14.+Women's+Sexual+Liberation

By: Calene Rhames and Melissa Barnhart  The Roaring Twenties, as some would call this decade, was a decade of accomplishments and strides within history. There were many historical aspects that fell within this decade but this article will address women’s sexual liberation during this time. Many of the accomplishments in this decade were that of women’s liberation as a whole. The battles that were fought during this time gave rise to the freedoms that women have today. You can call these times the rise of the true feminist. The 1920’s were times of both restraints and liberations. Prohibition was in high swing during this time and gave rise to many underground operations, for instance bootlegging and prostitution . Life after WWI  was that of great accomplishments economically  also among women because they were becoming part of the workforce. Women also obtained the right to vote during this decade which showed that they were equal to men politically.  With all the freedom that women obtained in the 20’s, women began to express it through clothing. During this decade women changed how they dress, clothing being a sign of women’s sexuality liberation. Flappers,  as women were named, dressed in shorter skirts with short haircuts and some women even dressed as men while at work in the 1920’s. Sexuality <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> during the 1920’s was that of liberation. <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Birth rates <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">during this decade showed that women had the freedom of choice to not be the “typical” house wife that continued to give birth to children. This also gave them the choice to engage in sexual acts without the fear of becoming pregnant. <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Gay and Lesbian rights <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">were started many decades before the 1920’s but it was still a fight that was being battled during the 20’s. <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Birth control <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">was available during this time but was not given freely. Woman had to learn to read “between the lines” to find birth control and how to obtain it. A great nurse <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Margaret Sanger <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">was the leader in the pursuit to make birth control available. She is the picture of feminist, with her battles to liberate women’s sexuality. With all of Margaret’s attempts to get women birth control it was only foiled by <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">doctors <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> not being allowed to give it out freely and also a law being passed to hinder the progress of birth control. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">However, not everyone approved of the movement in woman’ sexual liberation. <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">PublicReaction <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">to the sexual liberation of women was that of discontent. <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Anthony Comstock <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">was a man that pursued laws that hindered birth control and sexual liberation. Also many different denominations of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">religion <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">had influenced many of the laws that passed to hinder sexual liberation. One of the laws that the <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">churches <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">influenced was the <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Hay’s Code <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">, which was started but was not enforced until after the 1920’s. Churches were also very much against the use of birth control. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">3. sexuality
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 24px;">Freedom from Sobriety: Rise of the woman's sexual liberation **
 * **__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Contents __**
 * 1) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">History
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Prohibition
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">law
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">illegal actions
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">economy
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">women’s right to vote
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">how men felt
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">did they contribute to any major issues from voting
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">life after WWI
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">family life
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">men returning from war-adjustment period
 * 1) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Clothing
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Flappers’
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">reaction to the public
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">birth rate
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">rise/fall ...
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">prostitution
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">less/more dangerous
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">more frequently visited
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Did this arise to the Madame?
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">gay and lesbians
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">rights
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">social functions
 * 1) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13.3333px;">Birth control
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Margaret Sanger
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">public’s reaction
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">condoms
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">“the pill”
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">diagrams
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">spermicide
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">doctors
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">not allowed to give out birth control
 * 1) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Public Reactions
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Anthony Comstock
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">law enforcement
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">church
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">men’s reaction
 * 1) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">Resources ||


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">History **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">There were 32,000 speakeasies in NYC during prohibition peddling illegal alcohol. That’s about 1 speakeasy for every 215 New Yorkers (Burns). Prohibition did away with the saloons but brought speakeasies instead. They had waiters, served champagne, and had a vibrant music scene and live entertainment. Later the New York Times labeled them as resorts and outstanding social institutions. Flappers, progressive women, married or single women frequented these places; all to dance, drink, socialize and enjoy music. Lois Long, a Vasser girl, had a column that covered night life for the New Yorker Magazine. Her pen name was Lipstick (Burns). Women flocked to her column to read about her exploits. What clubs to visit, which clubs had the best music, alcohol, which ones had the best dressed men or best looking men, what women were wearing to these clubs. She represented the flapper girl mentality and lifestyle. People loved her column as they could read about what a young liberated woman does when she’s out all night clubbing. Police turned a blind eye for the most part as they were receiving illegal hooch to keep their mouths shut. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The economy during the 1920’s saw Free immigration ending. The once bustling immigration reaching 1.2 million in 1914 was now less than approx. 160,000 per year. Our new economy was dependent on mass production. The manufacturing industry was key. Theodore Vail, president <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">AT&T was quoted to have said: “there are two different competitive strategies: Net revenue can <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">be produced in two ways: by a large percentage of proﬁt on a small business, or a small percentage of proﬁt on a large business.” (DeLong) The best way in America was the second option. The birth of the unskilled laborer was born. These new laborers consisted of men, immigrants, minorities, unskilled farm laborers, and more importantly women. With mass production comes mass consumption. Many people bought items on credit to be paid back in installments. Many people shifted their budget to spending less on food and clothing and more on recreation, appliances, and consumer products. All to simplify their lives a bit more. A time of gluttony, wealth, spending, celebration is the 1920’s. Al Capone was to have said to his personal waitress, Florence Draut(my great-grandmother), “ease up Flo, live a little, show a little leg, this is going to be the best time of your life!” (Gage) Women gained the right to vote during the 1920’s. They felt empowered, a new sense of being. They were educated, progressive, forward thinkers, and were sexually liberated. Some men were taken back by this new found persona, some found it quite refreshing.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Clothing **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The clothing of women in the 1920’s was that of showing the change in “gender roles and sexual mores” (Van Cleave, 5). The clothing of women in this era was that of short haircuts and skirts that were up to their knees. According to Van Cleave clothing also showed a significant correlation with politics and society in the 20’s (6). Many women felt that the clothing was more comfortable than that of the Victorian era and gave them more freedom and equality. Of course all of this freedom did not come without people in society looking down on it. There were stereotypes that came along with women that dressed this way. A lot of women in this era wore clothes that were similar to men in athletics and they sometimes wore them out in. Many people believed that the short haircuts and the clothing looked boyish and in some ways seemed to be that of cross-dressing. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Flappers were women of the 20’s. These were women that had jobs, and active night lives. Flappers were known to “frequent jazz clubs and vaudeville shows” (ushistory.org).Flappers dabbled in the underground world of drinking during the prohibition and they also took up smoking as a sign that they are as free as men. Sexuality among women bombed during this era in history. “The flapper was less hesitant to experiment sexually than previous generations. Sigmund Freud’s declaration that the libido was one of the most natural of human needs seemed to give the green light to explore” (ushistory.org).


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Sexuality **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Due to the availability of birth control women had the ability to engage in sexual acts without the fear of becoming pregnant. This showed in the amount of births declining throughout the 20’s and into the 30’s. The statistics show that the birth rate dropped “from 118 per 1,000 women from ages 15 to 44-years-old in 1920 to 89 in 1930. But also, the actual number of births fell by 11 percent during the 1920s” ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Calene ). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Prostitution changed after WWI. In the 1920s came “red-light districts and traditional bawdy houses” which in turn increasing prostitution all together (Prostitution). During this era prostitution became that of using the newest technology to solicit clients. Prostitutes used telephones and cars to find their clients for the night other than the walk-ins that prostitutes were used to in earlier eras. Many of these women worked in “hotels, apartments, and rooming houses” to do their nightly work (prostitution). Many road-houses also began to spring up in this era. At the end of this era the great depression hit and many women went to prostitution to survive. The great depression also closed down many of the high end prostitutes and brothels. This also caused a rise in “wretched slum housing, violence, and petty crime” (prostitution). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Gay and Lesbians lived in silence in the 20s. Many people had to live a life of “normalcy” with a secret life on the side. During the 20s professionals that had this type of life lived in fear of it becoming public in fear of losing their job and not being to obtain another (Wake, 121). Even though many gay and lesbians had to hide their sexual preference from the public many still found a way to get together. A famous physiatrist, Harry Stack Sullivan was one of the many people in this predicament in the 20’s. Many of his studies were not released due to the sexual nature that was involved. With women it was not as hard to hide their relations. Many women of this era that were lesbians had what they called “romantic female friendships” (Van Cleave). Although the battle for gay and lesbian rights were started many eras before the 20s it was, and still it a battle that is still being fought today.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Birth Control **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Birth Control during the 1920’s was difﬁcult. As progressive as women were, and forward thinkers, in terms of reproduction, it was left up to the physicians and an elite group of individuals. Margaret Sanger a key woman during the 20’s spoke out about birth control. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Margaret thought that instruction given along with the contraception is key. Sanger was arrested in 1914 for distributing birth control information. Out of this arrest came the Crane decision which allowed women to use birth control only for therapeutic reasons. In 1921, she organized <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The American Birth Control League, which is now called Planned Parenthood. She was instrumental in getting birth control and literature available to the public. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Up until the 1920’s most condoms were made from rubber cement and were hand dipped. They didn’t last long, there was an unpleasant odor, and the quality wasn’t great. Frederick Killian in 1919 switched to a natural rubber latex but still hand dipped them (Condoms). They aged far slower and they were also noticeably thinner and no odor was present. These condoms sold quite well in comparison to the condoms of the past. Charles Goodyear was involved in making condoms, douching syringes, intrauterine devices and diaphragms. Though the laws were strict, condoms were quite popular and his sales were large. Spermicide gained more notoriety during the depression as they were far less expensive. These items were readily available as they were marketed as feminine hygiene products. Clearly these products help liberate women even further. It provided them a chance to explore their sexuality without the worry about possibly getting pregnant.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Public Reactions **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Not everyone was so thrilled about the female sexual revolution that was happening during the roaring 20’s, or even some time before that. Anthony Comstock was a New York City salesman. Being a devout Christian he felt there was too much pornography and prostitutes in the city. He spearheaded the anti-obscenity movement that also included anything having to do with birth control. His personal opinion was that the availability of birth control led to lust and unfavorable morals. He proposed bill to Congress that dealt with anti-obscenity laws and banning contraceptives. March 3, 1873 Congress passed the Comstock Act. It was a federal offense to distribute contraceptives or information about contraceptives through the mail or bring it across state lines. The most restrictive states like Connecticut made it so that any act of using birth control was against the law. If a married couple was caught using birth control in their home they could face up to a year in prison. Most law enforcement agencies looked the other way, even though the laws remained on the books. Eventually an amendment was added to the Comstock Act. 1936 in United States v. One Package, the decision allowed doctors to distribute contraceptives across state lines. Catholic churches were dead against any form of birth control. The only method to be used was the rhythm method and that wasn’t until the 1930’s. Sexuality in women was a sin.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Resources **

Burns, Ken. "Prohibition." //Prohibition//. PBS. 1 Nov. 2011. Television.

"Condoms." //Avert.org//. 2011. Web. 26 Oct. 2011.

DeLong, Brad. //20th Century//. //The Roaring Twenties//. University of California at Berkley and NBER, 3 Feb. 1997. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <digitalhistory.uh.edu>.

//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Flappers //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">. Photograph. Library.thinkquest.org.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"Flappers [ushistory.org]." //Ushistory.org//. Web. 05 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/46d.asp>.

Gazit, Chana, prod. "American Experience." //The Pill Show//. PBS. WGBH. Television.

"Humanities 140." Reading. Approaches to Film. Winona State University, Rochester.//The Hays Code//. WSU, Sept. 2001. Web. 17 Oct. 2011.

Personal account from Alexandra Gage, Florence Draut's daughter-in-law, as told to me throughout my childhood-Calene Rhames

Pickren, Wade. "Robert Yerkes, Calvin Stone, and the beginning of programmatic sex research by psychologists, 1921-1930." // American Journal of Psychology // Winter 1997: 603+. // Psychology Collection //. Web. 7 Nov. 2011.

"PROSTITUTION | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)." //Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) | A Digital Gateway to Texas History//. Web. 05 Nov. 2011. <http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/jbp01>.

//Sanger.png//. Photograph. Clusterflock.org.

Sharot, S. (2010). The 'New Woman', star personas, and cross-class romance films in 1920s America. // Journal of Gender Studies //; Mar2010, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p73-86. //Academic Search Premier//. Web 1 Nov. 2011

"The Public Writings and Speeches of Margaret Sanger." //Margaret Sangers Paper Project//. Department of History New York University, 3 May 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <www.nyu.edu>.

"The Sexes: A Sex Poll (1892-1920)." // Time // 1 Oct. 1973: 81. // Academic OneFile //. Web. 7 Nov. 2011.

//Upcoming_prohibition.gif//. Photograph. Pbs.org.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Van Cleave, Kendra. "Fashioning the College Women:Dress,Gender, and Sexuality at Smith College in the 1920s." //Journal of American Culture// 32.1 (2009): 4-15. //Academic Search Premier//. Web. 5 Nov. 2011.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Wake, Naoko. "Sexuality, Intimacy and Subjectivity in Social Psychoanalytic Thought of the 1920s and 1930s." //Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology// 18 (2008): 119-30. //Academic Search Premier//. Web. 5 Nov. 2011.