Advanced English: The Stuff That Defines Us Frances Dewey
Research Synthesis Paper May 16, 2016
Stilettos: Shame or Strength?
Many use clothing as a form of a self-expression. One of the first things - if not the first thing - you notice about another person is what they are wearing. We can't help it; we humans have eyes. Clothing is not only how we express ourselves, but also how we control how others perceive us. It's a way to manage and control our image. However, on the most basic level, clothing is a utility. It is useful. We use pants to cover and protect our legs. We use sweaters to keep our torsos and arms warm. Sometimes we forget this simple fact. The fashion industry rules supreme in our world, dictating what's in and…show more content… The high heel began as a practical shoe, a shoe only worn by men. Then, it became something impractical, and both genders began to wear the heeled shoe. Ultimately, it seems that the shoe became just too impractical for men, so it was left behind for women to wear. Do we see what's wrong with this narrative? In our culture, female attractiveness is built upon the impractical, the unreasonable - the impossible. Patriarchal societies perpetuate unrealistic, unattainable expectations for female desirability. The impracticality of high heels is a reflection of the impractical expections placed upon women by patriarchal societies. High heels began as an assertion of male power and over time transformed into a tool to repress women. Men don't even wear high heels anymore but have still found a way to assert power through the shoe - through women wearing them. Men derive greater sexual arousal from the way a woman walks when she wears high heels, a pair of pointy elevated shoes that put great strain on her body and can cause long-term damage. High heels are really, truly and ultimately for the pleasure of men. However, with all this in mind, women can still take their power back. We must accept what high heels meant in the past and what they mean today. We can and should embrace our sexuality and femininity and wear high heels. It's important to wear high heels for ourselves, to stand in our power and to work to change what these shoes mean to women, to men and to the world. Even more, it's important to think before you do. Be conscious, and think before you put on a pair of
