Can you believe this image

Not all boys*

Exactly, as we know now all boys are into messy play and converse, and that's fine; but that's never an issue, and still seen as aspirational and a non issue. I am all for the fact that people shouldn't be reduced to being defined by certain imagery, in this case shoes, but it definitely is towards the erasure of things that women may enjoy, because they are always the ones being highlighted as being changed to something like messy converse.

@PurBal why would they use all boots when what they are trying to do is break down barriers that make military life often challenging and incompatible with family life? That suggests that they all are centred around the military, something they're trying to distance away from.

I actually agree OP. I like the shoes imagery but think there should have been 4 pairs of boots, in different neutral tones if you wish, but why the cream stilettos I have no idea. And then the report goes on to discuss changing gender roles.....

Also isn't it odd that people always have issues with the heels and the ballet shoes, typically associated with women? The converse which are lazy associated by many to boys (although every woman I know owns a pair) are seen as aspirational, whereas the others are seen as not. Why can't we teach children that the world is their oyster without making 'girls' things undesirable. If you are a girl who wants to do ballet, that's fine; same as if you are a woman who wants to wear heels that's also fine. It seems the desire to open doors is at the expense of erasing things associated with women, quelle shock.

As a military spouse who has encountered sexism, regularly, as a result of my husband's career choice, in trying to pursue my career and have my husband's employer understand his career does not always need to take precedence and that our childcare responsibilities are shared (within reason, obviously it is a different lifestyle with a certain level of understanding of the commitment it involves from both of us)

Why is that sexism? If you were serving, your husband would have the same role at home as you have, it's just most people don't want that life that way round. Also it's a photo, more bothered about the content to be honest, is society really going down this road?

I don’t think anyone is saying they have a problem with women wearing stilettos

Well the OP has- they "scream housewife" to her; but the OP seems to have a problem with housewives and officers' wives too.

Not bored of life nicky, quite the opposite. Impassioned by the love and protectiveness I feel for my DD and not wanting her to grow up internalising the subtle drip drip of sexism fed to her by marketing in our society.

I don’t think anyone is saying they have a problem with women wearing stilettos. Your sister can wear whatever she wants to the office, it is certainly none of mine or anyone else on this thead’s business - cos feminism

This thread is rediculous. Are you simply bored of life so want to find fault in a picture? my sister wears stilettos daily to the office would you prefer it if she wore Wellington's with rainbows on them??? Get a life!!!!

Good for you. Are you defined by your shoes?

Well according to modargh indeed I am- my shoes would scream "housewife" to her.

Aside from demonstrating her pitiful lack of imagination and rigid and judgemental application of stereotypes what exactly is wrong with being a housewife?

I wasn't thinking housewife from this decade. I don't think they look like career women's shoes personally. Even if they were black I could forgive it more (as personnel can wear black heels)

Try broadening your mind. You are extremely judgemental

Your point about it being "service woman" is irrelevant. The picture is clearly meant to represent a household of different members. Pairs of boots won't do that.

It isn't saying female members of the army wear shoes like that on duty. You seem to have decided that no female army member would ever wear them.

You really are very patronising and narrow minded. Your ridiculous comments about housewives and what a career woman should wear are risible.

Yes Matilda on average men’s feet are four sizes bigger than women’s but it goes without saying that some women have larger than average feet and some men have smaller than average feet. But does your husband wear size 5 pink stilettos? Because otherwise this image is still not representative of you and your family.

And it doesn’t seem likely either that what they’re trying to represent is a lesbian woman wearing size 12 boots. It seems pretty blatant what they’re actually going for.

I’m a little bit irritated at the suggestion women (lesbian or otherwise) don’t have big feet. My feet are the same size as my DH (who is not a small man). DD (16) has even bigger feet.

But I would say heels suggest a career women to me. Not a housewive. You'd need sneakers for that.

The heels are a bit odd, not many people wear such things regularly. It would have been easy and more relatable to have picked more typical footware.

But as for being a husband/wife family - the fact is that heteronormativity is in fact normative, in the sense that it accounts for a strong majority of families.

Good for you. Are you defined by your shoes? Do you refute the stereotype being discussed? Do you dismiss the idea that some women wish to challenge the stereotype whilst supporting the individual choices of every woman?

Believe me, it's not all about you!

Oh how dreadful. I occasionally wear pink , heeled shoes to work. I'm a partner in one of Scotland's largest law firms but I'd "scream housewife" to you . Even if I were a housewife- so what. Try looking at your own prejudices.

I don't see any pictures. Could they have taken them off?

I agree. If you want to write a report that tries to get people to identify with each other and others embracing diversity, it strikes me as being a really thick-headed incongruous idea to then try to simplify all those people's experiences into one single photo, bettered only by picking one that is so cliched. Fail.