What Happened to the Sadie Hawkins Dance?

With homecoming season in full swing for many American schools, boys from coast to coast are trying their hardest to make girls swoon. Signs are made, gifts are given, and proposals are accepted. As this process repeats annually, one is surely to take notice of the sex-oriented aspect of school dances. The Sadie Hawkins dance takes this characteristic and spins it on its head, reversing the roles. It’s an old-fashioned American tradition where rather than boys asking girls out, girls chase after boys. For many years, this celebration was anticipated and honored by teenagers across the country. Now, the dance is viewed as misogynistic, heteronormative, and overall distasteful. It’s gone from a core high school memory to an uncomfortable story grandma shares at Thanksgiving dinner. 

In recent years, many school districts have made considerable efforts to change the status quo. New guidelines have been emphasized in an effort to make high schools a more accepting environment for all kinds of students. This includes equality between people of different gender and sexual orientation. The Sadie Hawkins dance threatened this standard for many. While the tradition is plenty of fun for many students, it encourages an exclusive viewpoint and enforces gender roles.

The issue is rooted within the origins of Sadie Hawkins Day. The pseudo-holiday was inspired by a comic strip written by artist Al Capp. On Nov. 15, 1937, the comic’s newest release featured a character named Sadie Hawkins, who was rather hard on the eyes. Out of fear that his daughter would never marry, Sadie’s father, the mayor of the town, told all men to run from Sadie, for any man caught by her would be her betrothed. The comic was well-received and inspired a trend on college campuses of women chasing men they fancied. 

As lighthearted as this may seem, it was encouraged by the belief that unconventionally attractive women will never find love. It also pushes the standard that men have to be the ones to ask women out, and that a girl having to make the first move diminishes one’s masculinity. Also, queer students have no way to participate. If a female student isn’t attracted to men, she simply can’t participate. The same goes for male students who don’t prefer girls. While many high school students mourn the loss of the Sadie Hawkins dance, it’s important for them to remember its controversial origin and negative effect on an inclusive school environment.