The Suffrage Cat
The women's suffrage movement was an exceptionally controversial topic in both the United States and England. Postcard manufacturers hired artists to create visually appealing postcards about women's suffrage. A popular subject was the suffrage cat, which was used for both pro- and anti-suffrage messaging. In Victorian culture, the cat was often associated with the female sphere; the indoor cat represented the passive, ideal homemaker, and the outdoor cat was brazen, feral and fallen. Defining how the cat was intended to be viewed as a symbol in women's suffrage postcards can be a challenge, as seen in some of the selections below.
Mazen Sedrat, Kareem Hamoudeh, Luke Frietze, curators
I Want My Vote!
This postcard, featuring a screeching cat standing in front of the flag for the British Women's Social and Political Union, is usually categorized as anti-suffrage. Its charming and colorful artwork, however, makes one wonder if a more nuanced meaning was intended.
I'll Never Be a "Foolagain"
This dramatic postcard portrays a strong cat who, though injured, will continue to fight and will not be a "foolagain." The tough cat, representing suffragettes, will not be complacent and injured or not, won't stop fighting for the vote.
The Suffragette Down with the Tom Cats
This postcard can be interpreted two different ways. An angry cat holds a placard that reads "votes for shes." The cat's aggresive, feral demeanor suggest an anti-suffrage message. Such "masculine" traits were often used to disparage suffragettes, whose actions and agenda were considered unfeminine.
The Suffrage Down With the Tom Cats (verso)
The handwritten message on the back of "The Suffragette Down with the Tom Cats" postcard shows how the imagery can also be interpreted as pro-suffrage. The writer of the card says, "See the expression: In town for the fight. Have used my night off for training my guns in the new campaign. Ha! Ha! You will see the signs soon." Could the writer be a suffragist who selected the postcard because she liked the fierceness of the cat?
I'm A Suffer Yet
The worn-out cat in this postcard is symbolic of the damage and physical toil endured by the suffragists. The malapropism of "Suffer Yet" expresses the constant and ongoing suffering faced by women who fought for their rights during this period.