The 70s: Jello, Douches, and Feminism

On a rainy day a few weeks ago, a friend of mine took me to Reuse Centre in our hometown to search through a bunch of old donated crap and wait out the weather. Amongst the piles of discarded exercise tapes, vinyl records, and Goosebumps books, I found a few gems: Old copies Chatelaine magazine from the mid-1970s.

I thought I’d flip through them and get a good laugh from out-dated fashion and advice columns (which I did) – what I didn’t expect was inspiration from a generation of women who were outspoken and feisty as hell.

So what were women concerned about back then? Let me tell you!

THE GOOD:
At first glance, I was surprised at how political a lot of the articles were. With headlines like, “Are Men Obsolete?”, “The Office: What Women Could Tell Men About Running It,” and “How Women Are Doing (And Not Doing) In Politics.” And how the same social issues we talk about now, like Caitlyn Jenner and female breadwinners, we’re making headlines back in ’74, “I’m a Happy Househusband” and “The Canadian Man Who Became a Woman.”

As I read, it hit me. This was a time when abortions were still criminalized, and women who divorced weren’t entitled to anything from their marriage – in other words, all those rights we take for granted were being fought for tooth and nail. It was second wave feminism at its height.

That fact these discussions were happening in a mainstream women’s magazine – one that wanted to appeal to the mass female audience – speaks to the popularity of the movement at the time. It seems like the average woman was engaging in this battle for rights, or at least wanted to read about the women who were.

It’s eye-opening and humbling to think of the rights women in this country didn’t have 40 years ago and be thankful to the women who fought for them.

THE BAD:
I mean, it’s still a women’s magazine – so there’s the usual dose of weight loss articles and supplements, bathing suits for troublesome body types, and ads explaining how a Maytag dishwasher could “liberate you from the kitchen.” The more things change – the more they stay the same.

THE HILARIOUS:
The 70’s – when women were figuring out the fastest way to douche, while making their family KAM sandwiches for lunch, and a Jello pie for dessert. (The pictures speak for themselves.)