Is it sexist of us to keep talking about the pink running shoes Texas state senator Wendy Davis wore to outrun the clock on the state’s omnibus anti-abortion bill? On the one hand, we did not write about Rand Paul’s filibuster footwear. On the other, we would relish the opportunity, if he ever wore something interesting. Does doing it distract from a more important conversation about Davis? And if so, may we distract for one second longer, just to point out that Davis’s Mizuno Wave Rider (technically “Rouge Red,” not pink) is receiving some excellent Amazon reviews?
“Excellent Protection for the Foot and the Womb!” “These shoes (and a woman’s body) have a way of shutting the whole thing down.” “When I am tired, I will ask myself: WWWD?! Then I will keep running.” “Raise a feminist army and lead the charge when your competitors cheat and change the rules on you.” ”The next time you have to spend 13 hours on your feet without food, water or bathroom breaks, this is the shoe for you. Guaranteed to outrun patriarchy on race day.”
Here’s my favorite:
Even though…
1) I am a man and these are clearly women’s shoes
2) I have never gone through the experience of wearing them
3) These shoes are not designed for my feet; and
4) They are of a color I would never wear…
I feel somehow compelled to decide for the shoe’s female target market whether or not they should own them.
