The sole truth

Feet

Photo: Brave feet storm Blair floors

Brave feet storm Blair floors Photo courtesy of Zach Carter.

For a generation that will share half-eaten chip bags and drink from the same Stanley, today’s teens are shockingly convinced that feet are where we should draw the line. This shouldn’t be controversial, yet people act like feet are a public offense. Jokes about feet being gross only stem from bad footing. 

Before the internet, when you stepped into a high school, you’d see a commando style flip-flops and sandals wear. Now, students sport Crocs and open-toed shoes with high socks even when the weather is still warm. Morgan Patel, an AP Human Geography teacher at Blair, had a very different high school experience when it comes to footwear. “When I was in high school, it was very common for people to wear flip flops and sandals without socks, almost more common than sneakers,” Patel said. “I was wearing sandals, and some student was shocked by the fact that my toes were out. That same student called another student out for wearing Birkenstocks without socks, and the whole class had a big reaction when they realized.” 

Back then, nobody blinked an eye at exposed toes. But today, someone pulls off a sock and the whole room reacts like a fire alarm went off. 

One reason for the common disgust towards feet in the younger generations is the rise in foot fetish sites. A 2006 analysis of AOL search terms found "feet" to be the most common search when filtering for the word "fetish". As the sexualization of feet became common knowledge, Gen Z started to feel that toes are something to be hyperaware of. Social media is quick to judge and ridicule, so students couldn’t show up to school sockless without the fear of being recorded, mocked, or even posted online. “Raised on the internet, members of Gen Z have had distinct access to everything, all the time, their whole lives. And they’re uniquely aware of who’s always watching them — and how they’re dressed — online and out in the real world,” an article from HuffPost said.

Feet are a perfectly normal part of the body. In fact, feet are just like elbows. And elbows do so much work and get none of the respect! It’s true that feet can sometimes smell, but other parts of the body do the same, like armpits, and we’re not expected to wear long sleeves all year round.

Everyone preaches body positivity—love your stretch marks, your scars, your imperfections—but the moment toes come into play, acceptance vanishes. It’s toetally unfair. It’s time we extend the same grace to our feet that we give to every other part of the body.

One Blazer puts his best foot forward when it comes to his opinions about feet. Blair sophomore Ben Cover goes to school without socks, and even runs and walks barefoot outside of school. “There’s research studies about why it’s good and healthier to be barefoot. I think it’s good for balance, and you can run faster if you have that balance,” Cover said. “I used to think it was so weird, but over the summer I started going barefoot.” The National Library of Medicine did a study that found walking barefoot is good for teenagers because it has health benefits and stimulates the feet better than walking with shoes on. 

Not many students have adopted the same attitude as Cover. Sebastiano Brunino, a junior at Blair, expressed his negative opinion of feet. When asked if he’d feel comfortable showing his toes at school, he responded with a resolute no. “I have respect and social decency. That’s just weird,” he explained. I guess there’ll be no footnote in the history books where toes and decency coexist.

I’m hoping we kick the negative feelings around feet and toes soon. 

But who knows? Knees could be the next stigmatized body part, so you may want to pull out your maxi skirts and stockings from retirement—just in case.