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Beauty is Pain

Since the Middle Ages, a woman’s beauty, specifically in her feet, has often been measured by the amount of pain she is in. Over the centuries, fashion has changed, but pain has remained a baseline for most trends, and rightfully so.

Men show off their strength by lifting weights and staying fit.  Women, on the other hand, use their emotions to shine. The amount of pain a woman can endure in the name of her perfect grace serves as a reflection of her inner strength and resilience. 

For example, in nineteenth century China it was considered beautiful to have small feet.  In order to accomplish this, foot binding would take place where the toes were broken, bound, and misshapen to fit in the tiniest shoes.  Women who could endure the most pain had the smallest feet and married into more revered, affluent families. Falling out of love did not exist in China. True love was based on foot size:  a quality which did not change, unlike someone’s personality or ‘feelings for another’.

Foot Binding Shoe | Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

Over the years, however, women have become  weak. Foot binding has been illegalized and heels are the only toruture devices that remain.  These elevated flats allow women to slip their toes into them without discomfort; in fact, the pain is only noticeable when walking.  Mild back pain, a shortened Achilles tendon, calluses, ingrown toenails, spinal curves, weakened ligaments, crooked feet, hyperextension in toes, knee pain, and possible twisted ankles are the only side effects; a burden many a woman can handle with power. 

In order to prove their emotional strength, women have to be pushed to their limits.  Heels are not enough. If this trend continues, soon women will no longer be able to rely on outfits to show their emotional strength is compatible with their husband’s physical one.  If this happens, women may have to rely on their knowledge and personality to find a husband or get through a job interview, which will be the absolute demise of society. Although pain may be inconvenient, it is the only plausible option.  We must enforce the need of pain for foot beauty before it goes extinct.

Written by Devina Tavathia

Devina Tavathia is a senior and Co-Editor in Chief for the MCSun. She is on the school's varsity track team and loves volunteering as a Science Olympiad coach at MBMS. In her free time she enjoys grooving to some Urban Choreography at StudioFx.

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