Women’s History Month is very well intended, however, continuing to talk about it from a negative approach is allowing the issue to continue. Women have come a long way with their civil rights.
Women’s history needs to be covered in schools, but it’s not covered well. To approach a topic from the “poor us” standpoint allows for women to feel victimized or marginalized. It creates the attitude that those who have not experienced such marginalization are not a “real” part of the group.
Women are fortunate enough to be dealing with the self-imposed glass ceiling today, rather than the real one our predecessors shattered. There is not a career path little girls are laughed at for dreaming of achieving. Even the “get back in the kitchen” type jokes are made only ironically or by the very dense.
People get really focused on these alleged oppressions that still exist out of necessity to reminisce about what was and where we have progressed.
Delta is celebrating Women’s History Month and has a mix of the positive and negative approach.
The cardboard cutouts that litter the hallways remind students of notable women throughout history. They are a nice visual reminder that many women contributed to our rights and life as we live it today.
The “Walk in our Shoes” event on caused some mixing of the positive and negative approach. Men put on high heels and did a lap around Delta to raise scholarship money and awareness about equality. See “Walk the Walk” on the homepage for more on this event.
High heels began as shoes for men. They were especially useful when riding horses to keep the rider’s shoes in the stirrup. They were also part of men’s fashion in various ways throughout history.
Later the heel fashion became popular among women and today the high heel is exclusively a feminine fashion choice. Men who use high heels do so to be more feminine. This is an interesting history that shows the progression of a practical tool to a fashion statement.
There is nothing wrong or oppressive about these shoes being a fashion. What is wrong is making it a requirement or dress code. Or to make high heels a taboo for men.
The “Walk in our Shoes” event was meant to spread awareness of the lingering inequalities women deal with, while keeping a lighthearted mood.
I will admit watching a bunch of guys roll up their pant legs and wiggle their toes into shiny high heeled shoes was comedic, but it was also a bit sad.12