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The Kitchen Apron Rebellion

A satirical, gender-bending protest against the arrival of women's suffrage and the political rise of Jeannette Rankin.

The story, cleaned up

A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.

Yes, we were foolish enough to vote for woman suffrage—but never again. Sheriff Duffy sent a summons to Mrs. Chore Boy to come and serve as a juror. She is at Prosser now, helping to serve out injustice to some poor victims, while we are at home trying to play the farmin' game with a kitchen apron on. We would give a list of what we have to do but our space is limited to two columns, so it is not worth while to start in. Jeanette Rankin broke into the house and was not even arrested for it. Just one man in the U. S. can walk ahead of her when she marches. She acted real sensible and let Pres. Wilson take the place just ahead of her when the house made the grand march before the notables. But since those same notables kissed her hands the way they did, there is going to be an awful epidemic of house breakin' on the part of the women voters of the country and when they find the house is not large enough to accommodate all, they are goin’ to vote to build more house. So, feller male voters, we appeal to you to strike while the strikin' is good. It may seem to you that wearin' this kitchen apron has made us a little hysterical, but when it comes your turn to wear one, you will be watchin’ the game thru the same knot hole that we are.

“It may seem to you that wearin' this kitchen apron has made us a little hysterical, but when it comes your turn to wear one, you will be watchin’ the game thru the same knot hole that we are.”

— Printed in The Kennewick Courier-Reporter (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917
Then · 1917109 years apartNow · 2026

This editorial uses a satirical, 'kitchen-apron' persona to express anxieties about the shifting gender roles of 1917, specifically referencing the first woman elected to Congress, Jeannette Rankin. Today, this piece serves as a primary source for the 'backlash' period that often accompanies rapid gains in civil rights.

The original page

The Kennewick Courier-Reporter (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-05-10. Library of Congress, Chronicling America.

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About this story

From
The Kennewick Courier-Reporter (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, MAY 10, 1917, Page 6
Rights
Public domain
Place
46.20261, -119.11697 · placed automatically
The paper in the Library of Congress catalog ↗