Male Politicians In Canada Parade Around In Pink Heels, Video Draws Mixed Reactions

Videos have surfaced on social media showing male Canadian lawmakers wearing pink-coloured high heels inside the Parliament of Canada in an effort to raise awareness about violence against women. The politicians were participating in the ''Hope In High Heels'' campaign sponsored by Halton Women's Place, a women's shelter in Ontario, Fox News reported.

The campaign, which has been running for four years, aims to educate men and boys about gender-based violence while raising funds for the women's shelter. 

''Violence against women is still prevalent in our society. Hope in Heels is an event that spreads awareness of violence against women while encouraging men and boys to be part of the solution. We wore their signature pink heels in support of this important cause,'' Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra tweeted Thursday, sharing a video of the event that shows the men walking around the conference table in pink heels.

Watch the video here:

Violence against women is still prevalent in our society. Hope in Heels is an event that spreads awareness on violence against women while encouraging men and boys to be part of the solution. We wore their signature pink heels in support to this important cause. @HaltonWomensPl pic.twitter.com/5qngxQ6Myu

— Omar Alghabra (@OmarAlghabra) April 20, 2023

Liberal MP Karina Gould also shared pictures of her male colleagues donning the hot pink heels. She wrote, ''We welcomed  @HaltonWomensPl to the Hill for the 4th annual Hope in High Heels on the Hill, to continue the conversation on systemic violence against women. Educating men and boys is part of the solution, and it is all of our responsibilities to end gender-based violence.''

We welcomed @HaltonWomensPl to the Hill for the 4th annual Hope in High Heels on the Hill, to continue the conversation on systemic violence against women.

Educating men and boys is part of the solution, and it is all of our responsibilities to end gender based violence. pic.twitter.com/W1Y2daIhHP

— Karina Gould (@karinagould) April 20, 2023

While only a handful supported the move, not everyone was impressed with their efforts, and many said that the shallow exercise trivialised the issue of violence against women. Some even called it ''insultng, ''embarrassing'' and ''ridiculous.''

One user wrote, ''Canadian women, do you feel safer now? Or do you just feel that a bunch of virtue-signalling Liberal clowns are needlessly making fools of themselves?'' Another wrote, ''I'm so embarrassed for you this actually made my scalp tingle.''

A third wrote, ''This circus is not helping women in any way, shape, or form. It's men having a goddamn laugh. Male violence against women is not a laughing matter and it certainly won't be reduced by a bunch of pr*cks parading around in heels.'' 

A fourth added, ''How are men trying to walk in pink high heels encouraging anyone to be part of a solution to stop violence against women? This does not make me feel safe at all, quite the opposite.'' A fifth added, ''As the survivor of a violent attack this is just so offensive,'' while another stated, ''Mocking femininity will really do the trick.''

The event comes just two days after a self-identified transgender woman in Ontario, Canada, was arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a women's shelter. According to the World Health Organization, one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in their life.