We Were Doomed From the 13th Century: Chinese Footbinding & The Effects on Later Generations

Originally, viewed as a sign of wealth for royalty and elite women from families of high regard in the late 13th century. The idea was these women would never have to worry about working, so they could afford to just lounge around. All they were required to do was to look pretty. Furthermore, the brutal beauty regimen was revered as a sign of beauty. However, she was crippled by the debilitating effects.

"For families with marriageable daughters, foot size translated into its own form of currency and a means of achieving upward mobility," Smithsonian.com's Amanda Foreman said. "The most desirable bride possessed a three-inch foot, known as a 'golden lotus.' It was respectable to have four-inch feet—a silver lotus—but feet five inches or longer were dismissed as iron lotuses...marriage prospects for such a girl were dim indeed."
 

The grueling ancient Chinese tradition required women to bind there feet from toe to heel, all the while bending and breaking the the foot bones to get desired size and shape. It is said that women with small feet are more submissive, beautiful and good wives. However, if a women had large feet she was undesirable to men. According to the Never Marry A Woman with Big Feet: Women in Proverbs from Around the World author Mineke Schipper states, "Larger feet women are not only literally regarded as a turn-off but, in proverbs they usually stand for something else." The 'something else' they are referring to is the idea of 'the right measure.' Metaphorically a women's foot size would let a suitor know if she small enough for him. Also, men believed that a smaller woman looked vulnerable, in turn making her more sexually desirable. 

**Patriarchy have a seat!**

Schipper also writes in the book the old adage of the time, "Never marry a woman with feet bigger than your own. Don't marry the one with the big feet, because she is your fellow-male. Look for someone who has short feet, because who has long feet is your fellow-male."

So, this is all to make the man feel bigger? I guess.   

Times have changed and women with large feet do get married and find happiness. Some of there husbands are equal in size, some smaller, some larger. This is no different from a woman with an average size shoe. But, it's interesting to see that such a tradition can be seen in pop culture as well as have an effect on young women for generations to come.

None of the images displayed belong to Shonchelle Shereé.