why does being "a hot chick" matter so much that you're willing to paint your face and deform your feet? Why not trade on skills and achievement, as many men do? Men work hard to acquire the resources to secure "a hot chick." Why not expend your resources on also acquiring resources to secure "a hot guy" or "a hot chick," if that's your preference. Better yet, why not work hard and acquire the skills to attract someone else who's worked hard and has skills and then, when their this and that sag, you'll still have something: sexy chats and sexy achievements based upon sexy skills.

A number of men have posted in this thread that not only they don't give a shit if women subject themselves to high heels, but would rather they wear something comfy. Ironically, a few women have argued for them.

Thanks, guys.

Sigh. You're probably right. Some men probably care much more than they're willing to admit and whereas they won't finger high heels as being hot, they're part of that package that puts one on the cover of Maxim and in the crosshairs of their desire.

However, I hold to the hope that some of the men in this thread and in this world are telling the truth and truly want women who don't wobble.

I'm gonna hold to hope and believe that you're not disingenuous.

Women in high heels tend to rock me back on my heels, a combination of low-grade revulsion and dismissiveness. It's my job to know beyong brilliant women: full-grade geniuses. Not a one of them wears high heels. They don't have time to fritter on shopping and wobbling and certainly no inclination to deform their feet.

Really, there are so many physically lovely women, even if they don't know it. If you want to deeply differentiate yourself, then create something. Achievement might fluster many men, but it will attract those few worthy of you.

I agree with kufir77!

There are so many unwanted children. And if you can't do the gene-blending thingy anyway, why not give a kid a home?

I suppose asking a person who just wrote a hit and run ad hom to articulate the underpinnings of their attack might be as fruitful as sowing corn on a bathroom tile floor, but...

...why is David Terry an embarrassment to his gender?

And why waste bandwidth on an ad hom? Frankly, it tells me more about you than David Terry.

I think when women assert that they are semi-compelled to wear heels because they garner attention, the issue isn't men or even the attention.

It's: "Why do you feel compelled to garner so much attention?"

Doff the heels and spend some time unpacking that need for attention. Change is hard, but seek the change of not being so needy. It's tres cool to be freed of being watched because then you can watch.

And, frankly, I think justifications that one must wear heels due to flat feet or solstices or whatever are silly. If you're really concerned with podiatrical health, go barefoot. Countries where people are barefoot don't have podiatrists...because they don't have the problems that we have because so many of us need so much attention.

I liked your "wash" rebuttal. I like when someone can fit their point on a point.

And I appreciate your justifying and am always happy to be surprised, which you did.

I was defending David Terry more on his history at Salon, for I've enjoyed many of his posts.

And I generally don't like ad homs and it seems you don't either, so we can agree on that!

"do you think that it is at all possible that women feel compelled, consciously or unconsciously, to garner this kind of attention because their primary value as females in a male-dominated society lies in their physical beauty?"

Yep. And I hate that. HATE IT. But I think we can and must resist it. I think we should pretend to be the thing we want to be. If we want to valued for our brains, then we should doff the heels and cultivate intellect. We might feel like phonies at first, faux brainiacs, but the longer one wears a mask, the more the face conforms to that mask and the more the brain conforms to those elevated expectations.

As I noted earlier, my sensibilities are informed by having regular contact with female geniuses. I spent this afternoon with a woman who scored second in Europe in their continental math competition and now oversees 30 male engineers at the age of 36 and that's a pretty standard afternoon for me. So, these unfrilled, magnificent women are my role models and my daily reminders that one doesn't have to wobble on heels to garner attention. These women command attention by dint of their brains and even more importantly, their backbones.

If I suggested that they shop for heels, they'd laugh and admit, "I don't have time."

I've also eaten milk chocolate and dark chocolate.

Now I only sleep with good friends and only eat dark chocolate.

Among other things, I write for publications dedicated to getting women out of heels and into the corner office.

"I lost my virginity at 16 with my first love and best friend; it was all champagne and roses. It was also as-porn-ational sex: I enthusiastically guided us into nearly every position I'd long marveled at online. At one point, midcoital, I actually pinched my chin and asked aloud, 'What positions are left?'"

SNARK ON.

I had something similar happen the first time I played basketball. I drained three-pointers, dribbled behind my back in traffic, and used a killer crossover to juke some NBAers.

SNARK OFF.

Seriously, who has killer, supple, slinky sexy the first time? If Ms. Clark-Flory is so physically gifted, then I want to put her on a skateboard at the X-games in one of those half pipes, give her a shove, and wait for her at the awards podium.