[news] The Political History of Shoes

[Resist!ca]

Shoes. We all have some. We rarely think about them. But shoes are political. Charities buy poor kids shoes in every city. The type of shoes you have, and how many, are a sign of social status. (Remember Marcos' 1500 pairs of shoes?!) Women have endured foot binding and high heels. Some people wear wooden shoes, some wear sandals, some wear fur and skin boots. There are clown shoes, snow shoes, tap dancing shoes, Earth Shoes, and there are also shoe museums all over the world, including Seattle. Shoes have changed over the years due to new materials, such as rubber, becoming available, and due to design changes, such as the left and right shoes having different patterns. Studies of one Ice Age mummy suggested he did not travel further than 40 miles from home, and his shoes reflected that, both in utility and materials used. Even the ways we attach our shoes are changing. Learning how to tie shoelaces has been superceded by velcro shoe closures for younger kids.

URL: http://resist.ca/story/2005/4/18/7558/61734