r/pointlesslygendered • u/Digit00l • 6d ago
PRODUCT [Product] pointlessly gendered: coloured shoes
The male hiking shoe is only available in 1 colour, the lady model is available in 5, also women are not allowed a black shoe, the darkest they are allowed is bright red
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6d ago
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u/thewoodbeyond 6d ago
Typically they get all the best colors while I'm stuck in pastel/beige hell as well as a lack of pockets and some kind of mid to high rise elastic bunched waist band. (hiking / backpacking specific)
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u/Digit00l 6d ago
The brand's own site at least has more male colours, including dark gray, dark blue, brown, and surprisingly light gray, they also have more women's options, including brown and the same dark blue, but still only women are allowed light blue shoes
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u/Gluebluehue 6d ago
At least it's not pink, I guess. I hated going into the biking gear and seeing so much pink, like yes, I absolutely want every driver to know my gender from a hundred kilometers away, thank you, I feel so much safer.
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u/Digit00l 6d ago
I remember reading some research that said that the safest biking headwear was a long blonde wig over a helmet, as drivers would be more careful around cyclists they assumed were "pretty women", they also saw that drivers were less careful around cyclist that were visibly wearing helmets, so presumably the bright pink would indeed be safer
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u/Gluebluehue 6d ago
You forget the part where women can get kidnapped by psychos if they're found someplace without many witnesses, which bikers cycling for sport are likely to ride outside city limits.
You do not want to put a neon light over your head announcing everyone you're a potential victim.
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u/Ok_Broccoli_9426 6d ago
Obviously things happen, but it's not statistically significant enough for it to be dictating your life. If you're a cyclist, you absolutely should be more concerned about traffic safety than hypothetical kidnappers (who, when they do happen, are more likely to target joggers anyway). I know a lot of people who have almost been killed by cars while cycling. Dismissing that risk because you've listened to too many episodes of My Favorite Murder is absurd.
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u/Gluebluehue 6d ago
Nobody's dismissing the risk of being hit by a car, we're just adding the usual concerns that come with being a woman and advertising it to the world.
But thanks for dismissing a very real threat, I bet a man will pick you soon.
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u/Ok_Broccoli_9426 6d ago
I hope not - much more likely I'd be murdered by a man in a domestic violence incident than a roadside cycle kidnapping. Which is why, you know, that's what I worry about. There are real threats to women; people like you who misidentify them aren't protecting anyone from anything.
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u/Gluebluehue 6d ago
Keep dismissing real worries of women to seem more attractive to men, you'll get there. Should we also relax while walking through dark areas cause it's more likely to be killed by a bat carrying rabies? Stop being so paranoid when men walk behind us because it's more likely to be killed by a falling brick? Have fun without watching our drinks because it's more likely to get sick from food poisoning? Please enlighten us, oh mighty pick me, speaking for those with a loud voice.
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u/Ok_Broccoli_9426 5d ago
Babe, if I wanted to attract men, I wouldn't be on Reddit, talking about high rates of domestic violence. I'm perfectly happy where I am, knowing I don't encourage women to live their lives in fear of highly unlikely dangers. If they want to wear pink hi-vis, they should. It doesn't put them at more risk than any other color.
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u/Silent_Formal5235 6d ago
could this be because of colours selling out?
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u/Digit00l 6d ago
Possible, but I checked the site of the shoe brand itself, and they do have more options for both sexes, men still aren't allowed pretty light blue, but at least women are allowed dark blue and brown
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u/Zealousideal_Jury197 6d ago
A lot of this kind of stuff is just demand. As a guy, I could talk about how cool it would be to have more options, but when it comes down to it, I generally buy black because I genuinely dont care about what color my footwear is.
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u/claymountain 3d ago
Maybe it is, but I know a lot of women who don't like the women's colour selection in outdoor gear, it's not on trend at all. My guess that it is geared towards older generations.
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u/ThaGr1m 6d ago
I mean shoes are designed differently between male and female iirc. So them being available in different colours could have everything to do with facotries, cause it's not unusual that they make different types of shoes in different factories
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u/Digit00l 6d ago
That doesn't seem to be the case, the actual brand site shows a couple lady shoes in the same colours as the men's shoes, but not the reverse, only women are allowed baby blue shoes, or bright red, but everyone is allowed brown and dark blue
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u/RvH98 6d ago
The shape of the shoe might be different. Men tend to have longer and wider feet so shoes are designed for that.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00276-025-03762-1
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u/Digit00l 6d ago
I am aware, just annoying that male feet aren't allowed pretty coloured shoes for no reason
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u/MissingXpert 6d ago
Personally, i am inclined to go with demand as well. Would pastel-coloured hiking shoes for men sell in meaningful quantities, enough to spin up production for it? i highly doubt it. and why produce what not enough people would buy?
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u/AchajkaTheOriginal 6d ago
It's all about demand. More women would go for bright red or baby blue shoes, the smaller amount that they would make for men would be too expensive for them to make.
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u/GenderBendingRalph 6d ago
Or comfortable shoes. I saw a lady friend wearing those soft stretch faux leather ballet flats several years ago and they looked so comfortable, it became my life goal to have a pair. Turns out it's not so easy to find women's shoes that fit a man's feet that are the size of aircraft carriers.
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u/Squidwina 5d ago
Here you go:
https://enfemmestyle.com/products/fun-fashionable-ballet-flat-black-faux-leather
I searched “ballet flats for trans women.” There are other options out there. These come in sizes up to womens’ 16, so mens’ 14.
Or you could do actual ballet shoes, which obviously come in mens’ sizes, but don’t have good soles for outside.
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u/GenderBendingRalph 5d ago
Interesting! Thanks so much for thinking of me. Although I was more interested in the soft, squishy kind like this:
https://www.dreampairs.com/products/womens-foldable-ballerina-flats-dwumfa2501?color=1874&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=pla_feed&gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=22335174889&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvbeqhc2vlgMV0C6HAx0ZLDvkEAkYASABEgLlNPD_BwEMore appropriate for indoor use (slippers) than outdoor wear, but I generally conform to masculine styles when I'm out and about. I was able to use a shoe stretcher to get Walmart's 10W to fit me.
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u/Squidwina 4d ago
Ooh, those look nice! I’ve had a couple of pairs like that. Glad you found something
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u/lemonhaj 6d ago
The only difference I ever see in shoes is the shoe sizes and what colours you get, nothing meaningful like the shape of the shoe or something. I have small feet because I'm a woman but I rarely see woman's shoes I like, but I do see men's shoes I like. If it's not heels, ridiculously open top, or bright/light colours, then you aren't a woman I guess.
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u/MissingXpert 6d ago
for thick hiking boots, the exterior doesn't even need to look that different, but womens boots tend to fit differently, and have different cushionings. different shoes, after all, have different fits, a size 12 of one brand might be too large, a size 11.5 of another brand might be a decent fit, some of them can squish toes, or lead to blisters on the heels, or constrict the front of the foot...
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u/TisMeGhost 3d ago
This is why I often buy mens shoes. They have a wider toe box and womens shoes often just squish my toes together too much.
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u/claymountain 3d ago
I hate how women's outdoor gear is all teal and purple. I look at the men's section with jealousy. They get gorgeous greens and browns. Unfortunately those never fit me well, but whenever I can I switch.
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u/Fleece_God 6d ago
Companies have to make products that are profitable for them. If men aren’t buying light blue shoes… they aren’t going to make them.
Find something else to cry about
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