STYLEPOWER

 

 

In the spring of 2019 a woman named Laura Salgato posted two selfies on her then-Twitter account of her stealing an anti-abortionist protestor’s sign and walking down the street with it as the protester called 911. Laura’s Twitter account no longer exists, but thanks to the power of screenshots and viral social media, we can experience the tiny difference Laura made for some women heading into the clinic. What were they doing in said clinic? Could have been an annual checkup, cancer screening, STD testing, birth control, hormone therapy, infertility treatment (that means they’re trying to have a child, in case ya didn’t know), or countless other reasons. We’ll never really know why a woman goes into an abortion clinic for one reason — it’s none of our damn business.        

 

 

 

 

One sunny day in mid-June, Laura Salgato decided to make it her business—to take to protestors away from a building that provides women’s healthcare. Now, we at WONDERLUST support the right to non-violent protests — especially against the tyrannical bastard who runs the place (just kidding!). As of the writing of this article, it’s still a thing we’re technically, constitutionally, allowed to do. 

 

And if you support protests, you have to support the right to protest on both sides.

 

But you don’t have to like it. 

 

When I first saw Laura’s post, I immediately thought to myself: “Why didn’t I think of that?” Why don’t we all grab signs and walk down the street to distract protestors from women seeking healthcare? And then take selfies and inspire other women to do the same?

 

 

 

 

Remember when “a woman in comfortable shoes” was meant to be an insult? (In case you don’t remember, the insinuation was that gay women wore comfortable shoes because straight women were still binding their feet in vain.) 

 

Well, good thing we don’t say stupid stuff like that anymore. Comfort is in, suffering is long gone, just like the coat hanger abortion culture, right friends? 

 

January 22 marks the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion in the U.S. Because this is a style column, let’s focus on the practicality of the situation. If you want to protest, you need to do it in style: You need the right shoes. Here are some of my favorites along with a few “fashionable” facts I thought you might enjoy.

 

 

 

 

John Fluevog Poser Shiloh Elegant Mary Jane Heels

$299

SHOP fluevog.com

 

One in four pregnancies ends in abortion, whether it’s legal or not. Criminalizing abortions only means that women have to find a “back alley” way of doing it. Try to imagine a friend/sister/daughter/mother/cousin/coworker/kind barista/librarian/auto mechanic/call center human/woman with no ties to you whatsoever doing this and realize how horrible it would be. 

 

In 1930, abortion caused 2,700 officially recorded deaths, totaling 18% of birth-related deaths that year. That’s just a few less than all the people who died on 9/11.

 

 

 

 

Tamara Mellon Kindred Mid Calf 55 Boots

$995

SHOP tamaramellon.com

 

According to the Guttmacher Institute, in NYC in 1962, nearly 1,600 women were admitted to Harlem Hospital Center for “incomplete abortions”.  Also in NYC, in the early-60s, one in four childbirth-related deaths among white women was due to an abortion. That rate jumped to one in two for nonwhite and Puerto Rican Women. 

 

 

 

 

Akira Not Over It Chunky Bootie

$49

SHOP akira.com

 

Even when abortion is legal, abortion access can still be difficult. Especially for minorities. In the 1972, when some states offered legalized abortion, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 130,000 women obtained illegal or self-induced abortions. 

 

 

 

 

Jimmy Choo Norway White Knit Trainers with Hot Knit Crystals

$1,995

SHOP  jimmychoo.com

 

According to Amnesty International, over the last 60 years more than 30 countries have changed their laws to allow for greater abortion access, including Nicaragua and El Salvador. The US would be on the list of countries attempting to go backwards.

 

Oh, and comfortable shoes don’t have to be cheap.

 

 

 

 

Christian Louboutin Louise Capet Ankle Boots

$1,995

SHOP us.christianlouboutin.com

 

In 2011, females made up 50.8% of the US population. That’s a lot of comfortable shoes. 

 

And that’s a lot of voters.