#KuToo− Toward a selective future

Against mandatory heeled shoes!
What is the #KuToo movement?

The practices of foot binding and corsets are things of the past, but there is still something that women are forced to wear today that is considered feminine but inconvenient. Heeled shoes are one such example customary in many companies.

In 2019, the #KuToo movement was sparked by a tweet that said, “It’s not right to force women to wear pumps and high heels at work.” Ishikawa Yumi, who was at the center of the movement, said she became aware of the problem after wearing pumps all day for work and experienced bloody toes. She said, “Men can wear shoes without heels, why not women??” Such questions are behind this movement.

Ishikawa, Yumi. #KuToo: Kutsu Kara Kangaeru Honki No Feminizumu. Gendaishokan, 2019.

The origin of “#KuToo”

The name is a play on the words between “Kutsuu (pain)” and “Kutsu (shoes),” and the #MeToo movement that began in the US, which urged people to confess their sexual assaults. Like the #MeToo movement, the #KuToo movement aims to change society by encouraging people to speak out through social networking sites. The tweet that triggered the #KuToo movement was spread by many people and attracted significant attention.

Is wearing heels obligatory?

In 2019, a request and signatures were submitted to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, led by participants in the #KuToo movement, to “prohibit companies from forcing women to wear pumps.”
However, then Minister Nemoto Takumi responded, “We think that instructing or requiring women to wear high heels or pumps would be necessary and reasonable for business in light of socially accepted norms.”

Influence seen around the world

In 2019, the BBC in the UK chose Ishikawa Yumi, a caller to the #KuToo movement, as one of the “100 women” who have influenced people around the world. Hilary Clinton mentioned the #KuToo movement on a CNN program in 2020, saying, “There are women who are fighting in wonderful ways.”

Voices toward the #KuToo movement

The #KuToo movement, which became a hot topic when it was transmitted on social networking sites, attracted a diverse range of opinions.

Ishikawa, Yumi. #KuToo: Kutsu Kara Kangaeru Honki No Feminizumu. Gendaishokan, 2019.

What you see here are the voices of those who support the #KuToo signature campaign gathered on the signature website Change.org. Comments have come from people who have trouble wearing heeled shoes, people who love heeled shoes, and both men and women.

Wearing heels once in a while is fine, but if you have to wear them to work every day, there must be days when your feet hurt, and you do not want to wear them. Some people like heeled shoes and want to wear them every day, while others may not like them. The #KuToo movement asked society whether heels should be forced on women just because they are “feminine” without taking into account the different circumstances of each individual.

Changing our future from #KuToo

Recently, various changes have begun to occur regarding dress codes.
What kind of future will these changes bring about?

There is still a significant amount of formal femininity that is culturally enforced, just as foot binding and corsets were once symbols of femininity. However, with the current focus on gender issues and diversity, the movement toward equal dress codes for men and women in the workplace and schools is gradually gaining momentum in Japan and around the world, and is showing signs of change.

Is there anything that is being enforced as feminine? What is the problem? Are there similar problems on the male side?

Why not consider a future where everyone can make comfortable choices?

Ishikawa, Yumi. Shigotoba Deno Josei No Fukusou Wa Onna Rashikunakya, Nante Nai. LIFULL STORIES May 27, 2021, Retrieved February 11, 2022, from LIFULL STORIES https://media.lifull.com/stories/20210527139/
Iizuka, Makiko. Josei Juugyouin Ni Taisuru Nihon No "Megane Kinshi Rei" Kaigai Media Wa Josei Sabetsu Ni Bikkuri! Amerika Nara Soshou Ni Hatten. November 10, 2019, Retrieved February 11, 2022, from Yahoo Japan News https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/iizukamakiko/20191110-00150241

Shoes

In the past, women in the airline industry were required to wear heels. After the #KuToo movement, JAL and ANA successively eliminated the heel requirement. Flight attendants who used to wear heels for long-haul flights and frantic takeoff preparations, voiced their joy.

Glass

Contrary to the wearing requirement, there are occupations in which only women are prohibited from wearing glasses. These include cosmetic salespeople, company receptionists, ryotei wait staff, and flight attendants. Why are women not allowed to wear glasses, when some cannot wear contact lenses?

Uniform

The University of the Sacred Heart offered a choice of slacks in its uniform beginning in the 2020 academic year. There have long been requests for slacks as part of the uniform because skirts are cold, difficult to move around in, and pose the danger of camera voyeurism. Recently, an increasing number of workplaces and schools have created slacks uniform options, and they have been well received.

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