Psychologist Ute Erhardt writes about the “bodily language of submission”:
Women's clothing, and especially shoes, are most often uncomfortable and do not allow free movement. Even fashion supports a man in his casual, free movement: wide-cut jackets and trousers, flat wide shoes that increase the area of support and make it possible to stand confidently on his feet. Women's shoes tend to create the impression of a small foot, which is always achieved through the comfort of the foot and confidence in the gait.
Many women, like Chinese girls from the Middle Ages with “lotus feet,” cannot move quickly in their shoes without the help of others.
All this starts from childhood. It is customary for girls to wear patent leather shoes, the soles of which slip, and therefore children cannot run quickly. Little girls are taught that they should not get dirty, that they should move carefully and “beautifully.” In a word, you need to become restrained and cautious in all areas of life. And adult women become so accustomed to such behavior that they no longer notice the shackles.
Uncomfortable high-heeled women's shoes signal to men: “I am helpless. I do not pose any danger to you.” A woman in such shoes will not be able to run, will not be able to show strength and dexterity. She seems to be in shackles and emphasizes this in every possible way, using the bodily language of submission again and again.
Women take smaller steps than men, try to take up less space, and be thin. Men often criticize the way women walk: the pelvis is slightly extended, the knees are brought together, the hips, feet and legs form an X-shape. This looks really funny. But this is not only funny, but also sad, because it harms the woman: she stumbles, strains too much, but still moves slowly and with difficulty.
This can also be dangerous for children who are held in their mothers' arms in uncomfortable shoes.
Women literally learn the postures of obedience and the gait of obedience with their mother's milk. The meaning of these rules is very clear. Try once to get someone to listen to you or get your way while you stand in front of him with your head bowed and a humble smile, swaying on high heels and legs tightly pressed together...
Women turn to orthopedic surgeons more often than men, and 87% of all operations to correct acquired foot deformities are performed by women. Calluses, corns, crooked toes, arthritis, pinched nerves, back pain and even cramps are just the traditional results of wearing heels, doctors say.
Recent research conducted by English doctors and shoe brand MBT showed that in England, high-heel lovers spend an average of £29 million a year on operations to correct the damage caused to their health. Unhappy victims of fashion, addicted to high heels, often, due to one illness or another, either can no longer wear shoes without heels or find it difficult to walk at all. The pressure that occurs when wearing high heels on the forefoot eventually leads to foot deformation, diseases of the knees, legs and back. For example, to pinched and inflammation of the nerves in the spine - as a result of a forced curved posture when walking in high heels, when by shifting the pelvis back we try to compensate for the body weight shifted forward by uncomfortable shoes.
