A poor Kentucky girl born in 1937 looked movie-star glamorous in old photos. How did rural 1930s beauty compare to today’s Instagram-driven beauty culture?
social-history
80s Montreal Parties vs Today’s Social Media Life
They look similar because people still gather, drink, and pose. But 1980s Montreal birthday parties and today’s social media culture grew from very different worlds.
What If Your 22‑Year‑Old Grandma Ran 1967?
A counterfactual history of a 22-year-old woman in 1967. How different choices in work, war, and women’s rights could have changed one ordinary grandma’s life.
5 Stark Lessons From the Boy Who Lived Alone at 9
A 9‑year‑old in France lived alone for two years, still went to school, and hid his abandonment. Here are 5 hard truths that case exposes about child neglect.
What If 1920s America Accepted Unwed Mothers?
In 1925, parents often expelled daughters who had children out of wedlock. What if American society had chosen acceptance instead? Three grounded scenarios.
Poe’s Child Bride vs 19th‑Century Norms
Edgar Allan Poe married his 13-year-old cousin in 1836. How weird was that for the time? A clear look at age, cousin marriage, law, and social norms.
Who Should Push the Pram? 1925 vs Today
In 1925 a New York photographer asked, “Who should push the baby carriage, husband or wife?” What that question revealed about gender, class, and parenting then vs now.
Brothels vs ‘Pure’ Women: Sex and Double Standards 1900–1920
In the early 1900s, American towns had both celebrated “pure” wives and tolerated brothels. Here’s how that double standard worked and why it mattered.
What 1973 Words About the Opposite Sex Reveal
In 1973, a conceptual art project asked men and women to describe the opposite sex in a single word. Here are 5 big things those answers reveal about gender.
Why Modern Tradwives Aren’t Actually Traditional
Modern online “tradwives” look old-fashioned, but their lives are very different from real historical housewives. Here’s how origins, methods, outcomes, and legacy compare.