• ro, the slight is not that Tim might be gay, the slight is that their relationship is fake. - Jeannie
  • Lucille, further to my previous comment, you don't seem to grasp what the vileness is about this issue. I don't doubt your intelligence (in fact, you seem quite articulate), I just think you are looking at this through the wrong prism. The PM did not at any point say that gay people were vile, she said the question and the rumours were vile. Put yourself in the situation. This question implies any and all of the following: - your partner is with you because it is convenient, not because they are attracted to you/love you - you are silly/a bad judge of character if you don't know - you are dishonest/foolish for staying in such a relationship if you do know - you must be kinky and/or weird - you must have low self esteem - you are incapable of attracting a 'real' man - you are living a lie. If you were asked if your partner was gay (or straight, if you are gay) I think you might be a tad upset. I say this from a position of experience, because I do get asked this (and have been asked all of bullet points and more), and I find it as offensive each and every time. I don't 'laugh it off' like a dignified woman would, because I think such a question is rude, intrusive and NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. - Jeannie
  • "Question Time – the forum where the Opposition gets to ask the Government policy questions" - you forgot to add the remainder of this sentence - "and the Government ignores, preferring to use the opportunity to attack the opposition." Question time is a joke and a waste of time, and the Headmistress is doing herself no favours in the eyes of the discerning public with her deflected answers. Roll on September 14! - devuman
  • Lucille, have you really thought this through? It's not vile to imply to a woman in public that she is a man's beard? It's not vile to imply to a woman in public that her partner is being unfaithful (because if he's gay, he's obviously not getting his jollies at home)? It's not vile to imply to a woman in public that her marriage relationship is somehow not valid? It's not vile to ask intrusive and irrelevant questions of a public figure about the private life of a member of her family' (*not* on her own private life, which Sattler claims he had permission to do)? If this happened to you, about your partner, you wouldn't find this totally inappropriate? If a stranger asked you these questions, even privately, would you not be offended? Wow, Lucille, wow. - Jeannie
  • [...] Gillard: The Leader We Had to Have [...] - THE HONEST BROKER
  • [...] How To Leave a Marriage [...] - HOW TO LEAVE A MARRIAGE - PART 2
  • "Personally I’m in doubt that it’s of a high degree" oops...correction: NO doubt - Tony W
  • Pet hate is dining out on a winter's night dressed in an overcoat! Restaurants in SE Qld please note- it is ok to close doors and install heating to be used during winter. Our beautiful sunny winter days here on the Sunshine Coast are accompanied by single degree temps at night. More people might venture out at night for a meal if they were assured of some warmth while dining. NQR to sit eating in your scarf and coat, even if they are cashmere :-) - Pea
  • @ Jo: "I’m thinking the MRA do more harm than good in the long run." Yes, I suspect you're right in some ways Jo. They have a legitimate agenda with commendable aims, mostly surrounding fathers' rights - stuff like custody laws and visiting rights and police protection for children in the custody of neglectful mothers and their oftentimes abusive partners. I'm sure that must be an awful situation for the father to be in, and the law in this area is heavily weighted against them. It's very easy for a woman to falsely claim harassment and get a restraining order, and the father is then powerless to protect his children against abuse. Unfortunately though it's exactly the kind of movement you'd expect to attract misogynists - blokes who've been screwed over by "unfaithful" women, or at least see themselves as having been, and then been screwed over by the courts in respect of divorce settlements and custody arrangements. They're very angry people and some of them have a right to be, and I can imagine them getting together and comparing stories and bitching about women in general. I've heard this shit all my life from mates who've been through marriage bust ups and are consumed with bitterness, and I've worked in lots of all-male environments and had to put up with it too. Bluecollars are the worst, you wouldn't believe the shit that gets spoken in fibro lunchrooms plastered with Playboy pinups, it would curl your hair! Anyway I'm sure that's where a lot of these trolls come from, and clearly they're impersonating women sometimes. That's why Sandy lost it when she thought she'd been had, it's kinda funny when you think about! There's also another subgroup of trolls who present as Christians but who I wouldn't mind betting are divorced blokes who've done it tough for a while and then "found Jesus" and got their lives back on track. Churches are good support for blokes who've lost their way in life a bit and that's a good thing, but they can't always cure them of their resentment towards women and I suspect in the wee hours of the morn they visit Hoopla sometimes to vent a bit! Strange as it may seem I reckon there's a lot of common ground between feminist and MRA movements, the intentions are good on both sides and neither movement is born out of malice. Like everything there are two sides to the story and it never pays to ignore one side completely. In your case you've actually seen both sides of the DV story, that's very unusual I would imagine. Personally I've come to the conclusion it has very little to do with gender, the syndrome is identical for men and women, it's just the tactics that vary. For example women use weapons more often, as you'd expect given their lesser physical strength. - Tony W
  • 'No point blaming the press,- Murdoch’s or any other. ' I'm not so sure, MM. The press (including Murdoch press) turned against Howard - suddenly he's not prime minister any more. Then it turned against Rudd, and suddenly he's not prime minister any more. See a pattern there? Murdoch press has a long history of pushing public opinion (rather than reporting facts), and the fact that it represents more than 70% of Australia's print media only makes its influence stronger. The success of advertising - and I submit that opinion pieces masquerading as news stories, which is what most of the political 'news' in Australia consists of, are advertising - is well known and documented, and why would corporations bother if it didn't work anyway? If 70% of the advertising you saw was for McDonald's, do you seriously think you wouldn't eat many more meals there? - Jeannie
 
31
Categories:  News and Opinion, Spicer's Spotlight

FRACTURED FAIRY TALES (& ANKLES)

By Tracey Spicer
August 28, 2012

What is it with women and high heels?

They hold us captive. We suffer decades of torture. It’s a form of traumatic bonding. Yet despite our bad backs, twisted ankles and painful bunions, we’re wedded to them. (In an Anglican, submissive kind of way.)

They’re modern-day foot binding, rendering us lame.

The feminists of the 60s who cried, “Liberate the captive foot of womanhood”, have been replaced by the Gen Ys who equate elevation with “girl power”.

 

Another Cinderella moment for Julia Gillard. Photograph via news.com.au.

The issue was brought into stilettoed focus yesterday by two seemingly unrelated events: A speech by the Prime Minister and a visit to the physiotherapist.

Julia Gillard was walking onto the stage at Customs House to launch a cyber safety initiative, when one of her shoes slipped off.

As a male guest helped her put it back on, she said it was another “Cinderella moment” after she shed a shoe being bundled out of a Canberra restaurant during an Australia Day protest in Canberra early this year.

This is where the fairy tale is fractured.

Yesterday’s Nielsen poll is somewhat of a Cinderella story, showing a swing back to Labor. Then Prince Charming – in the unlikely guise of John Howard – gave the PM a gift: a phoenix, riding from the ashes of WorkChoices.

Normally, journalists would doorstop the Prime Minister to ask about stories like these.

But there was no Fairy Godmother. Instead, News Ltd and Fairfax ran Australian Associated Press pieces on their websites featuring the Cinderella moment, complete with a titillating glimpse of toe cleavage.

It’s a “sexy story”, as we say in the media.

But a Tony Abbott speech would never be overshadowed by comparisons with Popeye. Nor would the clothing of a male Education Minister be subject to debate as it was for South Australia’s Grace Portolesi during the leather skirt affair.

Who’s the real villain of this Disney tale?

 Page 1 of 2 next >>
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31 Responses to this article

  1. sydneystumble August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I think it’s sometimes hard to figure out where the line is; it should be okay to be complimented on our shoes. But footwear fashion (or missteps) shouldn’t be seen as more “newsworthy” than actual News!

    I wrote about something similar just a couple of days ago, when I realised I have a tendency to purchase Killer Heels, which genuinely make me fear for my life – http://sydneystumble.tumblr.com/post/30106449661/killer-heels

    Nobody who I’ve shown those shoes to has been concerned for my safety/well being, instead they’ve all complimented me. But if I could go back in time I’d give myself a good shake, grab my hand & race out of the shoe store

     
  2. nellea August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Great article…but why was the word “bloody” bleeped out?
    Arn’t we grown ups who can handle the word in print?

     
    • Wendy Harmer August 28, 2012 Reply
       
       

      Wouldn’t read to much into it, that’s how Trace wrote it.

       
  3. Harriet August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I see Young Things and Not So Young Things teetering about on skyscraper heels all the time – they don’t look comfortable, and they seem as though they can barely walk in them. And they all couple the killer heels with the gigantic bag that has to be carried over one arm – so effectively rendering themselves incapable of moving swiftly and removing one arm at the same time. I don’t understand!?!?! Add in the huge sunglasses as well, and the really short dresses/skirts, and it just makes me feel as though young women are trying to make themselves appear as helpless as possible – a kind of sanctified bondage. No wonder 50 shades is so popular!

     
  4. Tracey August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Yes – sorry for self censoring “bloody”. I’m trying to stop sweaing on front of the kids and it seems it’s extended to my writing? Eek! Am about to add to this piece the comments made by Ms Greer last night. Crikey.

     
  5. foolio August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I hate heels and therefore I hate shoe shopping – seems my only choice is ballet flats, which is no choice at all. By the way, it suddenly dawned on me recently why there was this trend to big bags. They NEED the big bags to put the killer heels in when they actually have to walk somewhere (like to the bus stop) … whereupon they swap their shoes for thongs in summer (what a dreadful look with work gear!), runners (fair enough if you are walking to work) or cheap, fold-up flats that are equally bad for your feet but at least walkable… I have to smile when I see the “princesses” (AJC’s term, not mine) coming OUT of Randwick Racecourse at the end of the day, killer heels in hands, feet bare, their gorgeous outfits now slightly askew…

     
  6. foolio August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    PS To be fair, Howard got a fair bit of news coverage when he stumbled going up (or down?) some stairs at some point… not necessarily just a female PM thing (though in his case without the shoe angle)…

     
  7. nellea August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Ha Ha… the kids will always catch you out Tracey!

     
  8. Sam W August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Give me a pair of coloured Doc Martens anyday. Comfy, cool and no snappin’ ankles

     
    • Carz August 28, 2012 Reply
       
       

      Yeah but how do I soften my purple Docs up enough that I don’t walk like I’m wearing ski boots? To say they’re stiff is an understatement.

       
  9. leonie archer August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I wore the high heels at stages in my life..I also wore hippie shoes with car tyre soles..I;m 67 now and own one pair of medium heels I qould wear it the occasion demanded it but prefer the good quality flat shoes or sandals. As to the big bags..they really are just useful to fit things in..especially as shops are phasing out plastic bags.

     
  10. Liz August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    We are our own worst enemies. Shouldn’t matter what we wear as long as we do our jobs properly. Having said that I s=did watch Q and A last night and hasn’t Germaine Greer turned into a whiny old windbag

     
  11. Tracey August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Ah – I used to love wearing Doc Martens. Might have to go back to them. Midlife crisis, be damned!

     
  12. Kathryn August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I was at this event yesterday. The launch of an important cyber safety/cyber literacy initiative for public libraries. I must say it doesn’t surprise me that the only media coverage of the event today is the “Cinderella” incident. Disappointing……
    I did note that reporter from 2UE promptly pack up her gear and leave as soon as the Prime Minister finished speaking and the ALIA President began her address.

     
  13. RetroPastiche August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I haven’t worn heels in about 15 years. All my shoes are ‘sensible’ which no longer includes ballet flats. I have arthritis and need to wear orthotics every day. Thank the FSM for Doc Martens and mary-jane style shoes!

     
  14. Rose August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Have to say I was also very disappointed at greer’s response to what was a serious question by a young woman. my 17yo niece and her international politics class were in the audience last night and I can only imagine how they would have felt about the quality of discourse. Very fluffy and pretty boring.

     
  15. The Huntress August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I love my high heels and only own one pair of emergency flats for when I’ve injured myself or something. I hope that I will never have to give them up, I love shoes so much and flat shoes just don’t excite me.

     
  16. sue bell August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Gave up heels in 1966.
    Betty Friedan’s book and George Orwell’s book “Inside the whale and other essays”, were the books that changed my life.
    I only dress to please myself (my mother hates my clothes), I don’t remove body hair (it’s there for a reason), I don’t wear make up, last went to a hairdresser five years ago, I spend my money on books and my brain not trying to please social conventions and fashion

     
  17. Annie Also August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Hardly ever watch Q and A as it is too upsetting when it is political..but did watch it last night because of Simon and Germaine…Very entertaining…which is what they do best…and some food for thought thrown in…have been reading and listening to GG since 1973 and she still surprises, shocks and entertains and shows what real confidence in a 70′s something woman looks like …and I don’t always agree but glad she has been in the world of equality and women’s rights.
    (Don’t wear High heels as I am tall enough already and like to feel comfy…now I am in my late 50′s have arthritis in my knees so know my man loves me no matter my footwear.)

     
  18. Deb August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Enjoying your writing Tracey. A great article, serious topic with a dash of humour. Don’t think you should blame yourself for the shoes, we try and use logic and common sense but sometimes the colourful and sexy messages we get from the media etc are hard to combat and we crumple. The PM and her posterior – very poor taste, sad that Germaine has continued with it. Love to see some comments describing male politicians posteriors, funny haven’t ever seen one.

     
  19. Flip August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Today I wore new shoes (by ‘new’ I mean ‘I’ve had them over a year now, but they still look nice’). Barely a heel to them, very pointy toes, theoretically the correct size for me, actually fits in width (this never happens)…

    And they hurt like a hurty thing that really hurt. They also made walking a total pain all day, and I slipped over in them at the mall after work.
    I would HATE to be wearing anything taller (unless the toes were also platformed).

    I’m wearing my slippers now.

     
  20. Cath August 28, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I love love love high heels. I have fat ankles and high heels remove that icky crease at the ankle. I don’t understand the big hooha over the PM losing a shoe but them again I also don’t get the obsession with Tony in his swimming gear either. Remember watching Mr Howard in his yellow and green track suit whilst out on his morning walks. As for Ms Greer, she is very whiny but fabulous in that BBc series Grumpy Old Women.

     
  21. hoolee August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I stopped wearing highheels after a knee op when I was 25. Amazingly, I have still managed to have a fulfilling and varied life! Also, i think I have a pretty awesome shoe collection.

     
  22. Jo Johnstone August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    once you break them in doc martens are the most comfortable and long wearing shoes – have flat shoes and boots and wouldn’t buy anything else

     
  23. Rhoda August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Can’t remember when I last wore heels. I think when I first saw Diana in them. My mother suffers bunions from wearing them so the writing was on the wall for me.

    Those that can walk properly in heels look great I must admit but most don’t. Not that I’m judging. Wear what you like and what makes you feel good about yourself.

    But I’ll stick to flats thanks.

     
  24. ellenni August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    i am sooooo sick of polio shoes. yes thats what they look like to me – those built up shoes kids with polio had to wear. i too will stick to flats.

     
  25. gogirl August 30, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I’ve never had an extensive shoe collection – minimal only, without a word of a lie. Always barefoot at home, from the minute I walk in the door to the minute I leave again – and anywhere else I can get away with it.

    Still I’ve always loved high heels. Speeding towards mid 50′s now so I don’t wear them quite as high as I used to – although that can very much depend on the type of heel.

    Apart from the obligatory pair of runners, I bought my very first pair of flats (ballet flats) just last Christmas. I have to say I love them for running around the city in a lunch hour when I have heaps to get done. Much faster than the heels.

     
  26. Amanda August 30, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I’ve never been able to wear high heels. I’ve often wondered if women actually find them comfortable or have just learned to live with the pain. When I have tried to wear heels out I have regretted every moment that my mind is focused on the pain in my feet instead of enjoying the night or day out. They look pretty and Ive always wanted to wear them but cant bring myself to waste a perfect outing. Is there a trick to it or are all heel wearers just able to block out the pain?

     
  27. Joy Gordon September 11, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Hey Tracey,

    I’ll be on message, lol, yes I agree completely.

     

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