How did women manage to walk in heels all the time, with a lot less convenient amenities? Didn't their feet hurt?

clovenhooves The Personal Is Political Everyday Sexism Social Media How did women manage to walk in heels all the time, with a lot less convenient amenities? Didn't their feet hurt?

Social Media How did women manage to walk in heels all the time, with a lot less convenient amenities? Didn't their feet hurt?

Social Media How did women manage to walk in heels all the time, with a lot less convenient amenities? Didn't their feet hurt?

Clover
Kozlik's regular account 🍀🐐

895

Nov 20 2024, 1:15 PM

#1

A question on Reddit: “How did women manage to walk in heels all the time, with a lot less convenient amenities? Didn't their feet hurt?”

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWayWeWere/comments/1gvoojj/how_did_women_manage_to_walk_in_heels_all_the/

Commenters basically explain "yep, their feet hurt," and discuss women's foot deformities due to constant heels wearing.

Kozlik's regular member account. 🍀🐐

Clover

Kozlik's regular account 🍀🐐

Nov 20 2024, 1:15 PM #1

A question on Reddit: “How did women manage to walk in heels all the time, with a lot less convenient amenities? Didn't their feet hurt?”

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWayWeWere/comments/1gvoojj/how_did_women_manage_to_walk_in_heels_all_the/

Commenters basically explain "yep, their feet hurt," and discuss women's foot deformities due to constant heels wearing.

Kozlik's regular member account. 🍀🐐

ptittle

7

May 29 2025, 3:37 PM

#2

Well, no one forced them.

Edited May 29 2025, 3:40 PM by ptittle.

ptittle

May 29 2025, 3:37 PM #2

Well, no one forced them.

Izanami
Thirty, nerdy and survivin'.

13

May 30 2025, 10:29 AM

#3

Unless it's a running shoe, it's hard to find a women's shoe that doesn't have some kind of heel on it even today. Women in general just have a pain tolerance for bad shoes and it's really sad. Reminds me of #kutoo in Japan where women posted how messed up their feet were from wearing heels to work. (Heels are mandatory for most office jobs and not wearing them to interviews hurts your chance of getting hired.)

Izanami

Thirty, nerdy and survivin'.

May 30 2025, 10:29 AM #3

Unless it's a running shoe, it's hard to find a women's shoe that doesn't have some kind of heel on it even today. Women in general just have a pain tolerance for bad shoes and it's really sad. Reminds me of #kutoo in Japan where women posted how messed up their feet were from wearing heels to work. (Heels are mandatory for most office jobs and not wearing them to interviews hurts your chance of getting hired.)

Clover
Kozlik's regular account 🍀🐐

895

May 30 2025, 10:54 AM

#4

(May 29 2025, 3:37 PM)ptittle Well, no one forced them.

?????? What?

Are we just going to ignore overarching coercive societal expectations and pressure for women to wear heels in order to look "professional" in many industries, especially white collar office jobs, especially in the past?

And not even that, literally they were "forced to" by some jobs, as recent as 2016:

Woman's high-heel petition receives 100,000-plus signatures A petition started by a woman who was sent home from work for not wearing high heels has been signed by almost 110,000 people in less than 48 hours.

Nicola Thorp, 27, said she reported for work as a receptionist at a PwC office in central London last December wearing flat shoes, but was told she had to have a 2-4in heel. After refusing to buy a pair of heels as directed by a supervisor, she was told to go home without pay, she said.

From https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/12/nicola-thorp-high-heel-petition-receives-100000-plus-signatures

Found via High Heels, Female Pilots And The Uniforms Of Our Jobs from Fairygodboss: https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/high-heels-female-pilots-and-the-uniforms-of-our-jobs

And what @Izanami points out—many women's shoes have a built in heel just be-fucking-cause. It's bullshit. Even goddamn BIRKENSTOCKS now sell "women's shoes" that have a fucking heel. A fucking shoe brand created for orthopedic health reasons now sells fucking heeled shoes for women.

Edited May 30 2025, 10:55 AM by Clover.

Kozlik's regular member account. 🍀🐐

Clover

Kozlik's regular account 🍀🐐

May 30 2025, 10:54 AM #4

(May 29 2025, 3:37 PM)ptittle Well, no one forced them.

?????? What?

Are we just going to ignore overarching coercive societal expectations and pressure for women to wear heels in order to look "professional" in many industries, especially white collar office jobs, especially in the past?

And not even that, literally they were "forced to" by some jobs, as recent as 2016:

Woman's high-heel petition receives 100,000-plus signatures A petition started by a woman who was sent home from work for not wearing high heels has been signed by almost 110,000 people in less than 48 hours.

Nicola Thorp, 27, said she reported for work as a receptionist at a PwC office in central London last December wearing flat shoes, but was told she had to have a 2-4in heel. After refusing to buy a pair of heels as directed by a supervisor, she was told to go home without pay, she said.

From https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/12/nicola-thorp-high-heel-petition-receives-100000-plus-signatures

Found via High Heels, Female Pilots And The Uniforms Of Our Jobs from Fairygodboss: https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/high-heels-female-pilots-and-the-uniforms-of-our-jobs

And what @Izanami points out—many women's shoes have a built in heel just be-fucking-cause. It's bullshit. Even goddamn BIRKENSTOCKS now sell "women's shoes" that have a fucking heel. A fucking shoe brand created for orthopedic health reasons now sells fucking heeled shoes for women.

Kozlik's regular member account. 🍀🐐

Izanami
Thirty, nerdy and survivin'.

13

May 30 2025, 1:35 PM

#5

Women's shoes are designed with form over function just like other clothes and accessories. I was trying to find a different video that I couldn't remember the name of, and found this instead.

https://journal.gocirculaire.com/new-documentary-challenges-traditional-concepts-of-womens-footwear-and-embraces-natural-movement/

It's well researched even though towards the end it feels like a ad for barefoot shoes.

Edited May 30 2025, 1:37 PM by Izanami.

Izanami

Thirty, nerdy and survivin'.

May 30 2025, 1:35 PM #5

Women's shoes are designed with form over function just like other clothes and accessories. I was trying to find a different video that I couldn't remember the name of, and found this instead.

https://journal.gocirculaire.com/new-documentary-challenges-traditional-concepts-of-womens-footwear-and-embraces-natural-movement/

It's well researched even though towards the end it feels like a ad for barefoot shoes.

ptittle

7

May 30 2025, 2:45 PM

#6

(May 30 2025, 10:29 AM)Izanami Unless it's a running shoe, it's hard to find a women's shoe that doesn't have some kind of heel on it even today. Women in general just have a pain tolerance for bad shoes and it's really sad. Reminds me of #kutoo in Japan where women posted how messed up their feet were from wearing heels to work. (Heels are mandatory for most office jobs and not wearing them to interviews hurts your chance of getting hired.)

Actually mandatory or just preferred. One could always wear heels to the interview, then wear a nice 'walking shoe' for work. Nurses don't wear heels.

ptittle

May 30 2025, 2:45 PM #6

(May 30 2025, 10:29 AM)Izanami Unless it's a running shoe, it's hard to find a women's shoe that doesn't have some kind of heel on it even today. Women in general just have a pain tolerance for bad shoes and it's really sad. Reminds me of #kutoo in Japan where women posted how messed up their feet were from wearing heels to work. (Heels are mandatory for most office jobs and not wearing them to interviews hurts your chance of getting hired.)

Actually mandatory or just preferred. One could always wear heels to the interview, then wear a nice 'walking shoe' for work. Nurses don't wear heels.

ptittle

7

May 30 2025, 2:47 PM

#7

(May 30 2025, 10:54 AM)Clover
(May 29 2025, 3:37 PM)ptittle Well, no one forced them.

?????? What?

Are we just going to ignore overarching coercive societal expectations and pressure for women to wear heels in order to look "professional" in many industries, especially white collar office jobs, especially in the past?

And not even that, literally they were "forced to" by some jobs, as recent as 2016:

Woman's high-heel petition receives 100,000-plus signatures A petition started by a woman who was sent home from work for not wearing high heels has been signed by almost 110,000 people in less than 48 hours.

Nicola Thorp, 27, said she reported for work as a receptionist at a PwC office in central London last December wearing flat shoes, but was told she had to have a 2-4in heel. After refusing to buy a pair of heels as directed by a supervisor, she was told to go home without pay, she said.

From https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/12/nicola-thorp-high-heel-petition-receives-100000-plus-signatures

Found via High Heels, Female Pilots And The Uniforms Of Our Jobs from Fairygodboss: https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/high-heels-female-pilots-and-the-uniforms-of-our-jobs

And what @Izanami points out—many women's shoes have a built in heel just be-fucking-cause. It's bullshit. Even goddamn BIRKENSTOCKS now sell "women's shoes" that have a fucking heel. A fucking shoe brand created for orthopedic health reasons now sells fucking heeled shoes for women.

Resist societal expectations. Resist pressure. Grow a spine.
And she should sue, not just start a petition. Surely the employer would not have grounds for that policy. It's not a safety policy.

ptittle

May 30 2025, 2:47 PM #7

(May 30 2025, 10:54 AM)Clover
(May 29 2025, 3:37 PM)ptittle Well, no one forced them.

?????? What?

Are we just going to ignore overarching coercive societal expectations and pressure for women to wear heels in order to look "professional" in many industries, especially white collar office jobs, especially in the past?

And not even that, literally they were "forced to" by some jobs, as recent as 2016:

Woman's high-heel petition receives 100,000-plus signatures A petition started by a woman who was sent home from work for not wearing high heels has been signed by almost 110,000 people in less than 48 hours.

Nicola Thorp, 27, said she reported for work as a receptionist at a PwC office in central London last December wearing flat shoes, but was told she had to have a 2-4in heel. After refusing to buy a pair of heels as directed by a supervisor, she was told to go home without pay, she said.

From https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/12/nicola-thorp-high-heel-petition-receives-100000-plus-signatures

Found via High Heels, Female Pilots And The Uniforms Of Our Jobs from Fairygodboss: https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/high-heels-female-pilots-and-the-uniforms-of-our-jobs

And what @Izanami points out—many women's shoes have a built in heel just be-fucking-cause. It's bullshit. Even goddamn BIRKENSTOCKS now sell "women's shoes" that have a fucking heel. A fucking shoe brand created for orthopedic health reasons now sells fucking heeled shoes for women.

Resist societal expectations. Resist pressure. Grow a spine.
And she should sue, not just start a petition. Surely the employer would not have grounds for that policy. It's not a safety policy.

ptittle

7

May 30 2025, 2:51 PM

#8

Okay, just read the Guardian article. I had no idea that in the UK it was legal for employers to insist on high heels. So ... go to your MP and ask for their intercession in the law? Not easy, I know. I fought the same battle, and lost, here in Canada, back in the 80s, with regard to what I wore as a guest teacher at an elementary school. The law said that principals had discretion to set whatever dress code they wanted. I was APPALLED to discover that. Of course, lost my job.

ptittle

May 30 2025, 2:51 PM #8

Okay, just read the Guardian article. I had no idea that in the UK it was legal for employers to insist on high heels. So ... go to your MP and ask for their intercession in the law? Not easy, I know. I fought the same battle, and lost, here in Canada, back in the 80s, with regard to what I wore as a guest teacher at an elementary school. The law said that principals had discretion to set whatever dress code they wanted. I was APPALLED to discover that. Of course, lost my job.

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