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I was referring to the type of corsets worn in the 1700/1800s, the sort that were extremely tight, uncomfortable, potentially damaging to health. High heels worn for most of the time are also damaging. I like to think that there will come a time when civilised society (that's the 'we' I am referring to) will identify the wearing of uncomfortable clothes for the absurdity it surely is.
In any case, it's not like there's no smart alternative to high heels.
The_Kindness_of_Trees-
Hmm. You didn't specify "the health-damaging type of corsets worn 300 years ago" though. I'm not being deliberately antagonistic, it was a genuine response to your statement - people wear both corsets and high heels by choice, today, it isn't some outdated thing. It's the expectation that women wear corsets that has gone.
I think the health thing is what will get heels banned from dress codes, but I also think it's a distraction. Clothing is a complex nuanced cultural thing, it isn't really about comfort. It is on some level absurd that we don't choose clothing based only on comfort and practicality, but we don't. No cultures ever have. We also wear make-up, that's kind of absurd, but thankfully, a bit like corsets no longer breaking your ribs when you get laced in, make-up no longer gives you lead poisoning. We can make things 'safer' - but there's so much more going on.
Requiring women to wear heels to work obviously isn't to do with 'smartness' - they could just wear exactly the same sort of Proper Leather Shoes as men (at the same place of work), in that case. It's an expectation that women look feminine and basically sexy as part of a work/professional image. But that kind of argument isn't going to get heels banned. What I hate about "heels as work dress code" isn't the discomfort but the gender expectation. Having said that, with size 9 wide flat feet, it's the physical pain that would prevent me doing/taking the job. I don't know if that makes sense. But also, I find most dress codes indefensible, I don't see why wearing a tie at the office is still a thing. Luckily I've only ever worked at casual places that don't mind if you show an ounce of 'personality' (it's not really personality, obvs, but that's what the usual dress codes seem to be afraid of?).
(tl:dr etc)
hoefla
The piece and petition is about high heels as part of a required dress code for work. Who's "we"? Plenty of people still choose to wear corsets (and related garments like waist trainers, boned dresses etc). I'm sure plenty more will continue to wear heels, many even to work, once* they are no longer required dress code.
* my assertion/assumption