University of Montana track athlete Bevan Taylor (center) sprints through the UC on the final lap of his mile in high heels. (Greg Lindstrom/Montana Kaimin)

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: Men don high heels to protest violence against women

by Jayme Fraser | March 11, 2010 | Montana Kaimin

Though only one man wore a pink dress with his silver spiked-heels, dozens more slipped into other neon or glittering women’s shoes and strutted or stumbled eight laps around the second floor of the University Center Wednesday afternoon.

Some carried cardboard signs bearing messages like: “I heart consensual kisses” or “Respect is everyone’s concern.”

Some bit their tongues and watched their feet carefully, hoping to avoid a twisted ankle.

Others strutted with greater confidence, walking backward or flourishing their stride with dance moves as they walked past the table of three judges.

“It was an engaging way to shed light on a super important topic,” anthropology professor Garry Kerr said.

They all had registered for the Student Assault Resource Center’s third annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event, which is organized to protest rape, sexual assault and relationship violence as well as to raise funds for future outreach, education and violence-prevention programs.

“I chose to walk because two of my close friends were victims of attempted sexual assault,” director of Greek Life Tyson McClean said after the event while still sporting his bright blue heels.

Stoney Sasser, coordinator of the event and UM’s Student Assault Resource Center, said that one out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape, according to data from the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. The network reported that 74 percent of men said they would intervene to prevent a sexual assault, she said.

“These are crimes that do not have to be obvious,” ASUM President Matt Fennell said in a speech just after the event, his jeans rolled up to better display his heels. “We are not just saying, we are showing these realities are not accepted here at the University of Montana, in Missoula, in Montana or anywhere else.”

And most, if not all, of the dozens that walked a mile around the UC wanted to do what they could to help.

“I’m just really in support of women’s protection,” sophomore Sean Jeffrey said, still wearing a blond wig and pink dress. “I have a couple family members that were affected by that.”

But besides the knowledge that they helped raise awareness about gender violence and inspired smiles or laughter from curious bystanders, six were asked to compete in a final walk-off challenge for prizes in three categories.

Grizzly wide receiver and track sprinter Jabin Sambrano shyly used a few improvised tap moves to beat Brent Peterson for the title of Most Improved, winning a small token of UMoney.

“Do these heels make my butt look big?” Kerr asked the laughing crowd as he stuck it forward for them to inspect.

But for the title of Most Spirited and the prize of a Griz blanket, the crowd hooted and hollered loudest for Ryan Chapin, who whipped the flank of an invisible horse as he rode across the stage.

Ray Davis’ dips and hip shakes to the beat of “This is Why I’m Hot” drew applause from the crowd.

However, Michael Fisher’s imitation of the “Bend and Snap” from the movie “Legally Blonde” ultimately earned him the title of Most Confident and an iPod shuffle.

“The prize was so unexpected, but it’s nice to get something for all the pain,” Fisher, a Griz Cross Country runner, said. “I’ve never been in that much pain — feet-wise — ever before.”

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