Opinion | The meaning of Kamala Harris’ shoes: why her Converse sneakers make such a powerful political statement for women
- Reports about Harris’ sneakers are often dismissed as trivial, distracting or sexist, but, in fact, her choice of shoes – sneakers over heels – is meaningful
- Ask heel-wearers why they wear them and many will tell you it’s because heels make them look better. But look better for whom?
Let’s get the criticism of this column out of the way upfront: the most important election in our lifetime is barrelling toward us and you’re writing about a candidate’s shoes?
For the first time a woman of colour is on a major presidential ticket and you’re writing about her shoes? The world is burning literally and figuratively and you’re writing about sneakers?
I’m not the first person to note that Kamala Harris, who’s running for vice-president, has broken another barrier by choosing to routinely wear sneakers on the campaign trail. The sneaker reports are often dismissed as trivial, distracting or sexist, but, in fact, Harris’ shoes are meaningful. Talking about them isn’t sexist, it’s a recognition of the sexism she’s working to overcome.
As the campaign nears an end, it’s worth taking a moment to fully appreciate the importance of the shoes Harris has chosen to wear while walking that rocky trail.
The shoe story took off in September after Harris stepped off a campaign flight in Milwaukee in the US state of Wisconsin wearing a pair of Converse sneakers. A tweet of that event has inspired 37,000 likes on Twitter and a lot of commentary.