I Need Your Help!

Kids do not have to wear shoes to school in Aukland.

I’ve never done this before, but I’m asking my shoe-wearing friends to help me out. If you are not a barefooter, if you have no desire to become one, then we barefooters could really use your help.

I ran into a friend recently who got kicked out of two stores in as many days (for being barefoot, of course). She went through the usual routine that has become a habit for us barefooters: she asked why, she was told the myths (health code, liability, etc.) and she debunked them, then she was ejected from the building anyway. After going through similar situations myself for the past five years it has become abundantly clear that having the facts [1] on your side is irrelevant (that is an especially hard pill to swallow for the one who literally wrote the book).

My friend’s recent confrontations illustrate the discrimination that barefooters face: if I go barefoot into a business today I run a significant risk of being bullied and thrown out. Seriously, if you are not a barefooter you likely do not understand the level of vitriol I’m talking about – I’ve been called an idiot and disgusting by managers; I’ve had security called on me to escort me to the nearest exit; I’ve been asked to leave an airplane sitting on the tarmac! In short, I have literally been treated like a criminal for not wearing shoes.

If you think this is wrong, then help us.

Sadly, I believe businesses will continue to discriminate against barefooters until/unless enough people go barefoot that they are forced to stop. Kroger cannot kick out 10% of their customers! To do so would impact their bottom line and even they would see that kicking out that many people is rude on their part. So what can you do to help us?

Go barefoot.

Now you don’t have to go barefoot all the time, just please consider going barefoot in public occasionally. Every now and then just slip off your flip flops and go into that store barefoot. If you don’t get hassled, then no harm came of it. Indeed, it will be beneficial because it will demonstrate to others that going barefoot in public is okay. If you do get hassled, then just put on your shoes and go about your business. Preferably, you can explain to the shoe police [2] that you are not a barefooter but you are sympathetic to their right to go barefoot and that’s why you did it. Who knows, the managers and policy makers may actually respect and listen to you; they certainly are not respecting and listening to us.

So there you have it. Please consider helping us barefooters by simply kicking off your shoes when you run your next errand. By doing so, you may play a significant role in helping to end discrimination against us. And hopefully, you will enjoy the experience!

*****

[1] For example, it is factually correct that there are no health codes that prohibit bare feet in a grocery store in Lynchburg, VA; it is also factually correct that going barefoot is healthier and safer than balancing on the 3-inch heels the store manager is wearing.

[2] Shoe police = that employee that forces you to put on your shoes.