high heels in the workplace: why?
As research finds high heels are bad for women's health, Juno Dawson argues why more firms need to rethink their (blindingly obvious) sexist uniform rules
Well, it’s a bit of a no-brainer isn’t it? In 2017, no woman should be forced to wear, or do, anything against her choices. Last December, a leaked list of appearance rules for women working at London’s The Dorchester Hotel demonstrated that, in some workplaces, women are still made to – amongst other rules – wear high heels. This is, sadly, lawful. Last year, following the case of receptionist Nicola Thorpe, who was sent home when she refused to don a heel, the government deemed existing rules about workplace discrimination ‘adequate’.
​
Yet today, new research by the University of Aberdeen has found that while – spoiler alert – men find women in heels attractive, they increase a woman’s risk of injury (well duh) and developing musculoskeletal conditions such as tendonitis.
​
It bothers me that it should take academic research to highlight such blindingly obvious sexism. All I can think is that men in positions of power are failing to understand the very simple truth about high heels: they REALLY hurt.
​
As you may know from my former Glamour column, I am a transgender woman. This meant I spent 28 years longing to wear heels before it became socially acceptable for me to do so. I painfully recall my first night out in a pair of silver stilettos at the 2015 Stonewall Awards. Firstly, I had to be helped into the V&A Museum by two burly men as I could hardly walk in a straight line. It felt like my feeble ankles could give, and frankly break, at any moment. Once inside, I lasted about an hour before I had to sit down because my feet were in agony.
​
Like many not-heel-wearers, I had heels all wrong. A lifetime of watching Doctor Who companions evade Daleks in stilettos, Carrie Bradshaw walk Aidan’s dog in Manolos, or Bryce Dallas Howard literally sprinting in heels in Jurassic World had led me to believe high-heels were sexy, fashionable alternatives to what I considered to be very tedious flats. Not so.
​
If you’ve never worn a five inch heel, let me attempt to describe the pain. First, I’d like you to bind your toes in duct tape until the shape of your foot is vaguely triangular. Alternatively, you could chop off your fourth and fifth toe. Next, place a tray of nuts and bolts in the oven until piping hot. Then, liberally scatter nuts and bolts on the floor. They don’t have to be sharp, but they do have to be metal. Now, on tip toes, I’d like you to stand on the nuts and bolts for the duration of an evening, say two to three hours at least.
​
iStock
That is what wearing heels feels like, fellas. One look at my Instagram will confirm that I really love shoes. I have a wardrobe full of heels. But, very quickly, I learned they completely inhabit my ability to achieve anything or have that much fun. You’ll note I wear heels exclusively to events where an Uber can drop me at the door and I will be seated for almost all of the night. This is usually dinners or award ceremonies. I think if I’m going to pose in heels on Instagram, it’s important I’m honest about the fact they hurt.
​
What this really boils down to is employers are still allowed to inflict pain on women. That is workplace discrimination, and also sadism. It’s removing the choices we have. There will be some people reading this, I’m sure, saying it’s important to look smart in some professions. This is true, but the problem lies in the arbitrary standards of ‘smartness’ we’ve set for each gender. When I was stuck pretending to be a man, I confess I occasionally moaned at being forced to wear a blazer and tie on hot days. I now know the mild discomfort of that pales into insignificance compared to the blazing foot fire of high heels. Moreover, like I explained, any woman is simply going to get more done if she’s fully mobile. I’d argue pained feet are actively hindering women’s progress (literal and figurative) in the workplace.
​
Dr Max Barnish, who led the research at Aberdeen, said: "We feel the UK Government should follow the lead of other authorities who have introduced specific laws to tackle this practice rather than simply relying on existing legislation which has left the situation in this country uncertain and open to misinterpretation.”
​
Dr Heather Morgan, a lecturer at the university, said: "Of course we are not trying to tell anyone that they should or shouldn't wear high heels, but we hope this review will inform wearers to help them weigh up the health risks with social benefits, as well as putting pressure on lawmakers to toughen up legislation so that no-one is forced against their will to wear them in the workplace or in licensed public social venues.”
​
I do occasionally meet a woman who swears she finds heels comfortable. I am doubtful of this claim, but sure, OK. If a woman enjoys wearing shoes to the office, that’s her choice and we’re all about choices. It’s also fine to feel stylish, professional or sexy in heels, because I certainly do when I’m stationary or seated. But I think a woman in a pair of gorgeous brogues, loafers or flats is every bit as ‘smart’ as a woman in heels. End of. We have to change the rules: women’s health is at risk.
By Juno Dawson
Glamour
August 2017