Postcards of Masculine Women and Feminine Men from the Early Twentieth Century, by Marshall Weeks and Jonathan Ned Katz

Postcards collected by Marshall Weeks and dating to the early twentieth-century present satirical images of women who wore "mannish" shoes, shirts, collars, ties, and coats, who smoked, went to bars, and who moved independently in the world. Other cards portray effeminate men and, specifically, those then called "fairies" and "pansies." With an introduction by Jonathan Ned Katz. First published on OutHistory in 2011.

Looking at Images

In this digital age, we are often confronted with historical images that are not fully contextualized but can still provide valuable insights into the ways past generations looked at gender and sexuality. Close readings of such images can enhance our understanding of them, and suggest historical research that will clarify their original meanings. Here are some questions to help viewers start thinking about various ways of looking at historical images such as these postcards.

What could the original purpose of these images be?

Why are these image grouped together on OutHistory.org? Were the images created by the same person, from the same time period? What clues can the images themselves give us?

If there is no date on the image, how does one begin to place the image in history? What visual clues are provided that might aid in this process? What outside sources might you use to begin putting these images into a historical context?

How does fashion contribute to the artist’s intention? What are some of the signifiers that clue the viewer into the artist’s commentary? If fashion expresses ideas rooted in a specific time period, how do these signifiers still function in the present?

What clues do props and settings add to your reading of the images?

How does the aesthetic of the image work into your interpretation of it? Your dating of it?

How do secondary characters work in these images? How does the role of the child work?

If there is more than one person, what roles are each of the people playing?

How does the addition of text shift or comment on these images? The use of the rhyme? The repetition of certain ideas (for example, a woman doing a man’s job)?

In what ways do these images speak to gender? To sexuality? What can that tell us about historical context?

How does looking at the images in electronic form change the reading? What are the positives and negatives of this experience?

What have you learned from looking at these images? What questions do they raise about history and the writing of history? How might you use these images in historical research?