Role Reversal
As women fought for the right to vote in the early 20th century, they were often criticized for trying to step into men’s shoes in the political arena. Many believed a woman’s place was solely in the home and men should be the only ones responsible for large-scale societal and governmental affairs. As women campaigned for the vote, many men were afraid of what else might be disturbed in terms of traditional gender roles. There was a deep concern that women would abandon their familial duties at home to go out and participate in public affairs. A large variety of postcards were made to depict this growing fear, with the common theme of women either leaving to vote or completely absent from the household. Their husbands, left behind, are shown as emasculated figures, stripped of their own right to vote, and left home alone to care for the children. From today's perspective, these postcards are rather ironic as they seem to demonstrate how weak men are by showing their complete inability to manage their children without their wives. Regardless, they are a fascinating look into the mindset of those who advocated against women’s suffrage in order to preserve what they believed to be rightful gender roles and family dynamics.
Hannah Bruckheim and Shailja Somani, curators
Suffragette Madonna
This postcard plays on the classic “Madonna” painting that depicts the Virgin Mary nursing a baby Jesus, a central icon for Christianity. This card insinuates that if women were to get the vote, men would take on the role of motherhood as Mary did in the Bible.
I Don't Care If She Never Comes Back
This postcard shows a more absurdist viewpoint of role reversal. A man is completely content to be at home with the children. There is even a placard on the wall that states: “What is home without a Father?”
Life Is Just One Damned Thing After Another
Seen in the background of this card is the message: “What is Home without a Suffragette?” implying that a household would go into disarray if the mother goes off to vote.
I Want to Vote, But My Wife Won't Let Me
This card exemplifies the fear of role reversal that many anti-suffragists had, showing a man who is forbidden from voting by his wife.
Where Oh Where Is My Wandering Wife Tonight?
This card displays a completely emasculated husband wearing a women's bathrobe and holding two crying children. His wife has left her family to lead a suffrage rally. Emasculation was a large part of the anti-suffrage argument.
The Suffragette Not at Home
This card shows a husband stuck at home while his wife is at a suffrage meeting. The scene depicts the unavoidable chaos that ensues when a man is left to his own devices concerning childcare and homemaking.
Mother's Got the Habit Now
By displaying a woman wearing trousers, a top hat, a suit jacket, and smoking a cigarette, this postcard strongly implies that women’s suffrage would undoubtedly lead to complete male and female role reversal.