ARE HIGH HEELS HEADED FOR A TUMBLE?

.

WHAT?

gender-stereotypical norms

for little girls

exposed to technology at ever-younger ages

--> the the red high-heel emoji

.

THIS YEAR?

the largest protest in American history

because of sexual harassment and assault

by powerful men in entertainment, government and media.

.

EMOJI

a proposal to the Unicode Consortium’s emoji subcommittee

Proposition : to add a ballet flat

The goal : not seductive or sexualized

92% of people online --> emoji

Children : first forms of communication = pictographic

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HIGH HEELS

a marker of female adulthood

a crucial component of a succes wardrobe

a sign of sexual maturity

Our preferences --> athletic and comfort

Ex: Birkenstock seen as as hippie shoes

imitated by designer labels like Prada, Céline, Givenchy

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HIGH HEELS STORY

by horse owners in 15th-century Persia

To help them stand up and stabilize in stirrups

shoot their bows with greater accuracy

Because of their connection to sport and wealth

a signifier of social class in Western Europe

Women, sexual dominance