UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

Research Project

Rebellious Girlhood. Gender, Sexuality, and the Law in Early 20th Century United States

This research explores the experiences of young women in early twentieth-century America who were labeled as “rebellious girls” by social institutions due to their perceived defiance of societal norms. By analyzing letters sent to juvenile court judges, as well as institutional records, court cases, and popular publications, the research project seeks to understand how notions of female delinquency and respectability were constructed and contested. The project situates these narratives within the broader context of the First Sexual Revolution, a period that saw shifting attitudes toward gender roles and sexuality. The research will highlight the ways in which institutions such as maternity homes, juvenile courts, and industrial schools sought to regulate young women’s behavior, often subjecting them to surveillance, discipline, and forced conformity. At the same time, these young women engaged in acts of resistance and defiance – writing letters, running away, and negotiating social expectations in informal ways. Ultimately, this project contributes to a deeper understanding of historical transformations in youth culture, sexuality, and institutional power, revealing the complex interplay between regulation, rebellion, and identity formation in early twentieth-century America.