Mumorandums from a working mum
The TUC has proposed a motion that is due to be debated at next month’s conference that, ‘high heel shoes in the workplace are demeaning to women and contribute to long-term health injuries and as such should be replaced by “sensible shoes” with a 1 inch heel limit.’
My first thought on reading this surprisingly (although probably unsurprisingly to those who know me) was not what a ridiculous idea this was but the words ’sensible’ and ’shoes’ does not compute. They just do not go together.
I spend at least 90% of my time in high heels. I have one pair of what might be termed “sensible shoes”, a pair of trainers used for long walks to the beach with the family and for cycling (though I have been know to bike in heels). Besides judging by the amount of time I’ve stubbed my toes on table legs, doors, etc it is entirely possible to injure yourself in flat shoes or no shoes at all.
I think it’s safe to assume that since this is 2009 that if any woman felt ‘demeaned’ by ‘being forced’ to wear high heels at work they would simply not wear them, and not buy them in the first place. If you’re like me, then just the merest mention of high heels is bliss.
My name is Kassia Gardner and I’m a self-employed, working mum making a living from bright angels. I became a parent for the first time in 2004, and again in 2007, exactly three years to the day after the first. These are my thoughts about being a working mum and family life. I hope you find this is the kind of read that makes you smile.
Read more at my This is me page or meet the family on the Cast list.
Tracey Sinclair
August 10th, 2009 at 9:11 am
They can try to take my heels off over my cold, dead body. I am lucky to work in a forward thinking firm with a very reasonable dress code, but one law firm in the City tried to ban women wearing fishnets! Basically telling women they looked like prostitutes. Nice.