We’re no strangers to the dangers of sexually transmitted infections and diseases. Turns out, before we had sex-ed classes in school, the media was responsible for propagating awareness about the risks of contracting diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis. And the angle they often chose? Blaming women. These vintage STD posters shed some light on the unique, lighthearted and at times offensive ways they chose to approach the issue. Take a look.
No medicine for regret! They make a valid point. Especially when regret actually has physical consequences. The messages might be dated, but I have a huge appreciation for the unique styles of the illustrations in these posters. The designers probably didn’t know their work would go down in history as iconic art, but it’s easy to see why their messages still translate. I think the most disturbing part,though, is the casual nature with which these posters handle “loose” women. I mean, it takes two to tango, and it’s not like they were villains of the night, out to spread itchy privates to soldiers in port. A lot has changed, but it’s interesting to see where this stuff sort of originated. See the rest of the set at Mental Floss.
Could you imagine seeing posters like this today? What do you think of the notion that women were harbingers of STDs in wartime?
sunflower / 264 posts
…I can see how a few of these seem to paint a woman as “the temptress”. But most of these are just advertisements for cures, sans gender specification.
guest
They were targeting men. Whether it was true or not, men were more believed to be likely to have multiple partners, one night stands with prostitutes etc. I think perhaps it is more sexists that there weren’t ads targeting women to protect themselves, get treatment etc.
guest
hahahahahaha
guest
The last one with the dinosaur cracked me up, not going to lie.
guest
i dont see how this is blaming women.
guest
Good… I like them. They aren’t blaming women. Women were on the retro posters back then.
The one with the three guys kinda makes the large woman face look like a syphillis monster but other than that.. good.
We need this kinda crap in our lives, I’d buy one and post it on my campus.
guest
@delesmuses@twitter - Exactly. Targeting “mostly” men because thats who they “were”. Millitary’s still doin it (that guy propaganda) of course now they include women. But the point wasnt to blame women. Rather like you say to scare 18yo boys freshly out of Ma’s. Hopefully it worked.
guest
If these were ads directed towards women to watch out for men riddled with STD’s, most women would be squawking about how this places “all the responsibility” on the women and none on the men. One way or another, they’ll find a reason to place the blame/responsibility entirely on someone else – even if the responsibility is split in reality.
You just can’t please them.
guest
The advertisements are directed at men. Men have sex with women, so it only makes sense to watch out. The reason you don’t see VD posters directed at women is because during this day and age it was bad form for women to initiate romance/sexual relations. Men were the ones who were supposed to take the initiative, and thus they are being targeted. Furthermore, military men are notorious for whoring. If you look at the military posters they don’t scream “women are to blame for stds!” It’s more like, we know you are going to go home and try to make booty calls – be careful.
guest
dinosaurs were the original ladies of the night hahaha
daffodil / 1579 posts
LOL
guest
Yeah, this isn’t really sexist.
guest
Aren’t these for soldiers about not visiting prostitutes? I don’t really find them sexist in that context.
guest
They are clearly adressed to men, if it is offensive to women then because they are seen as objects.
guest
@QuantumStorm@xanga - You seem to have a very negative picture of women. Sad. I don’t think you are right…and I think it is alienating the genders further from one another and stregthening prejudices.
guest
@PocketfulOfDreams@xanga - If you are so keen on bridging the gap, asinine generalizations and condescension is not the way to do it.
guest
@QuantumStorm@xanga - I don’t know why you think I am doing this. because of “sad”? I said sad because it makes me sad. It makes me sad that men feel that way and react with accusations that make women feel that way as well. And that is an example of it. I am sad that I think I have been fair an balanced (as in concerned about boys forthcoming etc..it’s not like I don’t have male family members) for all my life and now need to “prove” that I am not “the typical woman” who is like this and that that. I don’t feel like this is fair.
I didn’t generalize either, I particularly adressed you and your comment. I don’t know why I am even telling you this when you very CLEARLY just want to put me down.
guest
@PocketfulOfDreams@xanga - Cool story bro
“I don’t know why I am even telling you this when you very CLEARLY just want to put me down.”
LOL projection
guest
@QuantumStorm@xanga - lol no read the word “asinine”.
guest
@PocketfulOfDreams@xanga - Haha it sounds like “Ass in 9″
guest
Lol…these are actually kind of funny because they’re so dated. But I mean, we all know that women who smoke are hussies. Thank god it’s not 1942 anymore!
guest
I’m just glad that syphilis is now curable. Ahh ha ha hah