1930s: Marlene Dietrich's Androgyny
To set the scene for society in Marlene Dietrich’s time, gender expression in the late 1920s and early 1930s was heavily restricted; in the nineteenth century, in response to the drag festivities of All Fool’s Night and to appease the pressures of the conservative, religious Right, legislation had been enforced to prohibit people from dressing in clothes that were not typical for their gender (Faderman & Timmons, 16.). Although these laws were primarily enforced on men, women still needed to be careful as they were not safe from public scrutiny, celebrities included.
Prior to Dietrich, the American public viewed women wearing trousers as a departure from femininity to masculinity, which was highly disapproved of. For a few years before the Red Scare and the descent back into suspicion and fear of any person who dared to defy social norms, Dietrich successfully brought her defiant spirit and fearless values to America in the form of her masculine fashion and her provocative performances. She was truly a groundbreaking icon that always challenged the ways of living that had been established for centuries, paving the way for future queer and androgynous icons.
