People around the globe have been slamming Ukrainian authorities after official pictures showed female soldiers practising for next month’s military parade in heels instead of the usual army boots.
The country is preparing for an official ceremony on 24 August to mark 30 years of its independence following the Soviet Union’s breakup and the defence ministry released pictures of visibly fatigued female soldiers marching in mid-heel black footwear.?
According to reports, cadet Ivanna Medvid said: "Today, for the first time, training takes place in heeled shoes. It is slightly harder than in army boots but we are trying."??
This choice of footwear sparked a torrent of criticism on social media and in parliament, and led to accusations that women soldiers had been sexualised.??Several Ukrainian lawmakers also showed up in parliament with pairs of shoes and encouraged the defence minister,?Andrii Taran,?to wear high heels to the parade.?
Inna Sovsun, a member of the Golos party, said: "It is hard to imagine a more idiotic, harmful idea," before adding that women soldiers were, like men, risking their lives and 'do not deserve to be mocked'.??
People have been lashing out online and are dissing the blatant sexism in the country.?
More than 31,000 women serve in the Ukrainian armed forces, including more than 4,000 of whom are officers. This kind of sexism is beyond embarrassing to say the least.?