Barefooters and foot fetishes

I hate to where shoes or socks. VIVA BAREFEET!

 

I love feet. I’ve had a foot fetish as long as I can remember. I like dirty feet and clean feet. I prefer women’s feet.

 

The other day my friend, who happens to be a medical student with an interest in fetish, showed me a diagram of the human brain that shows the nerves of the feet being located right next to those of the sex organs. In fact, the nerves of the feet are in a way cradled by the nerves connected to the genitalia. Some doctors theorize that a foot fetish is created when there is a strong electrochemical connection between these physically adjacent brain functions. This theory could very well explain many types of common foot fetishes, including my own.

A long time ago, I thought that the foot fetish was an evolutionary function as well, a beneficial genetic mutation with ancient origins that accelerated the development of the foot in all walking animals. I have noticed dogs, for instance, that seem to have a foot fetish. They are often seen licking and chewing on their own or other dogs' feet or licking people's feet. I notice many dogs seem to like me right away maybe because I'm barefoot and they want to see me run with them. So I came to the conclusion that people sharing my foot fetish gene come from a long line of animals and humans attracted to strong, tough, healthy feet that can walk everywhere. I had primal fantasies of meeting that barefoot girl someday and raising a family of barefoot kids out in the country, in a way, to fulfill some crazy evolutionary destiny. I think there may be an entire branch of science dedicated to understanding the role of fetish in evolution. If not, there should be. Time to break down the stigma!

Anyway, this is an interesting, yet difficult topic and it's refreshing to see how well this board is handling it.

 

sweet_dream - hopefully you won't take this the wrong way as I'm not trying to pick apart your post - but since we're having this discussion in the spirit of goodwill, I wanted to express my opinion in case you wanted to debate.

Well, the nerves in the brain thing - being that our feet and our genitals are both sensory organs, it doesn't surprise me that there is a tight connection with these two areas within the brain...although I don't think that this delineates a specific connection between the two. Certainly there are those of us who find sexual pleasure in foot stimulation, but since there are people who find sexual pleasure in stimulation of other areas probably not connected to that same part of the brain, I think it's probably just that our brain has ordered itself to prioritize certain areas of sensory input, and the genitals and our feet certainly qualify as important to our survival! However, I'm not a brain expert, so that's just my reasoned opinion based on the few studies I've read.

As far as fetishes being evolutionary anomalies, I really don't see it. What I know of evolutionary biology doesn't support the idea, primarily because it doesn't have a benefit for our species - in fact it could actually be seen as a detriment from a purely evolutionary standpoint (because presumably foot fetishists might prefer foot sex to intercourse, which would not help propagation of the species). You mention the benefit being an acceleration of the development of the foot, but I'm not sure what you mean by that...the only instance I've seen of foot manipulation impacting anatomy would be when the Chinese practiced foot-binding (and that had a negative impact on anatomy). The biggest problem I have with this argument is that I think the human foot hasn't changed much in a great while, whereas the foot fetish is a relatively recent phenomenon in the context of evolution.

I would be interested to hear your argument though. I love a lively debate, particularly when its about my favorite topic!

And dogs don't have a foot fetish - the have a scent fetish! Or rather, it's not a fetish, but it's a huge part of their world. Dogs use scent the way that we use sight, and actually they probably "see" more with their nose than we do with our eyes. Dogs smelling and licking paws/feet are actually receiving a huge amount of information about the world around them. And they DO derive a great deal of pleasure it seems from smelling things that we might think of as unpleasant...so a particularly odorous shoe or foot might reveal a smorgasbord of information to a dog that we can only guess at...They can detect even the most minute particles of scent, so when they smell or lick your foot, it's not a psychological need, it's their way of asking you what you were doing, and where you have been. It's like when dogs smell each other's scent glands to "introduce" themselves and greet each other...since we don't have such specific glands, they probably have to take what they can get.

Anyway, again I hope you don't think I'm picking on your post - I really enjoyed your thought process and I'd love to hear more from you, even if we don't agree.

 

Matthew, not a problem debating this stuff. First I can address the brain thing- the diagram I saw showed the area of the brain responsible for sexual stimulation and it was physically adjacent to the area of the brain responsible for sensing the feet. Therefore, it seemed logical to me that there could sometimes be an electrochemical connection between the two areas simply because of their physical proximity to each other within the brain.

Second, about evolution. Like I mentioned in my other post, this is a hairbrained idea that I had a long time ago. It only really applies to my own fetish. I for one don't prefer foot sex over conventional sex, but I am much more attracted to women who are very active barefooters like myself, over those who are not. What I mean by this are women who are really into going barefoot everywhere, on hot surfaces, gravel, etc. and like keeping their feet tough. I have met only a few in my life. When I used to go on my long barefoot "walkabouts" I imagined tribal living and how girls and boys coming of age may have had the same urge to venture out of the village and perhaps meet out in the bush somewhere, whereby the only means to get out that far is having feet tough enough to make it there. This is where my evolutionary theories were conjured up.

Thirdly, about the canine foot fetish. I was hoping people would simply find this humorous. Yes, I agree it may be unlikely that dogs actually have foot fetishes, and you are probably right that they are simply responding to smells. However I can tell you that many dogs seem to like me a lot and I believe part of it is because I'm barefoot and they feel more of an affinity perhaps because I am more like themselves, and that I may experience more of the sensory world that they are familiar with. I also wholeheartedly believe that part of why dogs enjoy going out for walks and like running out on dirt roads is because they enjoy the sensation on their paws. This hypothesis would also agree with the cerebral proximity theory and also jives with my own fetish.

Anyway, I know I may really be out on a limb here, but I think it's good to maintain a healthy dialogue of scientific inquiry about all things. I used to host a science show on the radio and I recall having people call in to offer all sorts of great alternative views to the current set of accepted hypotheses. For instance, there was a caller who offered a cool new way to understand the Doppler red shift in the universe as an alternative to the big bang theory. It had to do with the energy lost to gravitational forces as light travels great distances. So that's all I'm doing here- suggesting hypotheses.

But yeah, I've had some great barefoot walks with dogs and I could really tell there was a mutual understanding we had of the pleasure. So perhaps you won't find dogs totally getting off by sucking each other's toes but perhaps you may find dogs really digging walking gravel roads, which is what I'm into anyway.

 

Dirty Soles

 

I would have to say I enjoy seeing girls in their barefeet, especially if they are wearing pants or jeans. If they have on shorts, it isn't all that exciting. I love going barefoot myself and get aroused in a way. I'd love to meet more people to go barefoot with. I am from western PA. Don't care for dirty feet. I love talking about this topic. It is a turn on. So is it a fetish for me? I guess a little bit. But not heavy duty sex-like fetish.

 

I love barefeet!!!!! I mean it feels amazing to just go bare, but it is also a fetish for me. I am bi and love guys and girls feet- as long as they are nice looking and are taken care of. I love to play with feet and have mine played with, too. I like to see dirty soles- just shows that a person is comfortable being bare. I have a toe ring on one foot and and a braided anklet on my other ankle. Anything to draw attention to my feet- and let others know I'm a barefooter...

 

On the topic of barefooters and foot fetishists. . . I'm probably voicing an unpopular opinion here. And it's nothing personal but people with foot fetishes in the barefoot community make me uncomfortable.

I do not have a foot fetish and admit to not really getting the whole thing. I do not care if someone else does. It's really none of my business. But it makes me uncomfortable when someone is obviously ogling my feet. It makes me uncomfortable in pretty much the same sense as if I am nude and some stranger is blatantly focused on my genitals for an extended period of time. I understand that both can turn someone on (I'll grant that) but in public is not where I'm comfortable with that. . . and I'd really prefer to be consenting and comfortable with someone in either case.

I used to have a person who was otherwise a nice guy who would constantly ask me for pictures of my feet. It was obvious that he had a foot fetish. It didn't bother me that he had a foot fetish or that he was gay (if he was -- he might not have been and the gender of the feet were not important to him) but it did bother me that he'd repeatedly ask for what he obviously considered something sexual from me. We didn't have any sort of relationship where I felt that was appropriate.

For me, being barefoot is just being barefoot. I love it. It's comfortable. And I believe it's healthier than shoes. It's not sexual and when people try and make it sexual, I feel uncomfortable. I love the barefoot community. There are tons of great people. And I am sure many of them enjoy feet way more than I do. And the majority of the people who have a foot fetish are respectful and keep it where it belongs. But there is a vocal minority that tends to press the issue constantly. Or they press for pictures or make comments that obviously imply more intimacy than the casual friendship should warrant. Just because my feet are bare, it doesn't mean they are a sexual object.

We now return you to the regularly scheduled thread.

Also, there's nothing wrong with having a foot fetish. Whatever rocks your boat. I just wish that some people would keep it where it belongs... and that's between people they're involved with or that they know enjoy the same things.

 

I Wish Someone Would Ogle Me...And My Feet..:toetap05:

I'd Be More Than Happy To Be The Object Of Someones Sexual Desires..

It Would Go A Long Way Towards Breaking A 5 Year Drought...

One Day My Prince Will Cum.......(barefoot of course).



Cheers Glen.

 

ericf, it sounds like you ran into someone who simply didn't understand the definition of "boundaries". I'm sorry that those of us with a foot fetish make you uncomfortable by disussing our interests here. I think that part of the nature of having a fetish is some degree of obsessional behavior, and "trawling" for imagery is a pretty popular theme in fetish circles. However, as someone who takes great pride in my own feet, and who has also received a fair bit of attention from "pic-seekers" throughout my span on the internet, I can genuinely report to you that it hasn't been my experience HERE. So hopefully you won't find the same degree of unwanted attention in our little corner of the net.

My question to you is: If this person(s) made you uncomfortable, did you approach them about how their requests made you feel? I think if you clearly stated to someone that their overtures were making you feel creeped out or whatever, then there's always the chance they will recognize that they've crossed over that line and move on. I'd just be curious to hear how you approach such situations...

I have to disagree with the main thrust of your post though. I don't think that the two communities (barefooters and foot fetishists) should be mutually exclusive. That's one of the reasons I don't belong to any of the "official" barefoot groups that have been around for years. In the end I settled in this forum because of its open attitude about just this very issue. I think we're all enlightened enough in here to recognize that going barefoot is a sensual activity, even if it does nothing for your libido. And as such, that we as adults can have discussions regarding all aspects of these barefoot-centric themes.

If you're bothered even by the discussion of this relationship, then this MAY not be the home for you, and I'd be happy to point you to one of the many groups where barefooters strictly deny any fetish or sexually themed discussion.

 

I really enjoy barefoot guys I love going barefoot and love to see them go barefoot - preferably not in sandals! But any way you put it, I am fully capable of saving the fetish for the proper time and place.

 

I don't feel uncomfortable here. Occasionally I do see posts which obviously aren't of interest to me and I just move on past them. And I don't believe the two communities need to be (or even can be) mutually exclusive. I realize that the first line of my post implies that. I was thinking more along the lines of people who make it a pretty obvious and continuous point.

Like I tried to say, and didn't make clear, I am sure there are many more people with foot fetishes in the community than I would ever suspect. The majority of them understand the time and place to have such conversations and recognize that just because someone is barefoot does not mean they also have a foot fetish. Those people take a little more care to find out where a person stands on the topic and judge their comfort. Most of these people would be unknown to me because they'd quickly pick up on the fact that it's not something I'm into. Those people don't bug me. Just like there are people in the nude community that enjoy sex (I think that covers just about all of them)... the majority recognize the appropriate time and place for such things to come out. The ones who don't are quickly chastised and most learn the boundaries quickly.

I think the barefoot community seems to have more overt people because those without a fetish don't really want to make waves by calling out the people who cross the line. They figure, "Yeah, it's not for me... but they're not really hurting me... just making things feel odd." While someone obsessing over your genitals is obviously crossing the line and invading your personal [mental] space... someone obsessing over your feet doesn't seem to be as bad. One area is socially considered "private" and the other isn't. So we feel a little silly making an issue of it, even if it's basically the same type of invasion.

I'm a fairly open-minded person. And I understand that people like different things and I try not to judge. I think I've made my point a little clearer. It's not the majority of those with a fetish that bug me... it's the vocal minority that makes it uncomfortable for me.

On here, I have never been asked for pictures of my feet. And I've never had someone cross that line. Overall, I find everyone to be respectful. Those threads which obviously appeal more to those with a foot fetish are easy to avoid if I want. And those posts which are about the topic can be skipped over and aren't directed towards me. But they do sometimes bring up that feeling of uncomfortableness where I think, "I hope they're not one of those who will make it an issue for me." It hasn't been. But that is something that does cross my mind. That is my issue and not the fault of anyone here. My discomfort comes from a few bad apples in my past and the fact that I don't want to deal with that again.

In the past, there have been a couple people who crossed the line. One of the most annoying was a person that was part of a barefoot group that had a strict "no sexual advances" sort of policy. The first few times he asked, I just said, "No." After that, I pointed out that he was making me uncomfortable. When he kept at it, I told him that any further contact would make me talk to the group about his behavior. I probably should have just gone directly to the group right away. Aside from this, he was a decent guy. But it was just way too weird to continue talking to him.

In real life, I've had someone stare at my feet for a couple minutes before it was obvious to him that I noticed. He commented that I had great looking feet or something... I don't really remember what he said... I just sortof shrugged and stood there awkwardly. I couldn't think of anything to say. Not my best moment. I eventually found an excuse to leave. I should have said something but I was just way too creeped out.

 

I have a foot fetish, but I also love to be barefoot. Luckily, so does my girlfriend (yay!).

 

As I mentioned on another thread, I dated a guy once who had a small bit of a fetish but he very rarely would go anywhere barefoot. If we were going somewhere, sometimes when I would go to put on my shoes he would say something like "oh, we're just going to "x" you won't need them." One of those times was when we were going to blockbuster. I told him if I didn't need mine then he didn't need his. Took a little prodding but he eventually took them off. It was kind of cute how shy he was while we were looking for movies there that day.

 

I need to date a girl with a foot fetish lol

 

I appreciate your comments. I must admit, I find a woman's feet attractive, but that's not what led me to this forum. Rather, it's my interest in ME being barefoot, not others. I've always been one to remove my shoes at the first opportunity. When I was younger, that usually meant running around in my socks; I was a bit sensitive about showing my bare feet as I've mentioned elsewhere in the Barefoot Forum. I won't bore people with that story again.

For the past several years I've been barefoot whenever the situation allows - both in private and in public. When I try to rationalize this behavior, I think it comes down to two factors; 1) I've never enjoyed wearing shoes - they're tight, hot, and uncomfortable, and 2) I think I'm making up for not being comfortable being barefoot as a kid.

The bottom line is - I like being barefoot. The practice is not always accepted in society, but is usually (not always) tolerated. I found this Barefoot Forum by accident when searching for "barefoot friendly businesses."

As far as barefoot tolerance in public, I'm not sure that many businesses have a "Customer Footwear Policy"; I think it really comes down to the employee on duty and his/her feelings on the topic. I think a small fraction of people (1-3% - ??) are comfortable enough to go barefoot in public, part-time (selective locations) or full-time. This doesn't include sandal-wearers, but those who are okay exposing their bare soles. I think the vast majority of people (95-98% - ??), would never be barefoot in public, but aren't going to chastise those who are. They may be okay with bare feet, they may think it's disgusting, but will keep their feelings to themselves. The remainder (less than 4% if my estimates are anywhere close to accurate), have a strong discomfort with bare feet. These are the people who will call-you-out for the practice. I think that being denied service or access has more to do with crossing paths with someone from this last group than establishments really having a hard "No Bare Feet" policy.

 

I sorta have a foot fetish... its not my biggest fetish, but its definatly present.

 

I love female feet; i have pampered a few women's feet in the past. Ive had a woman pamper my feet, she did like feet and would do anything for me.
I like male feet too. Those male feet are well kept and fine.
I especially enjoy dirty soles! It's amazing seeing dirty soles. Seeing beauty usually hidden under and behind awful footwear: being released to feel the natural way!

 

Like you, I love to see either men's or women's bare feet. Also, I would say that mine is more a sight fetish.