Men In Heels: Good Will Or Gimmick?

How different the world would be if men were to walk in our shoes. And so they did on Friday, in Pueblo, Colorado.

Men of all ages slipped into a pair of women’s shoes and strolled along the river to raise funds and awareness for women who have suffered domestic or sexual violence. They said they hoped to send a strong message to other boys and men in the community that violence against women must be stopped.

The city’s college wrestling team even got in on the act, completing the event in stilettos to win the award for being the most “spirited” team.

While I am certainly not doubting the good intentions of all involved, I do wonder how strongly the intended message pervaded through the hype of blokes in heels. An education campaign targeted at young men in schools about domestic and sexual violence, and respect for women, may be better placed to curb this problem.

What’s more, the fact that men wearing women’s shoes is considered so bizarre highlights nothing but the ridiculous expectations women face. For women to wear uncomfortable, expensive and unsafe shoes everyday is considered a normality; for men to wear them for one day is considered an absurdity.

And unfortunately, prancing in a pair of pumps is hardly comparable to being raped or domestically abused, yet the puns of “men walking in women’s shoes” were prevalent. Even taken literally, spending a couple of hours wearing high-heels provides little insight into the pressures some women feel to wear them, or the pain after a night out dancing.

If men really wanted to know how it feels to walk in our shoes, perhaps they should wax their genitals, accept a salary cut, be felt-up by a jerk in a bar, and bear the burden of the unpaid domestic workforce.

But then again, that might take some of the fun out of it.

Contact the author here: brianna@morningquickie.com