Men strutted and stumbled in bright red pumps on Thompson Drive Sept. 10 during Thompson’s seventh-annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, an internationally co-ordinated march where men don a pair of (typically red) high heels and walk to raise awareness of violence against women, and to raise money to help support YWCA programming.
“Violence doesn’t just affect women and girls; it affects the men who care about them, their families, their friends, their coworkers and their communities,” said Kim Hickes, executive director of YWCA Thompson, speaking to the walkers prior to the march. “It’s not easy to walk in high heels, but it is fun, and it generates a conversation that is really difficult to talk about: violence.”
Also lending words of support were Churchill-Keewatinook Aski MP Niki Ashton, Thompson MLA Kelly Bindle, Vale manager of corporate affairs Ryan Land and Mayor Dennis Fenske. Other visible participants were the Norman Northstars and their coach James Buchanan, as well as a uniformed member of the RCMP.
Event co-ordinator Nina Cordell noted that the event has always had strong support in the community. “I wasn’t working at the time, but I attended the first year, and Thompson, per capita, earned the most money out of all other cities in Canada. I felt very proud that our men wanted to step up and contribute.”
This year’s event raised just under $10,000, through canvassing by walkers as well as donations from Vale and United Steelworkers Local 6166.
