Originally posted in 2011. Re-posted in honor of the holiday.
I recently posted a vintage cartoon featuring men showering. Today, in the context of “don’t drop the soap” jokes, it seems obviously homo-erotic (or -threatening). At the time, however, it likely didn’t because homosexuality didn’t hold such a central place in our collective imagination.
Dmitriy T.M. sent along a series of vintage Valentine’s Day cards that, similarly, have a different effect given our contemporary cultural sensibilities. After decades of efforts to draw attention to and problematize men’s violence against women, these cards seem misguided at best:
Cards borrowed from Funny or Die and Buzzfeed.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 26
imalwaysright — February 13, 2011
I don't think they would have printed the "bound to be yours" valentine today if they weren't marketing it as something kinky/bondagey.
DireSloth — February 13, 2011
Ok, there is no way #9 is legit. I've got my doubts about the giant pistol one too. o_O
Brass — February 13, 2011
There are some more of these sadistic valentines on this blog;
http://shewalkssoftly.com/2011/02/12/vintage-valentine-roundup-masochistic-murderous-and-meaty/
Chlorine — February 13, 2011
What is UP with the kid's face in the "out hunting" one? That is the most terrifying thing I have ever seen.
A — February 13, 2011
Yikes. Some of these are hard to believe.
I couldn't help but notice that the brand would come out all wrong.
Valentine’s Link-Encrusted Roundup « Brave Lucky Game — February 14, 2011
[...] We got some crazy retro valentines over at Sociological Images, proving that “loving violence” has a long-ass history in the U.S.: Shifting Cultural Sensibilities and Valentine’s Pleas. [...]
Be Mine…or else. | Gentlewoman of the Rails — February 14, 2012
[...] is a link to some terrifyingly violent vintage Valentines Day cards from Funny or Die. Fortunately, I [...]
Tr — February 13, 2013
Maybe I'm just hopelessly sheltered, but most of these don't strike me as threatening. Yes, if I really think about it, I can see where they could allude to domestic violence, but that's certainly not my immediate reaction. Most of them are pretty cute...though the brand one and the hunter's eyes are seriously creepy!
Unit Six – Communication and Language Use | Anthropology of the U.S. Society — February 14, 2013
[...] http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/02/13/shifting-cultural-sensibilities-and/ [...]
mimimur — February 14, 2013
They all seem TL be drawn in the same style. Is it by convention, or was there a company out there specializing on creepy cards?
[links] Link salad spares you your life from this monstrosity | jlake.com — February 14, 2013
[...] Shifting Cultural Sensibilities and Valentine’s Pleas — Wow. Just wow. [...]
Sartora — February 14, 2013
These are creepy, like something I'd expect to find plastered on every inch of the wall of a secret room in a serial killer's house.
Mizzz — May 21, 2013
the comments here seem to miss the point of the posts entirely. It's not that they are overtly threatening or alluding to anything directly...it's that they are an example of normalizing male aggression....in "romance" or sexual interest. We tend to accept what is quietly normalized.
Tuesday Sex News Wrap Up | Sex with Timaree — February 11, 2014
[…] theory valentines to rock your world. Are these vintage valentines the creepiest things […]
Tues-Wed, February 11-12 | Mrs. Silverman: Social Studies — February 11, 2014
[…] out these links for Vintage Valentines - and more Vintage Valentines: What do they say about how our culture has changed over […]
T — February 11, 2014
http://www.amazon.com/Never-Find-Valentines-Funny-Greeting/dp/B009MPIJ4S/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top And a more recent creepy Valentine card...
Sxy Links: 34 Interesting Reads for February 12, 2014 | SxySrvy — February 12, 2014
[…] Shifting Cultural Sensibilities and Valentine’s Pleas by Lisa Wade (104 words) Originally posted in 2011. Re-posted in honor of the holiday. I recently posted a vintage cartoon featuring men showering. Today, in the context of “don’t drop the soap” jokes, it seems obviously homo-erotic (or -threatening). http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/02/13/shifting-cultural-sensibilities-and/ […]
On the (Rest of the) Net: Galentine’s Day Edition. | — February 13, 2014
[…] Vintage Valentines Day cards that glorify intimate partner violence. [Sociological Images] […]
Friday, February 20 – School Canceled | Mrs. Silverman: Social Studies — February 20, 2015
[…] out these links for Vintage Valentines - and more Vintage […]
Olivia — February 20, 2015
These relate to culture because they show how much our culture has evolved. For example, in the time that these were created, they must have seemed normal; however, today we view them as disturbing and abnormal. Also, in different cultures these still may be socially acceptable.
https://www.paperwritingpro.com/ — June 18, 2021
Violence against women occurs in both conflict and non-conflict settings. The perpetrators of this violence can be any person but are most commonly men, typically those the woman knows.