As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangsta. JK. Can you remember a time when women occupied the same space as men do in any sneaker community? There’s always the token. Or the girls who seem to always know someone going overseas who can cop them a pair you can’t find in the country.

Or the girls who don’t give a damn about sneakers but have brands falling over themselves to give them some exclusive stuff because cool is their currency. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind influencers – do you, booboo. But I do believe that all women in the country deserve the opportunity to BUY the sneakers they want to buy at reasonable prices. Not just the two colourways at that one store, you know?

That’s a little difficult to do when people think women are not key players or equals in the sneaker community. Even if you (like me) don’t have a “community” and you just like some heat on your feet, it’s not always easy to find some variety in this country. One just needs to look at the lack of pairs for GRADE SCHOOL SIZES in these shops to know that these South African buyers never loved us.

Can we change that? I’m going to try.

I don’t believe anyone should ever be asked to justify when or why or how they fell in love with sneakers. But for some reason, even the most eye-roll-worthy d-bags seem to think it’s ok to ask women to explain themselves.

The other day, I was sitting 50m above the ground, sulking about not being able to bunjee jump and minding my business when two guys I’d just met pointed to my toes and asked me: ‘what are those?’

I get that a lot.

“ZX Flux,” I said, still in my feelings about the bunjee.

Then I shook my head and a millisecond later, corrected myself: “ZX 500, sorry,” I said.

“Then why did you lie to us,” quizzed the one boy.

“I didn’t lie,” I rolled my eyes, “I misspoke.”

And so I listened to about five minutes of him claiming I was a liar, got over it and chatted with other people. Now, because I’m used to guys trying to test me about sneakers, I wasn’t surprised that someone came for me.

I was a little annoyed that it was someone who doesn’t know a thing about sneakers that felt that it was ok to come for me because I am a woman so I oviaaasly don’t know what I’m rocking.

I think people are corny to get hung up on trying to out each other instead of just enjoying their sneakers – and including people who are interested in sneakers but are constantly pushed to the fringes in that enjoyment. Let’s include each other, yes?

If you’re wondering, I was wearing Rita Ora x adidas ZX 500 2.0 Floral – but I don’t think anyone needs to feel pressure to say that wholllllleeeee title. That mentality must fall. Ha! I don’t know why I don’t have images of me rocking them but I, ahem, borrowed this image from Nicekicks.