Ouch!

Thank you, Professor... you're right. I paint Barefoot!

How fun to learn other women did those funny things... lying down to zip up tight jeans, for example.

Shangas, fascinating. I studied that very progression of corsets to bras in my fashion major! Hadn't thought about it for ages. Wherever did you pick that up?

The most interesting people hang out here.

 

Sorry. Where did I pick *what* up?

 

From History Daily - http://historydaily.org/lotus-feet/

 

(spanks self in advance) There is a lot of writings, shall we say, about men taking corsets OFF. Maybe that's the purpose? Heels too.

 

Never thought of that

 

I've seen that article before and it never fails to disturb me. Horrible practice.

 

Has anyone read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See? It is a great but very sad/disturbing novel that weaves in the practice of foot binding with the main storyline. Just the other day I was thinking about ballet lessons I took as a child. I finally made it to toe shoes and boy did they hurt! Anyway, my mind then wandered to foot binding and wondered if they were related in some way? The ballerina's feet look so pretty and tiny when they are dancing on their tippy toes. Is this part of the appeal of 'tiny' feet? High heels are sort of the same...OK, my mind is starting to wander again...I have to stop.

 

i got into an argument with one of my college professors once. She kept saying that cultural differences are just cultural differences. I argued that cultural differences, especially ones that harmed women and children, were human rights violations. The list included foot binding, the Indian practice of immolation of widows, slavery, scarring the skin, and many others. She cited, in class, how a man of another culture who killed his wife here in America because he THOUGHT she was unfaithful was acquitted because in their culture, this practice was acceptable. NO. He wouldn't have been if I were on that jury.

Yes, our culture is full of them. No one dictates that women wear high heels, but they do to have their calf muscles look more attractive. Same thing for so much cosmetic surgery. I turn the TV on and can guess anyone's true age by looking at their hands and neck, but their face looks unnaturally stretched and wax-like. I especially hate the fake-looking "bee-stung" lips. When I channel surf and see any of the Housewives of Beverly Hills, they all look like the same wax cast.

 

And, ladies, the issue of MAKE UP and coloring our hair.

 

I do not find most of these women attractive. I think the brunette in front is becaus she is younger and has not had all the "work" done yet.

 

What about FGM! Now that is REALLY barbaric but still happens even here in the UK.

 

Yes, that was a practice I brought up in class because we were talking about a hypothetical case where a young teenager was supposed to undergo a cultural procedure that included facial scarring- but she lived in the USA. I argued against it... then mentioned the other practice, boy, the discussion was extremely heated. I had a young woman arguing for it, but she didn't even know what it involved..... I don't think everyone did, this was back in the 90s.

 

I think its just in recent years that people understand what is really involved.

It is obviously against the law here but it still happens, Dear god, How can anyone believe that is beneficial to women?

 

They don't- it is to control them.