Sex, Power, Oppression, can feminists wear high heels?

[LouiseCollins28]

I need a break from the constant trans discussions on here (not that I'm suggesting it isn't important) and I saw this earlier. So, can feminists wear high heels? According to a new book by Summer Brennan, seemingly yes. An extract from her book has been reproduced in the Guardian, actually made a very interesting article I thought!

www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/mar/20/sex-power-oppression-why-women-wear-high-heels

High heels mean you can't run away. Dressed to kill can mean dressed to die.

Anyone can wear what they want. Women shouldn't feel they have to wear heels though, by men or by their employers.

Of course we can, but most of the time most of us choose not to.

Agree with others, anyone should wear them if they wish to, but often it is societal pressure. Freedom not to is important as well.

Yes

Next?

So we can wear heels but not have a women only Rape Crisis or DV shelter. Cool.

The first is permitted, the second is not. Generations of womens work and fundraising, gone.
But hey we have lippy and heels.

Of course feminists can wear heels.

What’s anti women is being made to. I was once at a conference when a senior man made a comment on a colleague’s (low heeled, very smart) shoes and compared them unfavourably to another woman’s sky high heels. So inappropriate. I told him that his shoes looked really comfy. And flat. Like all the rest of the men in the room.

@MsTiggywinkletoyou

Heels certainly impair my ability to run, (this ability is fairly limited to start with )

Who feels they have to wear them? Thought that was against the law now.

Who feels they have to wear them? Thought that was against the law now.

It’s still ‘the done thing’ in many industries. Nothing formal but it would be frowned on if you didn’t.

It’s still ‘the done thing’ in many industries.

There was a thread recently about a woman being told she should wear heels if she wanted a promotion. And some Mumsnetters agreeing.

The article lost all credibility with me when it said We are in a decades-long process of finding out what a free woman can look and act like, which will probably take centuries more to determine.
Can you imagine that para being written about men? What a load of waffle

Wear heels, don't wear heels. Meh. Same as discussion about leg shaving, bikini waxing and make up imo. There are more important feminist issues e.g. women on their period freezing to death as they have to sleep in a shed

"frowned upon if you don't" is an interesting situation IMO, obviously they can't legally "make you" but the expectation is there. It probably is where I work tbh, but I've not "tested" it so to speak.

Oh was that the "power dressing" one? think I remember seeing that!

Yes, I think the phrase "power" dressing came up in it. Personally, I feel more powerful when I can move quickly on flattish shoes, rather than hobble on high ones.

"Dressed to kill can mean dressed to die" is a good line btw, does it come from somewhere or did you come up with it?

Well I don't like the way the question is phrased. I seeit phrased that way a lot, like the other questions meant to divide, like "can feminists wear makeup" etc. Obviously there is no card you get to carry that gets taken away if you wear heels or makeup and that isn't the point.

Third Wavers/libfems made feminism all about "choices" to wear makeup, heels, sexy clothes, participate in BDSM, and other things. This was designed to drown out any discussion over whether or not these things were good for women or indeed whether or not these were things women would choose for themselves in the absence of patriarchy/male pressure.

Some women still feel pressure to wear heels for their jobs, to "look professional". There is also strong pressure to wear them at social functions.

Obviously absent of social and capitalist pressure there is almost no reason to wear heels. They are terrible for your feet and knees, extremely painful after even an hour of wear. And if there was any dangerous situation in which you needed to run or even walk quickly you might not be able to unless you were very fit and skilled in wearing them.

Completely agree, Older.

We need to understand that we are all a product of the society we live in, in one degree or another. What we may think is a choice made freely may actually be severely limited by the constraints of societal expectation under which we all operate, and these expectations have been influencing us long before we are even literate or able to speak.

Freedom of choice is an illusion if all your choices are laid out in advance, like when I tell my toddler he can have a cheese or ham sandwich - he still gets the sandwich.

You can, but outside of patriarchal pressures and social conditioning, why would you want to?

They're terrible for you! Perhaps we should try to get them on the list with cigarettes and not wearing your seatbelt.

I have one pair of kinda cowboy boot things that are my 'smart' shoes, trainers, DM(ish)s, flipflops, and crocs (soooo comfortable.. I don't care). Depending on the climate I'm in I'll wear any two of those continuously until they fall apart, then buy a replacement!

I'm high up in my company, so I can, and I wouldn't accept any dress code that wasn't necessary for safety/basic professionalism/harmonious office occupation

Badpenny I hear you.

HEY , for the record i think men can wear heels too

The fact that they don’t suggets there is a strong social element

I quite liked the kinky boots film...

This feminist can't. Terrible bunion.