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Vintage Women's Products We Can't Believe Were A Thing
19.
Lysol
Today Lysol is seen as an effective cleaning agent, but in the mid-century it was used for one shocking purpose: contraception.
While at first glance the early Lysol ads looked like they were marketing their products as feminine hygiene, that was just a euphemism for contraception.
According to Lisa Wade at The Society Pages, "These ads aren’t frightening women into thinking their genitals smell badly. According to historian Andrea Tone, 'feminine hygiene' was a euphemism. Birth control was illegal in the U.S. until 1965 (for married couples) and 1972 (for single people). These Lysol ads are actually for contraception. The campaign made Lysol the best-selling method of contraception during the Great Depression."
While at first glance the early Lysol ads looked like they were marketing their products as feminine hygiene, that was just a euphemism for contraception.
According to Lisa Wade at The Society Pages, "These ads aren’t frightening women into thinking their genitals smell badly. According to historian Andrea Tone, 'feminine hygiene' was a euphemism. Birth control was illegal in the U.S. until 1965 (for married couples) and 1972 (for single people). These Lysol ads are actually for contraception. The campaign made Lysol the best-selling method of contraception during the Great Depression."
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