Table of Contents
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Definition of FLAPPERS
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What did Flappers do That Made Them "Rebels"?
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Definition of FLAPPERS:
According to the dictionary a flapper is "a young woman of the period of World War I and the following decade who showed freedom from conventions (as in conduct)".
Flappers were young women, usually in their 20's, during the 20's, and they did show freedom from conventions, but they were also rebels, people who rejected the norm and were proud of it.
What did Flappers do That Made Them "Rebels"?
Flappers:
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wore short skirts
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put on excessive makeup
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smoked and drank alcohol (despite the Prohibition Act, which banned the sale of all alcohol in the U.S.)
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sniffed cocaine (which was legal at the time)
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treated sex casually
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invented new dance styles that were considered "shocking"
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cut their hair short, usually into bobs
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had their own slang (go to Flapper Slang under Misc.)
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drove automobiles and rode bicycles
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worked outside of the house
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listened to jazz
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dated freely
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didn't wear corsets or pantaloons
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took risks and were reckless
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flaunted their disdain for what was considered "acceptable"
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had tanned skin
Overall, flappers weren't much different from the female youth today, but now that behavior is considered normal while back then it was shocking and brash, blasphemous and profane.
