How would you describe a barefooter?
A person who enjoys walking on their own bare soles as much as possible.
How long have you been barefoot?
Over twenty years.
Why did you decide to be barefoot?
Because it felt nice.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how “extreme” are you?
Maybe 7 or 8 or so? I do wear shoes when necessary, so a full 10 probably doesn’t apply,
What is your opinion on shoes and socks?
Mos of the time, they are completely unnecessary.
Why do you think being barefoot is deemed as socially unacceptable?
The global footwear industry is worth almost 400 billion dollars. Go from there and figure it out.
Have you ever not been able to go in somewhere/refused service because you didn’t have shoes on?
Yes. Three times. The first was a supermarket in a train station, the second one was a bus, and the third one was an internet cafe.
What are the best and worst reactions you have gotten? How do you deal with bad reactions and unsolicited opinions?
Good reactions, like friendly shouts and talks with interested people, see me engaging them.
Bad reactions, like slurs and harassment, is extremely rare, and all but ignored.
As for DOEs, what can one do but accept them and move on?
How do you go about feet care?
I wash and clean my feet on a daily basis.
Have you dealt with fetishers?
Not with regard to their fetish. Bare feet are not among my fetishes.
Do you walk on everything or are there surfaces you don’t walk on?
I tend to avoid rain track gravel because that stuff is *evil*. Also, poop and carcasses, because *ew*. Most other than that, let”s go!
What is your favorite surface to walk barefoot on and why?
Fresh, crunchy snow. I only found out that I’m inured enough to walk barefoot in the cold a few years ago, and damn is it fun.
What are the worst things you’ve stepped on?
I stepped on tacks, into poop, and animal carcasses. Thankfully not all at once.
Have you had any mishaps?
My left big toe had to be stitched after I slipped on an outdoor stairs on the way to a friend and almost severed it. That was about the most painful thing ever to happen to my feet so far.
How do you handle cold temperatures?
By dressing warmly (No, really). Thermo long johns and leg warmers can do wonders.
In your experience, what season is best to be barefoot?
Summer, if it isn’t too hot, spring and autumn. I don’t particularly like winter, even though I do love snow.
How does being barefoot affect aspects of your life (love, career e.t.c)?
My SO is very accepting of my quirk. As for my career, they don’t know, and they don’t have to.
What challenges do you run into (physically, socially e.t.c)?
Not many.
Physically: Sometimes, when I walked much over the day, my soles hurt a bit.
Socially: I have carved my niche of friends who know me and are accepting. There’s not much more to want.
What are misconceptions about being barefoot?
That it’s unhealthy or dangerous. It really isn’t
What are your fears that stem from being barefoot?
That social mores may develope to the point where it’s *actually* forbidden to live barefoot.
What advantages of being barefoot have you experienced?
Being able to grip things with the toes. Can’t do that with shoes on ^^
What disadvantages of being barefoot have you experienced?
Sometimes, the ground is just unfriendly, and I have to navigate it slower than a shod person would.
What are things to NOT say or do to barefoot people?
Don’t create separations where none exist. We’re not barefoot people, we’re just people.
How do you feel about how barefoot is portrayed in media? What are some of your favorite pieces of media with authentic representation?
In the media, being barefoot is mostly a telltale sign of either weirdness (for adults, mostly) or innocence (for children, mostly). I’m not sure whether I particularly like either, and I struggle to come up with a work that features a barefoot character who just *is* barefoot – mentioned, but uncommented.
What would you like to say to barefooters?
Keep going folks! Have fun and fair ways!
Give tips to new barefooters and people looking to go barefoot.
Don’t overdo it in the beginning, and have a pair of flip-flops at hand for when you need them.
How do you wish our society would perceive and treat barefoot people?
The same as everyone else. Just get rid of that ridiculous taboo or stigma or whatever we want to call it. Let people who want to be barefoot be barefoot, without any negative consequences.
What would you like people to know about being barefoot?
That it’s healthy, and fun, and that they should at least try it.
Tell your story, opinions, experiences.
Funny interaction I had:
I was in the tram, during scorching hot summer a few years ago. Across me sat a young mother with her toddler in a stroller. She didn’t even take notice of me, but the little guy was hungrily taking in the world, and at some point, our eyes met.
There was no word spoken. It was a typical public transit interaction – he looks at me, unwaveringly, I look back, try to look friendly, I don’t want him to get afraid of me. Then he notices that my feet are bare; in fact he gets a good look at my dirty sole since my foot rests on my knee as I sit. I grin and wiggle with my toes, give a little “hello” wave.
He goes O.o and looks at his own shod feet – and seriously, why would you put shoes on a little kid, in a stroller, IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER?!! – looks back at my bare ones, and back again to his.
I stand up and walk to the doors as my stop comes up, and the last thing I see is that he gets antsy and wants his shoes off, and his mother gives me this exasperated “I hate you so much right now” look as I disembark, grinning like a maniac.