How would you describe a barefooter?
Someone who either never wears shoes or someone who prefers to not wear shoes
How long have you been barefoot?
hard to say, probably roughly most of my life. I really started to get into barefooting around my senior year of high school
Why did you decide to be barefoot?
I always liked not wearing shoes, the feeling of having nothing on my feet is great and I love feeling the ground beneath my soles. It puts me at ease and helps me relax in a way
On a scale of 1 to 10, how “extreme” are you?
probably a 6 or 7 at most
What is your opinion on shoes and socks?
Despite not wearing shoes much, I’m not an anti shoe person. I’ll wear them no problem whenever I need to or want to, and besides, they look cool lol
Do you think being barefoot is socially acceptable? Why or why not?
not necessarily. not a whole lot of people do it and it’s often looked down upon by some
Have you ever not been able to go in somewhere/refused service because you didn’t have shoes on?
Yes actually. I was staying at a hotel with friends for a sleepover (this was back when I was in High school) and I was barefoot almost the entire time. We went to eat breakfast and I was told I had to put on shoes before I could eat.
What are the best and worst reactions you have gotten? How do you deal with bad reactions and unsolicited opinions?
The best reactions was with one of my friends, we were hanging out at school and as I was leaving she noticed my lack of footwear and went “Oh wow I just noticed you have no shoes on!”, she asked if it hurt walking outside on pavement and whatnot and she even kicked off her shoes as well. Another one of my friends wondered if I drove here barefoot and basically went “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear shoes”. One of my high school friends was very curious when I told her that I didn’t wear shoes to college and she asked a lot of questions. I haven’t really gotten any negative reactions outside of some lighthearted teasing from my friend group
How do you go about feet care?
Nothing special outside of just washing really good when I shower
Do you wear foot jewelry?
No, kinda defeats the point of being BAREfoot for me. I have been thinking about wearing ankle bracelets though
Have you dealt with fetishers?
Thankfully no
Do you walk on everything or are there surfaces you don’t walk on?
I don’t walk on sidewalks and pavement when it’s summer. Way too hot to deal with. Shoes are mandatory at that point
What is your favorite surface to walk barefoot on and why?
There was this one extremely soft patch of grass I walked through that felt amazing, nice and cool as I scrunched my toes through it.
What are the worst things you’ve stepped on?
dog crap. it was nasty, didn’t even see it somehow
How do you handle cold temperatures?
I usually wear shoes if it gets too cold but typically I sprint to where I need to go where it’s warmer lol
In your experience, what season is best to be barefoot?
Spring/fall. Fall in Texas is cooler than summer but it’s still pretty darn warm lol
How does being barefoot affect aspects of your life (love, career e.t.c)?
Doesn’t really affect work since I’m required to wear shoes at work
What challenges do you run into (physically, socially e.t.c)?
mainly just socially, worrying about what people could say
What are misconceptions about being barefoot?
It’s honestly not really any more unhygienic than wearing shoes
What are your fears that stem from being barefoot?
The social aspect; people silently judging me, looking down at my feet, potentially saying something, all that jazz. Especially in college because I would worry showing up to class, a professor noticing my bare feet and reprimanding me in front of the entire class. That would be embarrassing
What advantages of being barefoot have you experienced?
The experience of not having anything on your feet is pretty liberating imo. There’s also a ton of health benefits to walking barefoot too
What disadvantages of being barefoot have you experienced?
mainly just worrying about social issues + your feet are obviously a lot more vulnerable this way. More susceptible to temperature and hazards on the ground and all that.
What are things to NOT say or do to barefoot people?
don’t make a big deal about it I’d say. Let them do what they want as it’s not really affecting anyone but them. It’s ok to strike up a conversation out of curiosity or to comment in general but don’t make a scene
How do you feel about how barefoot is portrayed in media? What are some of your favorite pieces of media with authentic representation?
Feel like there should be more, as there’s currently not a whole lot of representation currently. I do like Rapunzel from Tangled and Corrin from Fire Emblem. Rapunzel because she is a distinguished royal and yet despite that she has a fondness for not wearing any shoes at all. Same deal with Corrin but the difference is that nobody really brings this up with her and she fights while being barefoot too.
What would you like to say to barefooters?
hope you’re able to convince a lot more people to join us 🙂
Give tips to new barefooters and people looking to go barefoot.
take your time, start slow if needed, pace yourself. All that jazz
How do you wish our society would perceive and treat barefoot people?
I do wish people wouldn’t be so weirded out and judgemental.
What would you like people to know about being barefoot?
It’s an incredibly fun and even beneficial experience. Try it out and see what you think!