Blogpost 5: "Lotus Feet" vs. "Stilettos"

Most of the weekdays, I wear heels; however, I always carry a second pair of shoes. I carry flat shoes because they are more convenient and are more comfortable. I went home one night and felt so relieved to take my heels. Then I asked my brother, "What's the point of heels anyway, cause they hurt". What is the purpose for all this pain? I wondered. Females are born into the idea that we have to wear these because it is necessary. But is it really? Or is it only for the purpose of being accepted into the society that we live in. Once we hit a certain age we are forced into wearing heels because it makes us look more like ladies. I mean, my mom was even the first one to buy me these things. This modern pain has actually evolved from the past. Foot binding reminded me of heels . In the article 'Snow Flower': Foot Binding, High Heels And The Cost Of Beauty, they also came to a realization that Heels and Foot binding are somewhat related. Foot binding, also known as "Lotus Feet" was a practice in China usually for younger girls wherein they would tie and break the bones in their feet to have it fit in a tiny shoe. This for girls became a symbol for elegance and beauty. 

Can't we relate this to heels? It said in the article that the purpose of heels is to symbolize sexiness and power. Valerie Steele, a director of the museum at FIT stated that stilettos flatter a woman's figure because it elongates her body, tightens her stomach, pushes her chest forward and her behind back. All these reasons are still for beauty. Yes, these are the benefits of wearing heels. But like foot binding, it also has it's cons.

The cons of heels are that they are difficult to walk in, they actually cause back problems and also cause foot problems like bunions or hammertoes as Liz Bruckner wrote in her article High heels and your health. Without even realizing it, we are slowly weakening our bodies with these 4-inch heels. Our posture when we wear them gives extra pressure on our knees and joints which might cause osteoarthritis. It can cause a change in alignment in our spine and hips because of the way we have to walk. 

I always noticed that after wearing heels, I feel as if I just finished going to the gym and my whole body is sore. But even if it is painful, I still wear it anyway. It is very interesting to me that we would inflict pain on ourselves just to obtain a provocative and sensual look. I mean we probably say "It's not for guys", but in reality; it is. There is no other reason for heels, just like make-up it is to help us portray a confident and strong woman. But still, this is temporary and it is to attract the opposite sex.
So is it worth it? that for this attraction, we have to put ourselves in pain every single day?