossiility o# measurin" ho. many .omen acti!ely

too ;ro.n@s ad!ice pre!ents the modern historian #rom understandin"

the !alidity o# her ideas to her contemporaries Then a"ain/ e!en +l#red

=insey@s reports could not tell us accurate numers o# se7ual acti!ities/

#or e7tra-marital se7 .as a clandestine/ unspoen aIair De!ertheless/

the e7plosi!e success o# her oo indicates that her old !isions o# se7

inspired/ relie!ed/ or at least aroused sin"le .omen@s curiosities The

oo sold t.o million copies .ithin three .ees o# pulication/ 31 and

reached t.enty-ei"ht countries32 ;ro.n pioneered the identity o#

healthy/ intelli"ent and se7ualised #emales/ and committed hersel# to

these !isions as editor-in-chie# o# Cosmo2olitan ma"aine #rom1)6* to

1))


19/53

18

is@33 &t is e!ident that #eminist discourse .as ein" !oiced steadily in

the Fi#ties throu"h popular culture/ ut had not yet "ained a politicised

mouthpiece

n#ortunately/ .orin" .omen/ se7ual lierty and the

limitless dreams o# "lossy ad!ertisements and popular literature

did not accurately reBect reality Deither "loried domesticity/ nor

"lamourised pro#essional success .ere accurate depictions o# all

.omen@s daily li!es (a"aines and ad!ertisements inBuenced

desires and amitions o# .omen at the time/ ut also do.nplayed

the real dra.acs to pulic #emale acti!ityK .omen #aced the

una!oidale conser!ati!e discourse that a .oman@s place .as the

home ,limin" the pro#essional ladder to mana"erial roles and

"ainin" academically challen"in" .or .as rare/ and e>ual .a"es

to men .as e!en more unusual espite this/ it .as pro#oundly

important that .or instilled in .omen a sense o# social

responsiility and condence that .ould e!entually e"et the

push #or "ender e>uality &deolo"ical #eminist ideas .ere

materialisin" +s =essler Harris >uestions/ ?#or ho. lon" .ould

O.omenP earn .a"es .ithout tain" some o# the #reedom that

their ne. economic status oIered@ 9=essler-Harris/ p301:

33 Gudith Thurman/ ?Helenism$ The ;irth o# the ,osmo %irl@/ 11 (ay/200)/http$NN...ne.yorercomNartsNcriticsNoosN200)N0*N11N0)0*11crooosthurmancurrent'a"eZall Oaccessed 16 ecemer 2013P

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2009/05/11/090511crbo_books_thurman?currentPage=allhttp://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2009/05/11/090511crbo_books_thurman?currentPage=allhttp://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2009/05/11/090511crbo_books_thurman?currentPage=allhttp://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2009/05/11/090511crbo_books_thurman?currentPage=all


20/53

1)

&n the latter hal# o# the decade/ se!eral or"anisations/

includin" the Dational (anpo.er ,ouncil 9D(,:/ ,ommission on

the Education o# Aomen 9,EA: and the Aomen@s ;ureau

e7emplied "ro.in" oRcial support #or .orin" .omen@s ri"hts

&n 1)**/ the Ahite House ,on#erence on EIecti!e ses o# Aomen

reco"nised the importance o# education and trainin" in order to

#acilitate pro#essional talents o# .omen/ childcare #acilities #or

.orin" mothers/ and the need #or e>ual pay

+lice = Leopold/ director o# The Aomen@s ;ureau set

the optimistic tone #or chan"e and !alorisation o# pro#essional

#emales at this con#erence$

The contriutions o# oth men and .omen to

the economy are necessary i# our Dation is to maintain its

hi"h le!el o# producti!ity 'eople/ .hether men or

.omen/ .or #or the same reason They .or #or their

economic sur!i!al Hope#ully/ they .or at os that

interest them/ that "i!e them a #eelin" o#

accomplishment34

+lthou"h this oRcial enthusiasm complimented

lieralisin" popular discourses/ the predominantly conser!ati!e

policy-main" #orces o#ten silenced .orin" .omen@s ri"hts and

34Eliaeth ole/ ?(ilestones$ The Aomen@s ;ureau ,elerates


21/53

20

their supporters The #ederal "o!ernment/ adamantly opposed to

e>ual ri"hts policies/ e!en demanded the se7 specication o# ci!il

ser!ice appointees until 1)62 9=essler-Harris/ p30): ,oncernin"

the endorsement o# national e>ual pay/ ,on"ress reected

political parties@ demands and i"nored its presence on

Eisenho.er@s economic a"enda #rom 1)*6-60 3* &n 1)60/ the

median annual earnin"s o# #ull time .omen .orers a!era"ed to

only si7ty percent o# the rate o# male .orers 9=essler-Harris/

p30*: Hi"her education opportunities #or .omen .ere also

hindered/ and there#ore shut the doors #rom up.ard social

moility The unprecedented rise o# .omen as acti!e memers o#

a #ree-maret national economy/ e7posed to its inustices meant

that pried +merican !alues o# meritocracy and indi!idualism

could not #ool them +lthou"h political acti!ism and #emale

or"aniations .ere relati!ely dormant durin" the decade/ the late

Fi#ties #uelled ne. ideolo"ical #emale discourses/ impatience and

pri!ate a.aenin"s to .idespread "ender ine>ualities that .ould

soon enter a pulic realm

+ ne. tide o# promisin" optimism s.ept +merica under

ne. 'resident Gohn F =ennedy in 1)61 =ennedy created The

'resident@s ,ommission on the tatus o# Aomen/ chaired y the

admirale Eleanor oose!elt The ,ommission@s "round-reain"

report/ ? American Women’ in 1)63 sou"ht to support and protect

3* ,ynthia Harrison/ >n Account of 5e@: .he #olitics of Women’s 8ssues$ %&'()%&*9 9;erley$ ni!ersity o# ,ali#ornia 'ress/ 1)88:/ pp48-*1


22/53

21

.orin" .omen throu"h education/ trainin" and le"al measures/

and #acilities such as day-care ser!ices/ trainin" and counsellin"

Fi!e years later/ all #ty states had estalished commissions

dedicated to .omen@s status36 teadily/ concrete chan"e e"an

to shape a more democratic nationK the E>ual 'ay +ct .as

enacted in 1)63/ 9aleit Ba.ed in that employers could still re#use

to employ .omen/: the ,i!il i"hts +ct in 1)64 outla.ed "ender

discrimination amon"st many other discriminations ased on

race/ reli"ion and ethnicity/ and the Dational 5r"aniation #or

Aomen 9D5A: #ounded in 1)66 installed .omen@s .orin" ri"hts

and the #eminist cause as a .idespread national concern They

lead the 200/ 000 .omen stron" Aomen@s trie #or E>uality in

+u"ust 1)ual .or opportunities/ political ri"hts and

social e>uality in relationships econd .a!e #eminism/ #rom early

i7ties to Ei"hties .ould rin" !ast social and political "ains #or

.omen/ as .ell as de#eated stru""les/ most notaly the E>ual

i"hts +mendment

&t has een o!er #ty years since ? American Women’

.as issued and no. .e can loo ac .ith hindsi"ht o# .omen@s

dreams turned into reality &n the report@s #tieth anni!ersary/

notale "ures .ere "i!en$ 3<

36 Lati#a Lyles/ ?*0 Years Later$ Aor/ Aomen and the Aor +head@/ nited tatesepartment o# Laour/ ecemer 20/ 2013 http$NNsocialdol"o!Nlo"N*0-years-later-

.omen-.or-and-the-.or-aheadN Oaccessed 14 (arch 2014P

3


23/53

22

• Aomen@s educational attainment has sho.n "reat "ro.th &n 1)62/6uality is still a

.orin" pro"ress in reality The "ender pay "ap has narro.ed

si"nicantly/ ut .omen are still main" on a!era"e nineteen percent

less than men/ mana"erial roles are still male dominated and .omen

are o!er-represented in lo. paid os 38 E!olutions o# "ender

socialisation ha!e inBuenced more e"alitarian "ender attitudes and

#emale emancipation ut/ iolo"ical and social e7pectations o# .omen

as homemaers naturally continues/ e!en more so considerin" the

38 &id


24/53


25/53

24

Lie .omen/ men too/ sou"ht ad!ice/ inspiration and

"uidance throu"h ma"aines in an uncertain national climate Ha!in"

.idely discussed the si"nicance o# sel#-actualisation throu"h

commercial culture and the chan"in" status o# .omen/ & shall no. "i!e

more #ocus to shi#tin" "ender ideals concernin" men Throu"h the lens

o# #lay,oy ma"aine/ & .ish to e7plore masculinity issues as an

illustration o# the national condition o# the Fi#ties period/ .hich .ere

oth ami"uous/ ut ad!ancin" to.ards lieral morals

nlie the concealed distresses o# .omen/ the male

"ender crisis .as a national concern that permeated popular culture

and interest in sociolo"y (ichael =immel ar"ues that the ?masculinity

crisis@ arose #rom the stru""le to nd indi!idual purpose in an

industrialisin" climate and the lac o# #reedom to mae personal

choices .ithout society dictatin" them40 imilarly/ a!id iesman@s

.he /onely Crowd in 1)*0 considers the perpetuation o# the so-called

.idespread "ender prolem o# the ?masculinity crisis@ to e onset y

the ?other directed male@s #ear o# adustin" to the ne. ?purportedly

#eminised .orld o# to"etherness/ suursand mass culture@ 41 .he

ecline of the American Male/ y %eor"e ; Leonard/ Gr and Ailliam

+tt.ood 91)*8: proed the instailities o# the contemporary male

psycholo"y in #eatures titled/ ?Why do Women ominate Him=@ and


26/53

2*

.orer in corporate +merica The iconic 0e,el Without a Cause@s Gim

tar@s cri du coeur also captures the teena"e "eneration@s search #or

masculinity that #athers #ailed to "uide them throu"h$ ?Ahat can you do

.hen you ha!e to e a man@ ,on#used/ crippled manliness e!en raised

#ears o# homose7ual se7 per!ersion/ as su""ested in Tennessee

Ailliam@s Cat on a Hot .in 0oof 91)**: The interior distresses o!er male

identity/ e7terior mani#estations o# it in popular culture/ alon"side

inBuences o# corporate/ mass society under a cloud o# .artime #ears

tri""ered the decline o# traditional/ !irile patriarchies

The timely emer"ence o# Hu"h He#ner@s #lay,oy in

ecemer 1)*3/ months a#ter the end o# the =orean Aar/ promised

men a Bi"ht o# #antasy #rom ,old Aar >ualms The ma"aine sold a

#antasy and communicated escapist ideas to the a!era"e +merican

male Gud"in" #rom the ear #lay,oy letters o# each issue/ much o#

#lay,oy’ s readership .as married pro#essional men and colle"e oysK a

sur!ey o# 'layoy readership e!en sho.ed that ?appro7imately hal#

9468 per cent: are #ree men and the other are only #ree in spirit@42

He#ner .as there#ore conscious that many readers .ere liely to e

or"aniation men rather than sua!e/ .ealthy achelors/ looin" #or

escape #rom and "uidance to perple7in" socio-cultural currents The

ma"aine@s phenomenal success #rom its rst years o# pulication 9#rom

its rst issue to its third anni!ersary/ it printed


27/53

26

copies: 43 reBected the appeal o# the ori"inal #lay,oy philosophy and

the nation@s need #or ne. masculine models

espite popular elie#/ .as the #lay,oy achelor really ?a

#ar cry #rom iesman@s ?other-directed man@@ 44 (y ndin"s sho. the

similarities et.een ?other-directedness@ and Thomas (ario@s creation

o# the #lay,oy che# &ndeed/ #lay,oy @s maor appeal .as its se7ual

reellion a"ainst the conser!ati!e/ puritanical +merica/ ut & elie!e it

.as sutly con#ormist in that it encoura"ed the sa#e/ heterose7ual

enoyment o# mass consumer society in its ne. !ision o# masculinity

E>ually/ the achelor@s adoption o# cooin" deconstructed polarised

traditional "ender representations and relie!ed the #ears o#

domesticated men as eIeminate or e!en homose7ual For this reason/

the ma"aine had an unspoen purpose o# reassurin" men that they

.ere no less ?masculine@ than say/ the classic Gohn Aayne macho ideal/

ut simply t into a diIerent masculine ideal o# modern consumerist

+merica

eein" to understand the si"nicance in pro"ressi!e

alterations to the male psyche to.ards .omen/ se7 and indi!idual

masculinity/ my analysis identies a curious period o# transition in

(ario@s .ritin" style #rom the deut article in (ay 1)*4 to 1)*6 and

1)*< to ecemer 1)*) The chan"es in masculine roles can e seen

as a response and adustment to .omen@s ne. status/ and

43 Hu"h He#ner/ 'layill/ #lay,oy$ 01 ecemer 1)*3/ p2 and 'layill/ 01 ecemer1)*6/ p2

44 ,arrie 'itulo/ Bachelors and Bunnies: .he 5e@ual #olitics of #lay,oy 9London$ Theni!ersity o# ,hica"o 'ress/ 2011:/ p


28/53


29/53

28

purposes o# a clearer analysis/ my oser!ations #rom these t.o phases

are representati!e o# smoother remodellin" o# ne. male ideals

nderstandin" #ood as "ender coded/ 46 .ith ?popular

cooin" literature pro!idin" a recipe #or .omen@s and men@s eha!iour/@

4


30/53

2)

opposed to ?the cucumer sand.ich on thin read@ *1o# his #emale

counterpart/ as i# to rein#orce separate "endered realms The

reaRrmation o# male superiority throu"h culinary tastes is

unmistaale/ as is #emale suordination as a reBection o# the

.idespread resentment o# .omen@s ne. occupations o# ?male@ spheres

&t seems peculiar that (ario aandons this !irile tone and

adopts a more eIeminate .ritin" style in the later years o# the Fi#ties

Gud"in" #rom (ario@s articles/ the #antasy 'layoy ecame more at ease

.ith ?#eminine@ consumer inBuences Else.here in the ma"aine/ he

remained irre#utaly male minded in his se7ual desirin" o# .omen/

e!en ?compulsi!ely heterose7ual/@ says Ehrenreich/ *2/ main" #lay,oy’ s

proection o# se7uality #ar #rom suspicious The playoy@s tradin" o#

post-meal ,amemert #or crD2es 5uzette and 2inea22le am,es(G is

tellin" o# the conscious eruption o# ri"id "ender identities Thomas e!en

reassures that ?desserts are no. accepted y oth se7es in recent

years@ *4 He soon emraces the electric lender to mae such dainty

dessertsK ?spreads #or cana2s$ 2etits fours and crD2es@ ,omplimentin"

(ario@s persuasi!eness and reassurances .ere his imperati!es on

eti>uette on ho. to eha!e lie the modern man +t .he Bachelor

inner / Gune 1)*6/ immaculate attention is "i!en to hostin" a achelor

party/ includin" .hat ars to "o to/ sharin" the ill/ to the cost o#

Bo.ersK the modern achelor li#estyle .as e!idently un#amiliar to the

*1 (ario/ ?The 'icnic 'apers@/ #lay,oy 9Guly 1)*8:/ p1


31/53

30

a!era"e reader (arie Fer"uson@s e7planation o# the #emale #unction o#

ma"aines can e rou"ht up here he identies the ?need #or #emale

directiona #emale se7 .hich is at est uncondent/ and at .orst

incompetent.ants to e instructed or rou"ht up to date on the sills

o# #emininity@ ** #lay,oy sho.ed that men too needed social "uidin"K it

assured its readers that modern man .as condently domesticated and

consumerist/ and that there .as nothin" .ron" in con#ormin" to its

pleasures +s iesman@s inner directed man sou"ht "uidance #rom his

#amily and close nit community/ the ne. climate o# mid-century

+merica lead the other directed man to see sel#-assurance #rom the

persuasi!e !oices o# popular mass culture

The conspicuous attempt to masculinise the #eminine

acti!ity o# cooin" lins to the diRcult post-.ar readustment into

ci!ilian li#e and the rene.ed com#ort o# domesticity =immel e7plains

!eterans had een ale to pro!e on the attleeld .hat they had #ound

diRcult to pro!e at the .orplace and in their homes/*6 .hether "htin"

success#ully or simply ha!in" a "oal to stri!e to.ards For the a!era"e

.hite-collar middle class man/ suu"ation to employer@s authority and

competition #rom collea"ues disheartened and stiBed his #ormer

?masculine@ e"o +nd #or this ?other directed@ man/ his peers .ere his

competitors ut also the ?cro.d he had to please/@ as iesman .ould

say There#ore/ men tried to reinsert their misplaced authority in a ne.

domestic settin"/ ut at the same time retreated to it as a com#ortale

ha!en shielded #rom unpredictale e7terior en!ironments

** Fer"uson/ Forever Feminine$ p 2

*6 =immel/ Manhood/ p223


32/53

31

+lthou"h #lay,oy .as a some.hat ?e7clusi!e@ ma"aine

#or the auent/ reellious male/ its sutle encoura"ement o# domestic

com#orts shared standards o# remodelled masculinity in popular "eneral

interest ma"aines /ife ma"aine@s #eature o# ?.he ew American

Male’ / #or e7ample/ echoed similar trends #ound in (ario@s articles/

particularly the ?male art@ o# are>uin" and ?"ad"et uyin" as man@s

meat@*


33/53

32

occupational structure o# a corporatisin" nation also inBuenced men@s

ne. personal traits traditionally associated .ith .omen ?(en are no.

e7pected to demonstrate the manipulati!e sills and interpersonal

relations #ormerly reser!ed #or .omen$ intuition/ charm/ tact and

co>uetry@ 60 &t seems then/ that the ?#eminiation@ o# masculinity .as

not an attac on his po.er/ ut rather an e!ol!ed/ Buid model that t

into ne. pro#essional and social processes

Furthermore/ #lay,oy ad!ocated consumer spendin" as

part o# an enoyale hedonistic li#estyle o# capitalist modernity (oney

and status e7pressed throu"h material commodities ecame post-.ar

!indications o# manhood The ma"aine seemed to promise that

throu"h hard .or/ men could aIord to uy the lu7ury cars/ clothes and

li>uors it ad!ertised/ and ultimately attract a .oman lie the #lay,oy

?playmate@ The pioneerin" theories o# r Ernest ichter commanded

"reat inBuence #or ad!ertisin" and corporate industries in this modern

a"e o# commodity #etishism &n .he 5trategy of esire 91)60:/ he

ad!ocated a philosophy o# a hedonistic approach to se7 and

consumption as morally and economically pro"ressi!e61 ichter

additionally reco"nised this +merican male prolem o# not ein" ale to

emrace chan"e .ithout an7iety/ or spendin" money .ithout remorse

and assured that emotional and irrational >ualities related to

consumerism .ere human/ not #emale62 +s he tau"ht usinesses and

60 &id/ p22)

61 ?Ho. Ernest ichter/ an acolyte o# i"mund Freud/ re!olutionied maretin"@/ .heEconomist / 1< ecemer 2011 \ http$NN...economistcomNnodeN21*41


34/53

33

ad!ertisin" companies the importance o# communicatin" notions o#

Freudian inspired/ pleasure seein"-#ullment to consumers to ensure

economic pro"ress/ He#ner translated these !alues to its readers

throu"h his ma"aine

Ha!in" discussed the incoherence and pro"ressions o#

manhood/ the same can e applied to #lay,oy’s attitude to.ards

.omen The transitions in (ario@s articles #rom #emale anta"onism to a

seemin"ly more respectale !ie. o# .omen .ill e related to social

trends that inBuenced positi!e chan"es in male-#emale relationships

Lieralisin" "ender relations there#ore undermine common assumptions

o# static/ conser!ati!e "ender role ri"idities o# the Fi#ties

Food/ se7 and .omen .ere inseparale parts o# the

playoy@s seduction in (ario@s early .ritin"s &t is some.hat

unsurprisin" that (ario@s rst article in (ay 1)*4 .as called yster@ e7ual innuendoes mar his early .ritin" style/ .ith

titles such as$ ?8s 5he 4our ind of ish$’


35/53

34

?There are some thin"s a .oman can toss around

#airly .ell/ ut a salad isn@t one o# them+ "ood salad

maer must ha!e many o# the traits that .e thin o# as

#eminine(eticulousness/ patience/ cleanliness;ut

these are not e7clusi!ely #eminine !irtues &t taes a man to

master the really ne art o# the salad o.l@

#lay,oy’ s attitudes to.ards .omen seem striin"ly

incon"ruousK .omen .ere oth se7ual prey/ and !ictims o# male

aRrmations o# superiority Ahilst se7ual pursuits can e easily

understood as natural male eha!iour/ Helen Hacer ar"ues that the

resentment o# .omen .as due to the recent de!elopments in

occupational structures/ in .hich .omen ac>uired ne. roles and

#reedoms upset normati!e male he"emony he made the analo"y o#

the ?neurotic man stri!in" to stand rm on traditional male

prero"ati!es/@ as i# they no. had to compete .ith .omen #or po.er

?'opular discourse percei!ed modern .oman as ?castratin" elilahs

usily le!ellin" men@s indi!iduality and in!adin" the stron"holds o#

masculinity in .or/ play/ se7/ and the home@ 9Hacer/ p228:

Ahilst Hacer identied the analo"y o# the ?neurotic man@/

she also pro!ided a second oser!ation$ the ?emotionally stailisin"

man/ tryin" to .or out a ne. e>uitale pattern@ in the male-#emale

relationship 9Hacer/ p228: From 1)*< on.ards/ & oser!ed elements

in (ario@s #ood articles that correspond to this positi!e attitude to.ards

.omenK the a""ressi!e tones and #emale suordination is aandoned


36/53


37/53

36

5ne e7planation o# these patterns could e the increased

democratisation o# the husand .i#e relationship durin" the out.ardly

conser!ati!e Eisenho.er a"e/ a stron" assessment made y +lan

'eti"ny He ar"ues that the patriarchal #amily .as ein" undermined in

the climate o# modern chan"eK the read.inner role may ha!e

persisted/ ut the distriution o# po.er .ithin the home .as liely to e

more democratic +mon"st e7tensi!e e7amples/ he identies e7tensi!e

sociolo"ical data y Eliaeth Aol"ast as a tellin" e7ample o# mutuality

in marria"e From studies ased on inter!ie.s o# married couples

across +merica/ it sho.ed that husands and .i!es played diIerent

roles/ ut neither .as suser!ient to the other For e7ample/ men .ere

more liely to choose .hat car to uy/ and .omen handled sa!in"s and

ac>uired appliances/6* &n #act/ .hen it came to #ulllin" plans/ ie plans

to uy appliances/ tele!isions/ cars and repairin"/ .i!es@ ideas .ere

more liely to e actualised 669Tale 2: +lso/ a sur!ey o# o!er #our

hundred #amilies in the Aashin"ton/ , area/ irrespecti!e o# class

#ound that in #our out o# !e instances/ oth partners made maor

#amily decisions 6


38/53

3<

To #urther support the oser!ation o# democratisin" male

and #emale relationships and e7plain the so#ter characteristics o# the

#lay,oy che#/ suRcient sociolo"ical and psycholo"ical research "i!e

e!idence o# personal traits that men and .omen loo #or in an intimate

relationship/ oth in and out o# marria"e uch theories ha!e een

.idely e7plored y scholars post Aorld Aar &&/ such as ,lar and eis

91)88:/ ;uss 91)8*:/ Hill 91)4*:/ Hateld 91))*: Dotale .omen@s

pre#erences #or men in Aestern indi!idualistic cultures include typically

#eminine characteristics o# e7pressi!eness and openness/ indness and

understandin" These .ere !alued hi"her than traditional male assets

o# money/ status and position 68 ociolo"ical interest #or e>ual

relationships .as popularly e7plored and e7pressed in Fi#ties popular

cultureK marria"e ?depended on intimate communicationK sympathetic

understandin" OandP mutual respect on the asis o# e>uality/@ ar"ued

sociolo"ists Eleanor Lucey and %erhard Deuee 6)

&n short/ & ha!e demonstrated oth the uncertainties o#

ho. to restore masculinity in the early ,old Aar climate o# uncertainty/

and the "radual adaptation to ?#eminised +merica@ and its

consumerism/ commercial inBuences and the auent society The

#antasy "ure o# the achelor estalished a mid.ay et.een clashin"

"ender attriutesK he .as eIeminate/ ut his se7ual approaches could

not e dened as >ueer He .as reellious a"ainst conser!ati!e social

68 Elaine Hateld/ ?(en_s and Aomen_s 're#erences in (arital 'artners in the nitedtates/ ussia/ and Gapan@/ !ournal of Cross)Cultural #sychology$ 26/ 9Do!emer 1))*:/ pp


39/53


40/53

3)

Ha!in" discussed se7ually lieralisin" "ender attitudes

throu"h (aiden#orm$ 5e@ and the 5ingle "irl$ #lay,oy and other popular

print media/ it appears oth "enders #ound common "round in desires

to rea the unspoen taoo o# se7 +leit a men@s ma"aine/ #lay,oy

spoe to men and .omen in his ad!ocacy o# non-marital se7ual #un

'itulo ar"ues that ?since men@s se7ual #reedom depended on the

lieration o# .omen/ #lay,oy ?upheld the increasin"ly modern emphasis

on heterose7ual pleasure as a .orthy "oal o# personal #ullment

re"ardless o# "ender@


41/53


42/53

41

perhaps most crucially/ male &dentity and personal #reedom Aith

.ide-reachin" printed popular media .orin" to normalise and

humorise se7/ and darin" ad!ertisement campai"ns such as

(aiden#orm@s/ these aspirations re!ererated po.er#ully amon"st mass

society

onclusion

This essay ultimately concludes that +merica@s popular

print culture in mass consumer society contriuted to the speedin"

process o# +merica@s social and se7ual cultural modernityK it nourished

indi!idual dreams/ rid"ed "ender "aps and tested social oundaries

From my e7tensi!e research into (aiden#orm@s ?& reamed@ campai"n

and 'layoy@s #ood articles/ alon"side other ma"aines and

ad!ertisements/ contemporary and modern accounts o# "ender issues/ &

ha!e demonstrated that the Fi#ties a.aened o# the internal needs #or

sel#-actualisation and personal choice/ crucial lieral ideolo"y that

.ould soon stimulate chan"e throu"h e7ternal political #orces in the

i7ties on.ards The achelor in domestic liss and the "lamorous

.orin" "irl$ .hat popular culture o# the Fi#ties dreamed up/ political

mo!ements o# the i7ties to e!enties sou"ht to realise &t has not een

possile to assess ho. accurate or ho. many real ?sin"le "irls@/

amitious (aiden#orm models or ?playoys@ there .ere as eha!iour

and se7ual acti!ities are impossile to assess ;ut/ & ha!e stressed the

#antasy appeal o# these "ures as directional and reassurin" in a

climate o# #ast paced chan"e and uncertainties


43/53

42

The Fi#ties/ or e!en 1)4*-1)60 deser!es reco"nition as the

period o# pro#ound socio-cultural chan"e that pa!ed the .ay to.ards a

more lieral society +n analysis o# .orin" .omen/ eauty culture/

popular literature/ chan"es in male and #emale relationships and men@s

sociolo"ical issues ha!e all "i!en e!idence o# lieralisin" moral and

"ender !alues & ha!e placed "reat emphasis on the promotion o#

indi!iduality in popular culture/ .eaenin" there#ore/ the discourse o#

?to"etherness@

(y study has helped reBect on the current "ender concerns o# +merica/ or

rather many de!eloped Aestern culturesK male and #emale relationships

ha!e no. chan"ed #or the etter Aomen@s aspirations o# academic and

pro#essional "reatness are no. realistic dreams House.i!es/

read.inners/ liss#ul matrimony are not necessarily ideals #or modern

adult relationships ;ut this is #ar #rom proposin" that o!er 60 years on/

+merica/ or else.here/ has achie!ed "ender e>uality/ neither ideolo"ically

nor in practice & ha!e learnt that #eminine and masculine ideals are

transitional concepts that constantly correspond to e!er-chan"in" socio-

cultural climates They are constant/ positi!ely e!ol!in" concepts 5n a

nal note/ & ha!e made clear that cultural lieralism heralded political

lieralism The personal may .ell e political/ ut the personal certainly

comes e#ore the political

Appendi*

&ma"es


44/53

43

1 ?& .ish & .ent shoppin"@ 1)4)


45/53

44

3 ?& dreamed & .as a reman@ 1)*3


46/53

4*

* House o# Tan"ee/ Aar/ Aomen and Lipstic/1)4381

6

The

;reain" o# the Fast82


47/53

46

8

The 'icnic 'apers84 ) The istillation o#.eet eli"ht8*

10 Ci!a 'ia86

84 The 'icnic 'apers/ #lay,oy / Guly 1)*8/ p2


48/53

4<

Tales

G+D FE; (+ +' (+Y GD GL +% E' T

5,T D5C E,

1)*<

X - N - N X - - N N - -

1)*8

N X - - - - X - N N - -

1)*)

- - N - - - - - - N - -

X (entions .omen in article

- oes not mention .omen in article

N Do article in this month@s issue

1 Tale analyin" the decreasin" mention o# .omen in Thomas(ario@s #ood articles years 1)*


49/53

48

'ibliograph&

'rimary sources

#lay,oy Cover to Cover$ the (+s/ ;ondi i"ital 'ulishin"/ 2008: Oon ,P

9used #or all direct sources o# #lay,oy ma"aine:

Hu"h He#ner$ 'layoy/ +cti!ist and eel 200) 9dir ;ri"itte ;erman/

200):

econdary sources

;ailey/ ;eth/ I5e@ual 0evolutionJsK$I in Farer 9ed: .he 5i@ties: FromMemory to History$ 9,hapel Hill$ ni!ersity o# Dorth ,arolina 'ress/1))4:

;arthel/ iane/ #utting on A22earances: "ender and Advertising9'hiladelphia$ Temple ni!ersity 'ress/ 1))8:

;ereitsy/ Gulie/ ?The Goy o# Aor$ Helen %urley ;ro.n/ %ender and

e7uality in the Ahite-,ollar 5Rce@/ Gournal o# the History o# e7uality/

1*192006:/ pp8)-12


50/53

4)

,oont/ tephanie/ the Way We ever Were: American Families and the

ostalgia .ra2 9De. Yor$ ;asic ;oos/ 1))2:

,oryell/ + L/ ?(aiden#orm .orld.ide &nc@/ Encyclo2aedia of maLor

mar1eting cam2aigns/ 1 92000:/ pp )88-)))

,ourtney/ +lice E/ Loceret/ arah Aernic/ ?+ Aoman_s 'lace$ +n

+nalysis o# the oles 'ortrayed y Aomen in (a"aine +d!ertisements@/

!ournal of Mar1eting 0esearch / 8$1 91)


51/53

*0

#sychology$ 26/ 9Do!emer 1))*:/ pp


52/53

*1

5uellette/ Laurie ?&n!entin" the ,osmo %irl$ ,lass &dentity and %irl-tyle

+merican reams@$ Media$ Culture 7 5ociety $ 21 91))):/ 3*)W383 9p 361:

http$NNsacsa"epucomNcontentN10N3N34)#ullpd#Xhtml Oaccessed 3 +pril

2014P

'eti"ny/ +lan/ .he #ermissive 5ociety: America$ %&'%)%&*( 9De. Yor$,amrid"e ni!ersity 'ress/ 200):

'eiss/ =athie/ Ho2e in a !ar: .he Ma1ing of Americas Beauty Culture

9De. Yor$ Henry Holt and ,ompany/ 2011:

'itulo/ ,arrie$ Bachelors and Bunnies: .he 5e@ual #olitics of #lay,oy

9London$ ni!ersity o# ,hica"o 'ress/ 2011:

iesman/ a!id/.he /onely Crowd 9(assachusetts$ Yale ni!ersity 'ress/

1)61:/

canlon/ Genni#er ?ensationalist Literature or E7pert +d!ice@ Feminist

Media 5tudies/ )$1/ 9200):/ pp1-1*

ie"el/ Lisa / +merican e7ual ,haracter$ e7/ %ender/ and Dational

&dentity in the =insey eports 9re!ie.:/ !ournal of 5ocial

History /http$NNmusehueduNournalsNournalo#socialhistoryNtocNsh402ht

ml 40$2/ 92006:/ pp 4)1-4)3

mith/ ,aroline G/ ?@The Feedin" o# Youn" Aomen@$ yl!ia 'lath@s .he Bell

!ar$ Mademoiselle Magazine/ and the omestic &deal@/ College /iterature/

3


53/53

*2

%oodman/ Ellen/ (aiden#orm .oman comes a lon" .ay/ "ettys,urg

.imes 912 5ctoer 1)82:/ p3 http$NNne.s"oo"lecomNne.spapers

nidZ2202QdatZ1)821012QidZo")++++&;+GQsidZ"D++++&;+GQp"Z66

*

emma ly dissertation

Documents