Walk like a man
Ninety men donned high heels and walked a mile-long course around campus to raise awareness for and take a stand against sexual assault and violence against women.
The event dubbed “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” was created by Utah State University’s Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information Office (SAAVI) as a way to address the sensitive subject of sexual violence through humor.
“We’ve got a lot of wonderful men on our campus that are willing to take a stand against sexual violence,” SAAVI Coordinator Rachel Brighton said. “This also shows that this is not just a women’s issue, it’s a human problem. This event gives men a chance to mobilize and gives them a voice.”
Participation tripled from last year and the pledges that the men collect will exceed their goal of $2,000, she said. The money will go toward the SAAVI program.
“I did this because I’d like to make a stand against violence – plus I look pretty good in these heels,” said John Gilmore, a junior sporting hot pink, three-inch stilettos. “It really is important to get peoples’ attention about this thing, because violence against women on campus is a big deal.”
The men that participated were dressed to different degrees in female clothing. All wore varying colors and heights of heels, some were in skirts or carried purses and others even wore makeup. Most carried signs citing statistics on sexual violence or that raised awareness for April being Sexual Assault Awareness month.
Cheers and applause broke out as the walkers finished their course, coming back to the Taggart Student Center P atio with smiles on their faces.
At the end of the walk, prizes were given to Edgar Wing for being the most enthusiastic walker for shaving his legs, wearing a dress and applying makeup, and to Matt Leituala for raising the most money – $260.15 – in pledges.
The grand prize went to Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity for having 21 walkers. This is the second year they have won the traveling trophy, narrowly beating the Disability Resource Center with 18 participants.
Brighton said, “We want to thank these great guys for taking a very visual stand against violence. This is a quick and small act with long-lasting impacts on the violence on our campus. I hope to see this for years to come.”
Leituala, an employee with Student Involvement and Leadership, not only raised the most money, but also wore a pregnant belly because a friend told him she would pledge $50 instead of $20 if he wore the belly.
“I thought that was definitely worth it, and it helped me empathize with my wife who is pregnant right now,” Leituala said about his use of the pregnancy belly.
“This is a very worthy cause to raise awareness for sexual assault and violence. I felt thankful and honored to have participated,” he added. “Next year, I think I will work more on getting people to walk with me.”
Along with men in heels, the event offered tables on the TSC Patio with information about sexual assault and violence and people to answer questions.
Senior Melanie O’Hara said she wanted to help because she’s been teaching Rape Aggression Defense classes for four years after her dad, who is a police officer, got her involved. She said people in her family have been raped and she wants people to be aware of the problems that exist.
As part of Sexual Assault Awareness month, the SAAVI Office is offering a “talk back” about the attempted rape in West Side Story after next Wednesday’s performance.
–dilewis@cc.usu.edu
A group of men walk in high heels around campus, ready to participate in the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event on Wednesday.