OPINION: Allyship in Sneakers
Image: CNK Daily
Diversity. Inclusion. Equity. Allyship.
These words have transitioned from subtext to bold print headers over the past five years. With companies, organizations, and industries all being subject to scrutiny for lack of any combination of the four aforementioned terms, we looked internally to examine alliances, or lack thereof, within sneakers. With any change in modus operandi, comes the need for allyship and the continued fight for equity in the sneaker space is no different.
The sneaker industry has historically been dominated by males, at least optically. Though considerable strides have been made in the last 15 years to include and spotlight more women, the community still has a ways to go for it to be a true reflection of its reality.
Simply stated. Allyship between men and women in sneakers is of paramount importance.
As a man, I agree wholeheartedly. I am certainly not attempting to speak for all men, but I would venture to think most sensible males would agree, as well. However, I also tend to think we, we being men- namely me, have no idea what true allyship looks like in this scenario.
Instead of assuming the answer, I spoke to some notable sneaker collectors and longtime enthusiasts to find out just what it means to be an ally, if allyship currently exists, and how it can tangibly be executed and extended.
As legendary Brooklyn based sneaker collector Jasmine Gonzalez, better known as @kixiejixie, explains, “It means something different for everybody.”
“In calling this a culture, we have to include everyone. And I think creating allyship,” she continues, “is creating inclusion for everyone.”
“There’s so many levels to this,” expresses renowned sneakerhead Bianca Derousse out of Miami, publicly known as @imsimplyb. “I think, first, mentioning my name in rooms.”
For longtime sneakerhead and Houston resident Dara Landry, known as @she.landry, it’s about recognition, as well. “To me, it’s men supporting women’s presence in sneakers. There are spaces that men are constantly a part of that women sometimes are not a part of. So, men stepping up and either saying hey we need women at this table or saying a woman’s opinion would be great here - would be awesome.”
It became pretty apparent through these conversations that the theme of both support and advocacy is the irreplaceable foundation for allyship to be built upon. Speaking up and allowing space for women is an action that should be easily carried out by any company or person that has a voice within the sneaker culture.
But that begs the question: Is that enough?
As a Black man, I don’t pretend to understand the depth of struggles faced by women in sneakers but I can empathize with the idea of your value being whittled down to what makes the majority feel the most comfortable. I can also empathize with the vacillation between being grateful to have a seat at the proverbial table and the hyperawareness of others feeling like they may have “allowed” you to have a seat you rightfully earned.
“I have been blessed to be a part of some dope projects,” admits ImsimplyB. “I remember one in particular, I was the only woman (in sneakers) they knew and they didn’t even really know me.”
Therein lies the conundrum of simple diversity and inclusion. The tolerance of an underrepresented voice’s presence does not an ally make, regardless of intention or reasoning for having said voice or person allegedly included. It is key, fellas and corporations, that we operate with due diligence so that proper equity is allotted. Selecting the only woman, or the obvious one, under the guise of allyship is detrimental to the cause, and counterproductive to the empowerment of women in the space.
Whether it is praising a women’s release for being a dope sneaker, instead of a slapping women’s label on it as some sort of Scarlet Letter, or giving the ladies a chance to react to a female collaboration prior to male run media sites rating its resale value, intentionality is a must when it comes to allyship.
“When a new women’s collaboration comes out, the male bloggers will get pictures of the sneaker, post about it first, and talk about how trash they are and they don’t have resale value,” says KixeJixie. “So they diminish the sneaker before the women get a chance to actually review and state they like it. And our opinion could be very different. We could say the sneaker’s fire, because that’s what we have available in our space and it’s an elevated product in our space.”
“Men don’t realize how they contribute to a very negative space that can exist for us, and they have to take that more into consideration,” she continues.
As She.Landry so eloquently states, “Just being excited when the girls get something. When it’s the women’s turn. Being excited for it and not knocking it.”
Allyship in sneakers may not seem like a pressing matter for men. Much like perceived majorities in other sectors of society, it's rare that something has to be considered if it has no ill effect on the oblivious entity. However, women have and always will be a staple in sneakers, if not the heads of the community. Women have taken the sneaker culture to new heights by pairing kicks with fashion that us men could never imagine. Because they had to. The sneaker culture wasn’t exactly welcoming of women in the beginning stages and society wasn’t always ready to accept a woman collecting sneakers without a stigma attached to the hobby.
Now, thankfully, we are in a place in sneakers where women are, and should be celebrated, elevated, and viewed as equals because they have proven to be more than that.
Don’t believe me? Do me a favor and ask the nearest sneakerhead you know how hard it was for her to grab a pair of kicks from a reseller? Contrary to how this may read, all three ladies that were interviewed agree that allyship exists currently, and applauded men for doing so in various ways.
“Yes, I’d say it exists.” ImsimplyB says of allyship in sneakers. “The men around me have protected me at sneaker releases.”
“There has been a lot of space made for women for a long time,” says KixieJixie. “But it is very needed.”
She. Landry suggests, “I do feel like allyship exists. I feel like there are men who support men in sneakers.”
From my conversations, allyship is executed much easier than it seems. As men, we should be loud in our support of women in sneakers, bold in our championing for women in sneakers, and vigilant in our assurance of their equity in the space. Accept the fact that some sneakers aren’t for us, and compliment them even if they aren’t available in our size. On social media, if you like something a woman wears or how she puts a fit together to include sneakers, share it. Like it and allow others the opportunity to do the same. If something is dope, it’s dope. It isn’t dope “for a woman’s shoe”. Just Dope.
ImsimplyB says it best, “If you have the connect, send the link. Period”
Easily said and done.