10 most feminist moments in Mad Men’s 1960s sea of misogyny

“Farewell to Mad Men” still, image via AMC

Carol McCardy comes out to Joan Holloway

In the tenth episode of the first season, we finally have to contend with the LGBTQ question of the 1950s. Up until this point, we’re presented with a pretty black-and-white (emphasis on white), heteronormative picture of the American work force of that era. Towards the end of the first season, we at long last shed light on something that was quickly swept under the rug by that generation.

Carol McCardy was one of the many women working for men at Sterling Cooper. Right before Labor Day weekend (great timing), she gets fired for trying to shield her boss’ bad behavior. Carol and Joan are good friends, so Joan offers to take her mind off of everything with a night out on the town, flirting with men who are actually available instead of the married ones in the office.

Later that night, alone together in Joan’s apartment, Carol actually ends up confessing her love for Joan. This comes completely out of left field, as Joan and Carol have been little more than office buddies since they started working together. Joan’s reaction leaves Carol and the audience speechless—she quickly glosses over it, insisting that the two of them just go out and try to have a good time with some other men.

This sort of reaction is a hallmark of that decade. While there was space for LGBTQ culture within the Beat movement, encountering such people outside of societal fringes was almost unheard-of. I’m sure everyone has such a story about their grandparents—the way that generation dealt with that was to simply ignore it. But this can be recognized as one of the braver feminist moments in this series, because Carol stood up for herself and shared her truth with Joan, even though it went unaccepted.