Betty Boop – a feminist icon beyond cartoons

Starting with flapper culture, moving to the image of a housewife, Betty Boop is a rare cartoon character representing feminism in the 1930s.

Betty Boop – a feminist icon beyond cartoons

When the animation was still used as an opening sequence for live-action films and the female characters were just extras, Betty Boop emerged as a phenomenon. Saying no to the background of male cartoon characters and also not following the childish motif like other works, Betty is a name with an influence lasting nearly a century in the audience’s mind.

Betty Boop was the most unique animated female character on screen during the Great Depression, thanks to being shaped like a ” sex symbol .” Instead of being portrayed in a childish way like Minnie Mouse and other characters, Betty has the body of an adult woman. Strapless miniskirts, high heels, corsets, and hoop earrings… Her outfit is reminiscent of the partying flapper culture, explaining why Betty was so popular during the Depression. economy.

Max Fleischer created Betty with contrasting features: the body of an adult woman and the round head of a child. It is this that makes her both feminine, seductive, and transparent – a favorite characteristic of flapper dancers. Although her face is inspired by singer Helen Kane, Betty wears costumes that represent the common liberal culture, combining many different images in Jazz culture.

More than being a mere entertainment product during the Great Depression, the script and storyline allowed Betty to become a feminist icon of the 1930s. Possessing a beautiful appearance, she was the victim. harassment from men, including in the workplace. Betty has always resisted that oppression and kept her temper, making her especially prominent in an era where women are always patient because of social prejudice, and also have a clear voice for difficulties. the hardship that women have to endure.

In 1934, under pressure from the National Convention of Production and Catholic Ceremonies, “Jazz Baby” Betty Boop was forced to change her appearance. No longer a free flapper, Betty takes on the housework, often wearing long dresses or skirts, removing glittering jewelry, and increasingly moving away from the “sex symbol” image. Just 5 years after the change, Betty Boop has come to the final animated episode. The fact that the producers targeted teenagers and the emergence of many other successes from Fleischer like Popeye made her gradually more obscure in popular culture.

However, there are many people trying to revive Betty Boop and use her image as a modern feminist icon. Nearly 100 years after its debut, Betty’s image continues to evolve with the modern women’s wardrobe. She even has her own social networking site Instagram. Betty Boop is at the forefront of spreading feminism, and her position continues to strengthen every day, hard to be replaced by any other character.