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Skeans: Break out your red shoes

Letter to the editor

Red shoes are a symbol of unruly women. Here’s why you need a pair.

For centuries red shoes have technically been a symbol for men in positions of power; from kings to popes. So what happens when a woman tries to claim a traditionally male power symbol? Women with a penchant for scarlet shoes are often seen as unsavory characters.

In 1939, Dorothy tapped her ruby slippers three times while saying, “There’s no place like home.” Since then, multiple generations of women have grown up knowing the unmistakable power of a red shoe.

In 2009, Red Shoes came to symbolize the struggle for Women’s Rights and Gender Based Violence following an art installation by Mexican artist Elina Chauvet.  

We associate the color red with passion, with blood; it’s impulsive, explosive, bold, so it’s no surprise that the color figures so prominently on so many runways. Designers know we dress as a reaction to the outside world, and with the increasing instability of the political and economic spectrum, it’s obvious that we would approach getting dressed in the morning as if we were putting on armor. Red, white, and blue stands for America, but red stands for resistance.

Now, wearing red shoes — especially red boots — is the sartorial equivalent of shouting, “I am woman, hear me roar.”

When it seems like the world is set on keeping you down, when you wake up to another protest, to another photograph of a group of white men making irreversible healthcare decisions for women and their bodies, do not despair. We’ll get through another day if we come together, if we push through, if we follow our own personal yellow brick road back to a place we know feels like home.

Break out your red shoes, the time has come to march.

Leslie Skeans
Democratic Women’s Club of the Lakes Area
Putnam County

The opinions expressed by letter or opinion writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AlachuaChronicle.com. Letters may be submitted to info@alachuachronicle.com and are published at the discretion of the editor.

  • If red shoes mean you support killing babies in the womb, I’m glad I don’t own any.

    • You are probably on to something…or maybe it’s all just a coincidence, right!?

      The Ninth Circle is an Elitist Satanic Order who ritualistically sacrifices Children. The one who sacrifices the most Children will wear Red Shoes made from their Sacrifice. Aka Red Shoe Club. Writings on this and similar cults have been around for hundreds of years.

      Just one example:
      Sunday, August 17, 2014
      Yesterday two suspected members of the Ninth Circle Satanic Child Sacrifice Cult were arrested during their preparations for what appeared to be a child sacrifice…
      https://christianobserver.net/child-sacrifice-aborted-satanists-arrested-cargill-sinclair-executives-implicated/

  • I cannot relate to this woman. As a woman I had many opportunities for education, independence, a job and relationships. I don’t need to wear red shoes to make a statement.

  • Well, I guess this Republican woman owned a pair while in high school many years ago. So what I’m unruly? I’m shouting I am woman hear me roar.. 😂😂😂 yeah no I was and am very passionate about others, and how they are impacted by the poor decisions others have made… those decisions that were at the expense of those suffering already in poverty. I take a stand in other ways than others did before me. I do things a bit backward. I am unique! My political party is not what has made me unique it is my personal life, my experiences, that molded me. So what significance does having to post the Democratic Party have to your posting… about as much as me letting you know I’m republican. Of all I said it never tied into my party except saying what I was. 🙄🙄🙄

  • It is drivel like this that men point to when arguing that women should not be allowed to make decisions ranging from prenatal “care” to the right to vote to a host of other issues. Hyperemotional nonsense and completely out of touch. If this is the best the Democratic Women’s Club of the Lakes Area has to offer, maybe the men have a good point.

  • It’s a little ironic that red shoes are the choice of this woman who apparently is pro-abortion. I would have interpreted red shoes as a conservative statement!

    Also – it’s a pet peeve of mine that the euphemism ” healthcare decisions for women and their bodies” is used in place of admitting to promoting access to abortions. It’s sneaky and plays on the sympathetic nature of people. Killing babies in the womb just doesn’t sound as nice, does it? But it’s the more honest description.

  • Have you ever heard of Golda Meir or Margaret Thatcher these were strong women. As an example, Hillary was a total fake. Remember when she tried to act like the little home make, baking cookies. But maybe she needed to wear her red shoes. Even Dorothy in Wizard of Oz was a strong role model even if her shoes belonged to a wicked witch. Question if a pregnant “Person” is murdered, is the killer charged with one or two murders? If white men are so evil why are Kamala and Katanji (Supreme Court) married to white men.

    • ‘Interesting points. Maybe the politicos should shy away from threadbare metaphors and address some of the real-time facts like the women being ‘trafficked’ across our southern border. But, if they’re also wearing red shoes?

  • Schizophrenia is when you see tremendous meaning in the innocuous. Like red shoes.

    Libs walk around screaming in vagina hats calling themselves racist white colonizers.

    These people need their meds adjusted!

  • The Alachua Chronicle has started to go downhill. I’m not here to read this kind of BS nonsense!

    • Now, now, now…….hearing all the marginally coherent voices and opinions is a good thing in the USA. It’s the politically convenient suppression we can do without.

  • It’s not clear what this letter is addressing; a political foot fetish or an appeal for footwear to replace conventional therapy.

    With DEI now off the table in Florida the vacuum swept up the next new-old thing, shoes.

    The men at Nike are watching and waiting for the ‘we’ market to identify themselves.

  • I assume Leslie is just unaware of the connection between red shoe symbolism and pedophilia? The elitist red shoe club has been written about for centuries…currently it is said to include many royals families and their Hollywood minions, among others elitist.

    Maybe you feminist should just stick with those pink pu$$yhats

  • Young female athletes are literally having their scholarships and livelihoods stolen from them by cross-dressing men on a near-weekly basis, in sports ranging from golf to swimming.

    In some Islamic countries, women are treated as less than human and forced to wear burqas, niqabs, etc. on pain of physical punishment and imprisonment.

    What is the response to these clear and present dangers to women from this tediously racist, fake Western feminist?

    “Hey let’s wear red shoes. That’ll really stick it to The Patriarchy.”

    Honestly the whole thing reads like sad cat-lady fan fiction. We’re sorry that no one at TJ Maxx noticed your red boots, Leslie.

  • They wear red shoes to make the blood of the unborn less visible.

    Maybe she should write a letter to tell some girls and women to keep their feet on the floor. That would do more to prevent pregnancy and less trauma than having an abortion to prevent an unwanted child. .

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