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Study Finds Women Wear Shoes That Cause Pain, says the New York Times.
What's next - Study Finds That Dog Bites Man?
Here's the money quote:
This has essentially nothing to do with the study, which was an exercise in data analysis showing significant correlation in women between wearing of stupid shoes and foot pain. There was no corresponding data for men because most men don't wear stupid shoes.
So, Ms Dufour. You really have to be careful how you talk to journalists, because this one just made you sound like a privileged little arse: Stupid wimmins, if they'd just do like I'm telling them - with my study and my biostatistics - they'd feel so much better! Why don't they just do it my way? It's all so simple! Women are obviously really stupid!
Journalists love headlines like "Women Too Dumb ToCome In Out Of Rain Wear Comfortable Shoes." So next time a journalist asks you about your work, remember that, eh? I'm deliberately giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming you didn't mean to be horrifically patronising (because I'm nice like that) with your little quote there.
Maybe - next time - emphasise that women, by and large, aren't totally masochistic and they aren't totally stupid, so if they're buying shoes which hurt, maybe there's a reason.
Maybe give the journalist some clues, like this: what kinds of shoes are women expected to wear at work? what kinds of shoes are women expected to wear if they want to be "pretty"? what happens if you aren't "pretty"? what kinds of shoes are widely available to people on low budgets? isn't it funny that women are willing to put up with foot pain? why might that be? isn't it interesting that men don't seem to wear the kinds of shoes that hurt them? why might that be?
As is, the journalist and the editor need a good kick in the behind. As do you, if you actually meant to sound like a patronising arse - a kick from something with really pointy toes. An example of when painful shoes are worth it.
What's next - Study Finds That Dog Bites Man?
Here's the money quote:
“I think women need to really pay attention to how a shoe fits, and realize that what you’re buying could have potential effects on your feet for the rest of your life,” said the paper’s lead author, Alyssa B. Dufour, a doctoral student in biostatistics at Boston University. “It’s important to pay attention to size and width, and not just buy it because it’s cute.”
This has essentially nothing to do with the study, which was an exercise in data analysis showing significant correlation in women between wearing of stupid shoes and foot pain. There was no corresponding data for men because most men don't wear stupid shoes.
So, Ms Dufour. You really have to be careful how you talk to journalists, because this one just made you sound like a privileged little arse: Stupid wimmins, if they'd just do like I'm telling them - with my study and my biostatistics - they'd feel so much better! Why don't they just do it my way? It's all so simple! Women are obviously really stupid!
Journalists love headlines like "Women Too Dumb To
Maybe - next time - emphasise that women, by and large, aren't totally masochistic and they aren't totally stupid, so if they're buying shoes which hurt, maybe there's a reason.
Maybe give the journalist some clues, like this: what kinds of shoes are women expected to wear at work? what kinds of shoes are women expected to wear if they want to be "pretty"? what happens if you aren't "pretty"? what kinds of shoes are widely available to people on low budgets? isn't it funny that women are willing to put up with foot pain? why might that be? isn't it interesting that men don't seem to wear the kinds of shoes that hurt them? why might that be?
As is, the journalist and the editor need a good kick in the behind. As do you, if you actually meant to sound like a patronising arse - a kick from something with really pointy toes. An example of when painful shoes are worth it.
From: (Anonymous)
no subject
The innovation in this study, and in this article, is showing that shoe choice isn't just painful in the moment (which might be worth it, given the societal factors to which you allude), but has lifelong consequences (which might still be worth it, but clearly requires more information - hence the article).
I didn't actually get the sense that the point was that women are stupid; remember, it was in a short health column.
From:
no subject
From: (Anonymous)
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From: (Anonymous)
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