Isabelle Zhang
High heels including strappy, stiletto and platform lined up on the table in front of Boston University’s Marsh Chapel. BU Student Government’s Sexual Assault Prevention department’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, where male-identifying students walked a mile in high heels to spread awareness of sexual violence against women.
Strappy, stiletto and platform — such were the types of high heels lined up on the table in front of Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
After some deliberation, sophomore Nathan Ramirez picked out an open-toed pair and slipped them on. These, he decided, would be his shoes for his mile-long trek down Commonwealth Avenue.
As a male-identifying individual, Ramirez said his choice of high heels contrasted his typical fashion choices. However, this was exactly what he intended.
By participating in a Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, a demonstration where men walk one mile in high heels to raise awareness for sexual violence against women, Ramirez said he hopes to better understand the struggles women face.
“As a man, I won’t understand the inequalities and inequities that women experience throughout their lives, in terms of sexism and sexualized violence,” Ramirez said. “Walking a mile in women’s shoes is at least a decent place to start.”
Ramirez, along with four other BU students, participated in the walk May 2, which was organized by BU Student Government’s Sexual Assault Prevention department in collaboration with the larger, global Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign.
Cecilia Petroski, co-director of SAP, said one of the goals of the demonstration was to “get the student body involved in discussing assault and sexualized violence,” seeking to engage groups of people who “aren’t immediately invested” in such issues.
“We thought this would be a way to get people out in something that seems a bit more fun,” she said. “The idea of men in heels [we can] use that as a chance to get people out there and then educate.”
Isabel Mone, an event staffer for SAP, said she hopes they can raise donations for Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.
“I’m hoping that … passersby will ask us what’s going on, so we can inform them,” Mone said. “I hope that they take away that it’s for a good cause and not just something silly.”
Petroski added that hosting such a public event can help dispel shame concerning sexual assault, demonstrating the topic shouldn’t be “kept under the wraps.”
“[This] should be something that we are communicating about as a student body, because it is something that happens on our campus,” Petroski said. “I would hope people who are watching it will realize that this is not a shameful topic.”
Beyond sparking dialogue amongst students, Petroski said she hopes the event will incentivize BU administration to “up their protections” and improve “the ways in which they prevent assault on campus.”
For the participants themselves, the event was educational and eye-opening in its own way. Freshman Karl Boma said he had an “epiphany” when signing up for the event.
Boma initially dismissed the idea of participating in the event because he was preoccupied with final exams. However, after reflecting on his relationship with his long-term girlfriend, Boma decided to sign up for the event.
“Thinking that, while it’s not happening to her, it’s happening to a lot of people like her … just off-put me,” said Boma. “I thought about it more. I was like, ‘I’ll do it. It’s a good cause.’”
Although Boma said he thinks onlookers might not make an immediate correlation between the event and its cause, he believes the spectacle would make them curious.
He compared it to the #SpeakYourMIND Ice Bucket Challenge, a nationwide campaign where people dump a bucket of water over their heads to raise funds and awareness for mental health issues, as both demonstrations incentivize onlookers to explore their causes.
Junior Samuel Oathout said he hopes the event reminded onlookers that sexual assault should not be “normalized.”
“This isn’t something that people shouldme numb to,” Oathout said. “This is something that people should continue to fight for, should care about and should stand up for.”
Boma echoed that sentiment, adding it’s especially important for people who aren’t affected by the issue to take a stance.
“At some point, you might meet someone who’s gone through that, and you’re going to wish that never happened to them,” Boma said. “If you don’t want it to happen [to] your loved ones or your closest ones, then I think people should take some initiative to [ensure] it doesn’t happen to anyone, period.”