Respect Your Body
Item
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Title
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Respect Your Body
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Creator
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The American Social Hygiene Association
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Description
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The American Social Health (originally “Hygiene”) Association (ASHA) was established in 1913 at a professional public health conference in Buffalo, New York. Its initial purpose was to combat the rampant cases of venereal disease in the nation’s military. As American men returned home from fighting in Europe’s trenches of World War I, they brought with them high numbers of syphilis and gonorrhea. During the interwar years, the ASHA’s purpose expanded to include public education about what was, according to these experts, the relationship between individual health and high moral standards. To support this purpose, the ASHA aimed to prevent venereal disease, sex work, and drug addiction in New York through educational, legal, and medical measures.
This poster, which was created as part of their sexual hygiene educational campaign as disseminated through printed materials. In the poster, we see a young woman standing fitted in a dress and hat. The text below instructs young women to "stand tall" like the woman depicted in the picture. The text also reads, "A well-poised body develops self-respect, and wins the regard of others." This instructional poster was targeted toward girls and young women and fits in line with the American Social Hygiene Association's objective of linking moral standards such as "self-respect" through physical presentation and grooming.
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Date
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1922
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Format
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8.5 inch x 11 inch Poster
Respect Your Body