Angelina Zhao

For the past few years, there has been a sudden increase in feet hate. Feet, otherwise known as “dogs,” have been shunned by society because they are “ugly” and “disgusting.” As accepting as our society has become, it is a shame that so many people can’t find the same love for our grippers. They work so hard for us, yet they don’t receive the recognition they deserve.

Woof woof, get over it. Feet are just feet; why do people keep making a big deal out of it? Years ago, no one cared if you had your feet covered or not. Now, all of a sudden, exposing your feet in public is one of the biggest crimes one can commit—grow up and get over it. I have feet, you have feet, we all have feet—don’t make this a bigger deal than it deserves to be. Save your breath for important topics that actually matter. Here are my two main reasons why showing your feet in public should be socially acceptable.

Feet are natural

Hundreds of years ago, people weren’t pointing and staring at each other’s toes, saying “put them grippers away.” It wasn’t a big deal back then, so why do people care so much now? Feet are a natural part of the human body, so everyone needs to stop freaking out over them.

While some may argue that they smell bad, those same people need to be asking themselves this instead: why are you going around sniffing people’s toes? Armpits are the part of the body that smells the worst, so why don’t we shame people for wearing tank tops? Armpits are natural, just like feet. If someone’s dogs smell bad, it is because they are wearing shoes, which is basically a coffin for your feet. The fake leather on your Air Force 1’s are trapping in your odor all day, so only then is the scent noticeable. The less we wear closed-toe shoes, the better our feet smell. So let the dogs out of the kennel because they need to bark! 

Feet are fashionable

Imagine this: the sun is bright, summer has just begun, and you are wearing a flowy outfit. To top off the fit, you choose to wear… chunky tennis shoes? Ew! A cute pair of sandals is just what the outfit needs (while also letting the toes breathe). Unfortunately, the cruel world will point at your feet and call them gross. (Isn’t that body shaming?) In today’s society, girls often show off a lot of their skin for the sake of fashion. But the moment it comes to exposing the skin on your feet, people say: “whoa, you crossed a line there buddy.”

There are so many cute sandals that deserve to be showcased on your feet, though the harsh reality is that the haters will always hate. Most of us don’t wear shoes while we are near or in a body of water, so why is it only a problem elsewhere? The dogs have had their chance to drink, but now they need their chance to breathe. Feet need to be normalized like every other part of the body is.

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Our feet do so much for us. They tirelessly hold up our bodies all day while exerting force into the ground with each step. With how hard our feet work, it is a shame that they don’t get the recognition they deserve. Rather than appreciating what they do for us, they are told that they don’t have a place in society. They are told that they are discriminated against for the way they look. They are told that they aren’t good enough to get shown in public. It’s 2024 already! I thought by now we would stop being bullies. Make a stand and release the dogs!