Today’s newspaper carried a story about a small study indicating that women wearing extreme high heels got more attention from from men. The science in the study was shady, with an implicit assumption that women will choose attire based solely (pun intended) on what is attractive to men. I find this an insulting and disturbing conclusion.
As someone who stands 5’0″ in thick socks, I wore my share of high heels as a teen and young adult. I admit that my teen years overlapped the era of platform shoes – which elevated the WHOLE foot, with a somewhat different set of safety hazards. After a couple years of regularly wearing highish heels, I developed some toe issues and scaled back my footwear to much more moderate heights. This also improved the overall strength and flexibility of my calfs — a helpful benefit on the tennis court, or ANY sporting venue.
Wearing high heels, especially the extreme heels targeted in this study, is unhealthy and impractical. These shoes force your body weight forward onto your toes (which are shoved into a very cramped small space) and throws your posture out of whack as your body adjusts its alignment to remain upright. The result can be a myriad of health issues including toe and foot problems; nerve damage, and lower back problems. Then there is this–a woman simply can’t move as well wearing high heels, she is forced into a restricted mobility, regardless of her skill at navigating the heights of her shoes.
We have seen the videos on Facebook of the ultra-thin fashion models who fall (some of them multiple times) when navigating a cat walk in 5+ inch heels, and my reaction is always the same “For the Love of God – someone help that woman up, throw away those hideous shoes and get her something to eat!
Throughout history, women have been subjected to painful practices and fashions based on the cultural standards of beauty the time. Foot-binding of girls was a standard practice in China for hundreds of years, resulting in lifelong disabilities and untold suffering. The originating basis for this practice is was a status symbol for the man, if their woman was so disabled she could not work. Presumably, no one asked the women for their vote on the practice. Over time, the practice became so predominant that only the lowest classes could not ‘afford’ to disfigure their women, and it became a source of shame to have big / normal feet.
Obviously, breaking the feet of young girls is a more extreme than wearing high heels; although there are similarities that cannot be ignored. The purpose is to adhere to the current standards of beauty, resulting in reduced mobility (which can result in greater reliance on men), as well as varying degrees of pain and suffering.
Many women care a lot about the judgement of others when it comes to their appearance. Feeding that insecurity is the constant media barrage of messaging of what it means to be beautiful in our culture We are surrounded with with photo-shopped images of young, ultra-thin, ultra-sexualized girls in skimpy clothing, makeup and super-high heels.
Women and girls with a healthy sense of self will not feel bound by the prevailing narrow and unhealthy definition of beauty. Be yourselves and the right people will love you. And, If you can’t love me in flats… move on.