Walk a Mile

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to take a walk with my nine-year-old son Dylan.  What made it unique was that I was walking in high heels. No, this wasn’t something I was doing to scar my children; it was something that I was doing to hopefully make things better for my children in the future.

As part of the fourth annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes^® event put on by the UMKC Women’s Center, Dylan and I walked with a group of other men around campus to bring attention to the problems of sexual assault and domestic violence that permeate our campuses and our country.  It is symbolic, but it is also our hope that the men involved challenge themselves and others to “do no harm” to others – especially women, but in some cases men.

Walking with Dylan, the conversation went a bit like this:

Me: Dylan, do you know why we are walking?

Dylan: Because you like high heels, Dad?  (yes, he is my son)

Me: No, really. Why are we doing this?

Dylan: Because people hurt women?

Me: Yes, and it is our job to encourage other men to never do that.

Dylan:  Cool.  I guess when I get to college I will wear high heels, too.

Me: I’d like that son, I’d like that a lot.

If you don’t have a similar program on your campus, please consider starting one (visit www.walkamile.org for details).  It is critical that men bring attention to this horrific issue and do what we can to challenge those that may believe that behavior is acceptable.