I think
it is safe to say that most women find a man in power to be sexy. A flawless
black suit, sleek tie and a confident demeanor is all it takes to capture our
attention. But what about his shoes? Unless he is sporting crocs or gym shoes
around town, I don’t think anyone gives them much thought. On the other
hand, if a woman in power were to wear anything less of a three-inch heel, it
would surely not go unnoticed. While this may seem like a petty or extraneous
point, I truly believe this is a huge contribution to the upper hand that men
have over women in political settings.
In
general, the attire of women in political positions is under
constant scrutiny. Will they stick to neutral pantsuits and face the
criticism of being “manly” or “butch,” or will they embrace pinks and blues,
putting their respect and influence on the line for the media and voters? On
top of these decisions, they are forced to run from meeting to meeting, make
speeches and smile while their feet are ready to call it quits. Why
should women in politics face this extra burden? Is it all in the name of
“erotic capital?”
This
question made me consider Marion Young’s essay “Throwing Like a Girl” which
explained the social constructs of gender roles. The essay elaborates that
women move differently because their space is confined by societal expectations
that inhibit full use of their bodies. Even with all the great strides made
toward gender equality, our culture still finds ways to restrict women from
their full potential thereby keeping women on a different playing field than
men. The fact that women have been incorporated in the political world is
certainly a feat, but they are still handicapped by the patriarchal world that
surrounds them.
Here is
a video that touches on the stereotypes of women in politics and how they are
sexualized and scrutinized on their appearance, hindering them from being dominant or influential.
The New
York Times posted an article framed around women in politics’ shoe
choices, which features a Kate Spade heel that apparently aids these women with
comfort and style. During Susan Dominus’ interview with Reshma Saujani, she couldn’t help but take note of
Saujani’s shoes and impressed that the long walk did not seem to affect her
comfort. After reluctantly inquiring about the shoes, Dominus gathered:
“They
seem to be the shoes of a circle of younger women aspiring to power or already
in it, women directly and indirectly passing on to one another ways of
navigating the particular challenges of being a woman in the public eye. A
woman must look put-together, but not as if she is a slave to fashion; she must
look groomed, but never be spotted grooming.”
Young begins her essay by explaining that from a
young age women do not make use of their lateral space, hindering them from making
full movements and successfully achieving tasks such as throwing a ball. By
expecting women in politics to wear high heels, this blatantly forces them to
stay in their limited space while they are working in high power positions. This double standard cannot go unnoticed
and women’s expectation to be constantly uncomfortable in order to gain
respect is blatantly absurd. As Young explains, women’s bodies are considered
fragile and thus are looked at as objects. By putting pressure on women in
politics to dress a certain way, the male gaze remains prevalent and ensures
that women do not gain as much power as men.
I do
think it is fun to dress up for a night out with a pair of high heels, but I
would never want the expectation to wear them everyday to fall on me, like it
does on women in the political eye. Reshma (who explained she had $80,000 in
student loans from Yale Law School and the Kennedy School of Government at
Harvard) should not have to pay $300 for a little relief and comfort. And for
that matter, no woman should.
Do you
think that this expectation to wear heels contributes to men’s power over
women, or is just a part of being a woman in the professional world?
You make a really good point about how women are constrained by fashion while men are not. I personally dread wearing heels and only do it for a short period of time if it is necessary. If I were required or expected to wear them everyday I think I would be pretty grumpy. We are hurting women physically by the physical pain of the shoe and still expecting them to appear personable. Also if a woman does not dress in the expected way, then they are a lesbian and that is looked down on but if they dress like a woman they lose some respect from their male colleagues. It seems as if at this point a woman can't win and won't be able to until the mindset of the majority changes.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting post. As a girl who is 5'9, I don't always find heels to be necessary in business situations, in fact, sometimes they make me feel almost inappropriate because my dresses look too short. However, I do agree with you that heels do coincide with power. It does feel good to walk into a room and be just as tall if not taller than most of the men in it. A customer at my work who is a top lawyer here in the Ann Arbor-and who happens to be a comfortable 5'11 without heels-told me to always wear heels in business settings, especially if you're tall, because they will intimidate your male competition.
ReplyDeleteThis fall I took her advice, and broke out my heels for a networking trip in New York City. Bad, bad, bad choice. My feet had awful blisters, my back ached, and my ankles were literally swollen. Call me a wimp, but it was probably the last time I will wear heels for an extended period of time. It was the first time I felt almost wronged for merely trying to look professional. I agree that it's great women are even allowed to hold powerful positions, but we are still constrained by how we look and move about in the world, just like Young said. I really agree with your comment on how heels limit a women's movement, AKA they hurt like heck. Women have and continue to be objects that are looked at, and I don't think that will change for awhile.
While it may really stink to be uncomfortable in designer suits and 4 inch heels, for now it is just part of being a women in a mans world.
I agree completely with Elyssa. It sucks that this is how things are, but it is. When Young talked about the constraints we have on our bodies as women, it was completely right. It is so ridiculous to me that such uncomfortable attire is basically required of women because the distractions you face during your day from the pain you must endure from wearing this clothing alone is too much. I personally find it hard to focus on anything when I'm painfully uncomfortable in anything I'm wearing and I know thats a pretty widespread feeling.
ReplyDeleteIt is ridiculous that women are subjected to having to look absolutely perfect without hitting either far end of the spectrum. I feel like you summed it up perfectly in saying, "Will they stick to neutral pantsuits and face the criticism of being “manly” or “butch,” or will they embrace pinks and blues, putting their respect and influence on the line for the media and voters?"
Now, don't get me wrong, I love cute clothes and shoes as much as any girl, but I just don't think their should be all this scrutiny and expectations over what women should wear in a business setting. Obviously you want to look nice, but why does this have to be such a main focus, when as you said for men, it is simple. Why can't women find a simple go-to business attire that is professional yet comfy and doesn't leave us physically constrained - leave behind the controversy. That would clearly be ideal, but unfortunately it probably won't happen. So as Elyssa said, for now we'll just have to deal with living with the current situation.
I liked your post a lot Lauren. Let me preface my comment by making the observation that I am a man and do not face this pressure in society and can not comment on how much heels hurt. What I can comment on the gender expectations of society. As someone with a little sister of whom I'm very proud and protective of, it truly is amazing how much more closely girls are scrutinized in society, especially on a level so trivial as the way they dress. I also think women put just as much pressure on other women as society in general puts on women. However, this woman-to-woman pressure may be a product of the pressure that women face in society. Either way it is pretty sad that women in politics, a field governed by intelligence and eloquence, are still judged by what they wear on their feet.
ReplyDeleteI liked your post and was happy to see someone stand up for prejudice in the work place. I never thought of wearing heels in a work place to be a big deal though. Im not sure if Im missing something but I have seen women wear flats that are in high power. I think that business attire is the main goal, I do not think anyone expects a woman to wear heels but i do think that people expect woman to mirror the look of power that a man can possess in a business suit and tie. There are plenty of women that are able to look professional and be comfortable at the same time. As far as bringing in colors to the work place such as pink and blue, I believe that there is a time and place for everything. And sometimes wearing certain colors is not professional. Would it be ok for a man to show up at a professional job with a pink suit and a blue tie? Nice post
ReplyDelete