Flapper Youth Culture: Expression, Resistance, and Social Inequalities

This essay examines the "flapper" youth culture of the 1920s, focusing on their unique presentation through dress, music, and behavior, and whether they constituted a subculture. It analyzes their acts of resistance against societal norms, particularly concerning gender roles and Victorian morality, and explores how this youth culture related to broader social problems and inequalities. The essay discusses the flappers' embrace of jazz music, casual sex, and previously male-dominated activities like drinking and smoking, highlighting their role in challenging traditional gender expectations and contributing to the feminist movement. The flappers' influence on fashion, cultural trends, and the ongoing fight for gender equality is also examined, noting the mixed opinions on their social disruption but acknowledging their significant impact on global culture.

Running head: YOUTH CULTURE 1
Youth Culture
Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Youth Culture of “The Flappers”
Flapper is a term used to describe a generation of young women who depicted unique
characteristics in the 1920s after the World War I. The flappers were characterized by short
dresses, their love for jazz music and a flagrant display of behavoiur that was generally
considered unacceptable. The origin of the term “flapper” is not clear and some scholars have
attributed it to the common dancing style of the 1920s where young people flapped their hands as
they enjoyed jazz music (Bross, J., & Stamm, M. (2014). The term has also been attributed to the
description of a teenage girl in England who had not yet developed ling hair and as such, the
plaited hair “flapped” backwards. Other scholars see the application of the word in relation tom
its slang reference to a young prostitute. This reference connotes a negative aspect of this culture
perhaps based on their adoption of irresponsible sex. Generally, the term refers to a teenage girl
of the 1920s who displayed a lively lifestyle.
Flappers were seen as a rebel group who disdained the dominant norms of society. They
exhibited liberal sexual behaviors and had a propensity for wearing excessive much makeup and
short skirts. This generation of women significantly influenced the social and political landscape
of Europe and is associated with the popularization of Jazz music across the world. The flappers
represented a youth culture because of the general influence they had on dressing styles, attitudes
and behavior and social and political aspects of society. The flapper lifestyle has continued to
attract literary debate and remains one of the most enduring representations of youth culture.
Presentation of Flappers

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Flappers were easily identified by their age and social mannerisms. The characteristic
dressing style of the flappers were short skirts with a high waist line accompanied by a sash. The
dressing style was to bring out the mischief in the flirtations that identified this generation. The
flappers cut their hair and developed a fashion sense that included strings on their dresses and
necklaces (Park, 2014). The dressing style was considered as an expression of the teenagers to
transit from being children and transiting into adulthood. It was thus considered flagrant and was
meant to attract male attention. The flappers had casual ideas about sex and thus broke the
societal rules with regard to constraint in sexual relations. In addition, they openly engaged in the
consumption of alcohol and smoked in the open. Although flappers lived in a period of cultural
conservatism based on Victorian ideas, they defied most of the rules at teenage contrary to
societal expectations. The flappers loved an expressive lifestyle that involved driving fast cars
and kissing their boyfriends in public in complete disregard to the value systems of their parents.
The flappers generally dressed in less apparel and displayed their sexuality in more vivid ways.
These young women enjoyed the club life and adopted other mannerisms previously associated
with men including drinking and smoking (Park, 2014). Through such display of mannerisms,
the flappers defied the rules of morality and redefined the perception of society about women.
Flappers as a Sub-Culture
The flappers bore all the hallmarks of a subculture based on the extent of the influence on
the youth. Subcultures are behaviors that emanate from rebellion to the dictates of the dominant
culture and are associated with rebel tendencies. The term Subculture was developed in the
1920s by scholars from the Chicago school (Moje, 2015). Deviant tendencies were then
associated with problems arising from the existing culture within society. Although subcultures

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are initially viewed as negative influences, their continuous use ultimately gains acceptability
with time. The Flappers emerged at a time of strict adherence to the Victorian lifestyle by
women and as such, attracted criticism in society. Previously, such manners like smoking and
club life was associated with men and it was considered immoral for women to engage in such
practices (McClendon, 2015). Nevertheless, the behaviors were accepted by a wide section of
society and thus formed a formidable cultural force.
The Chicago school examined the aspect of subcultures in regard to the dominant groups
within society. Distinct groups like the immigrant communities and ethnic minorities thus
formed the basis for categorization of subcultures. The flappers, however, defied all cultural
boundaries and exerted their influence of youth across the country. The adoption of Jazz as a
popular genre of music led to the popularization of this style across the world. Music plays a
critical role in the definition of culture (Blackman, S. (2014). In this regard, the flappers were
able to spread their influence faster by associating the music with a particular lifestyle. Jazz thus
became associated with club life and the removal of societal inhibitions regarding sex and
morality.
Dressing is a distinct characteristic of culture and is a critical determinant of the
resilience of subcultures. Clothes easily distinguish an individual as a member of a certain
culture or subculture. According to the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS), the
majority of subcultures are united together by a sense of class and were bonded by the need to
“act out” (Blackman, S. (2014). This desire emanates from the failure of the mainstream culture
to demonstrate sensitivity to their needs. The characteristic dressing style of the flappers revealed
them as rebels to the forces of morality imputed to the youth by society. The youth thus gained

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identity by their scanty dressing style that ultimately became the identifier for the members. The
dress sense of the flappers was enduring and developed into a female fashion item (Park, 2014).
The flapper dress was only complete when adorned with women with generous application of
makeup. In addition, flapper enthusiasts had the bob hair style that complemented their short
skirts. In the modern fashion trends, flappers continue to exist especially as Halloween costumes
(Park, S. H. (2014). The footwear that accompanied this fashion was designed for comfort in
order to enable the wearers to dance to the tunes of jazz. The shoes bore low heels and were
decorated with embroidered pattern for elegance.
Flappers and Acts of Resistance
The flappers like other subcultures, displayed resistance in many aspects. The adoption of
the reckless lifestyle was a sign of displeasure with the dominant culture. The short skirt was a
display of rebellion against the moral standards imposed to women during the Victorian times
and a craze for self expression (Moore, 2016). Consequently, the young women in the flapper
generation defied the moral consciousness in society and adopted lifestyles that were completely
unacceptable in the prevailing situation (Allen, 2015). Symbolically, flappers transformed their
dressing style as a display of the image of the new woman.
The events of the First World War resulted in the change of attitude among the young men who
found it difficult to settle down after it ended. The majority of soldiers therefore developed a
carefree life as a consequence of the expectation of uncertainties in the future. In this regard, a
culture of resistance to the societal norms dominated society and affected the women who were
equally faced with uncertainty about the future.

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The flappers also displayed their rebellion through the drinking culture as a sign that they
did not care about the image of the lady as innocent and chaste. In this regard, they challenged
masculinity by adopting the open drinking culture and the smoking of cigarettes. Cultural norms
are set by paternalistic forces that determine the conduct of members of society (Kalinina, 2015).
The rebellion against the dominant image of the woman was therefore the precursor of society’s
change of perception about this gender. Just like men, these women frequented night clubs and
engaged in casual sex (Estévez Cabrera, 2016). The women also adopted slang as an identifier
and thus entrenched their separation from the contemporary culture (Dalzell, 2015). The use of
make-up by the flapper generation included the application of eye-liner, powder and lipstick.
Through such mechanisms the women displayed their sexual appeal and a boisterous attraction
to men.
The dominant rules regarding family and marriage were disrupted through the actions of
the flapper generation. Whereas it was expected for women to remain chaste as they waited for
marriage to bear children, the flapper generation tended towards immediate gratification of their
sexual desires. In this regard, they expressed a desire to be treated with equality as men (Feu
López, 2015). With regard to career, the women made forays into traditionally male careers
including law and engineering. Consequently, the women enjoyed financial freedom and were
able to afford the luxuries of life including fast cars. Flappers therefore thrived on resistance to
the main culture which failed to respond to their needs for independence and individuality.
Flapper, Class and Gender
Flappers were generally women who sought to obtain a new sense of identity in society.
Although the factors leading to the flapper generation affected the men, it was the drastic change

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in the identity of the women that characterized the 1920s. The Flapper sub-culture traversed the
bonds of class and united all the teenage girls in the craze for self identity. However, the
expression of this sub-culture led to the financial strength among women that was associated
with class. The status of women greatly improved because they were employed in high-paying
careers after undertaking previously male-dominated courses of study. As a consequence, the
women could afford the luxuries of life including trendy clothes and flashy cars (Sterry, 2017).
The change in the financial position coupled with a revolution in the social mannerisms led to a
shift the status of women. One of the triggers for this subculture was the desire among women to
obtain equal status with men and in this regard, the influence of men over the women was
significantly diminished.
Flappers significantly contributed to the feminist movement by advocating for the
equality between men and women. Women have traditionally been confined to the traditional
roles of raising children while the men looked for work. However, the flappers transformed the
view of society about women. The women adopted self expression and engaged in liberal sex.
According to Sigmund Freud, sex is among the basic needs for an individual (Freud, 2017). The
flappers pushed this right to the extreme and engaged in casual sex just like the men in their
times. The changing status of women significantly impacted on the courting culture and
introduced dating. Previously, marriage was preceded by a practice of calling where the couple
was keener on marriage (Sterry, 2017). However, dating implied a lack of seriousness in
relationships and was more likely to lead in casual sex. In this regard, women engaged in petting
which involved such sensual activities like kissing, fondling and oral sex. The society therefore
saw an increase in premarital sex as women sought space for self-expression. The flapper
generation influenced the political landscape indirectly through the feminist movement. There

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was an increasing awareness of the rights of women and a large number of women gaining entry
into political activism. There was an increase in the campaign to enable women make
independent choices in society which led to the permission of women to vote in America.
Following the activities of the flappers, there is a sustained effort to obtain gender equality
between men and women in society.
The flippers remain one of the most significant subcultures ton date. The society global
feminist movement can be attributed to the desire by the teenage girls to defy cultural constraints
to self expression to gain individuality in society. Several authors have mixed opinions regarding
the impacts of this subculture that emerged in the wake of the World War 1. Regardless of the
social disruption, this subculture has significantly influenced fashion and cultural trends across
the world. Jazz is now an established genre of music across the world and women continue to
fight for individuality in the midst of constricting cultural boundaries. Almost a century since the
emergence of the flipper subculture, society continues to look down upon women who smoke
and drink. In addition, societal rules regarding the chastity and innocence of women shape public
opinion about women who engage in casual sex and those who patronize night clubs. The flipper
generation raised great public debate because it involved women and challenged the strict
societal ethos of the Victorian times. The impact of the flipper generation will continue to
influence debates about the conduct of women in a paternalistic world.

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Estévez Cabrera, F. Y. (2016). The Great Gatsby: a queer approach.
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