Bring Out the Girls: A Legal History of Burlesque in New York City
Summary
The development of burlesque reflects a great deal about changing social norms, and the reaction to these changes by political institutions and legal doctrine. New York City best reflects the dramatic social and legal changes that contributed to the rise and fall of burlesque. From the introduction of burlesque in the 1860s to its death one hundred years later, New York was the unrivalled center of American theater.
This paper examines the burlesque industry in chronological order, beginning with the launch of burlesque in the United States in 1868. From the turn of the century until the 1920s, burlesque established itself as a legitimate form of entertainment. Outraged by the audacity of female performers, and motivated by a desire to protect children, the anti-obscenity movement targeted burlesque as part of its crusade against indecent publications, but most burlesque shows remained largely unscathed.
In New York, the 1920s signaled a period of relaxed moral standards during which the state legislature and city government struggled to keep up with increasingly shocking and suggestive burlesque shows. As part of a general conservative backlash against the hedonism of the time, burlesque was criticized for its blatant displays of sexuality. Although both levels of government experimented with different political and legal measures during the 1920s, control over burlesque remained weak until the 1930s.
Censorship peaked in the 1930s, when the eroticization of burlesque had reached new heights due to changing social mores. In New York, the crusade to shut down burlesque was also fueled by an elitist, xenophobic alarm about the working-class immigrant audiences drawn to Broadway by the burlesque houses that had relocated in downtown Manhattan from Brooklyn and the outskirts of the city.
The story of legal developments surrounding burlesque and the series of compromises brokered between industry members and government officials provide insight into larger social trends. Although many important trends and social movements intersected with burlesque during its one hundred year life span, those that took place during the 1930s deserve special focus, as they are clearly illustrated by changes within the burlesque industry and government regulations in New York City.
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