Sadie Hawkins History Reaction

The story of Sadie Hawkins dates all the way back to 1934. The name originated from a cartoonist named Al Capp who created the popular cartoon “Lil” Abner.” The cartoon was set in a small hick town called DogPatch where Sadie, the daughter of Hekzebiah Hawkins, was labled the “homeliest gal in all the hills”. With no luck after waiting fifteen years for a husband to court her, Sadie and her father took matters into their own hands, and organized a day where Sadie asks one of the men in the town to be her husband. From then on Sadie Hawkins day went on to become a successful holiday for the women in the town of Dogpatch, and an opportunity for them to make the first move. Although the story of Sadie Hawkins sounds somewhat insulting to the women of DogPatch, it did spark a new wave of ideas– that girls do have the power to take the initiative. November 13th, is now nationally known as Sadie Hawkins day where young girls ask their desired date to dance, as opposed to the gender conventional guys asking out their dates. 

When talking to two of GMC’s female students, I had asked how they felt about the history of Sadie Hawkins and if they like the idea of girls asking guys to dances. The first person I talked to was Katie Lea, a senior here at GMC. Katie stated “ I believe that we should move past the stigma gender roles that boys have to ask girls, but also you don’t need a man to be happy so Sadie Hawkins did not need to go out and find a man.” The next student I talked to was Emma Childs who is also a senior. Emma agreed with what Katie, stating “ I do not see why she felt the need to find a man, although I do like how Sadie Hawkins gives girls the opportunity to take initiative and ask boys when they otherwise might not anyother time.” 

While some might not like how the history of Sadie Hawkins came to be, we can say that Sadie Hawkins dances allow girls to have a sense of empowerment when it comes to taking charge and reversing gender roles.