Celebrating the success at the TUC of the debate on the wearing of high heels in the workplace.
This started in 2007 when I was asked by the Soceity of Chiropodists & Podiatrists to address a Parliamentary select committee on feet. The topic I was asked to speak about was "working feet" so I thought about all the women I saw in my hospital near Heathrow airport and the trouble they had with their feet.
The first group, the clickety clacks as I christened them, were unable, by the set dress code, to wear anything other than heeled court shoes; if we as foot specialists needed to change their shoes, even marginally, with a strap or a buckle we could not. If their foot problem demanded a change of shoes the woman (always the woman) would be moved to a back office position or, worse, be unable to carry out her tasks and therefore lose her job.
So to see this culminate in todays high profile debate, widespread media coverage and an acceptance of the legitimate concerns of the female workforce is a real joy.
NB High heels are a huge topic but not the only one to affect women!
