Walking barefoot on streets is in vogue in Australia. But what’s driving this trend?
People walking barefoot on Australian streets.
A video showingpeople in Australia walking barefoot on the streets for daily tasks has gone viral on social media, sparking curiosity and confusion among users. Shared by a page named Censored Men on X, the clip has garnered over six million views and counting. The caption poses the question, "Is this a normal thing in Australia?" So, why do Australians engage in this behaviour? According to a report from The New York Times, both Australians and New Zealanders often ditchfootwear during their daily routines, opting to go barefoot rather than wear shoes for activities like grocery shopping or visiting a pub.
🇦🇺 Is this a normal thing in Australia? pic.twitter.com/hxFVL0ufiP
“People walk around barefoot. On the street. In supermarkets. All over. It’s not everyone, but it’s a significant enough minority to be quite striking and a bit disconcerting. Sure, city sidewalks are clean. But they’re still city sidewalks,” Seth Kugel, a writer forThe New York Times, noted while on a visit toNew Zealandin 2012.
Not only is it common among adults, but schoolchildren in Perth also participate. At least one elementary school in the area has implemented a "shoes optional" policy. Administrators saythat going barefoot helpschildren in improving posture, fostering sensory awareness, and strengthening their feet and body. However, according to The New York Times, podiatrists remain skeptical about these assertions.
During their 2019 tour in England, the Australian cricket team attracted attention by choosing to walk barefoot around the pitch, attributing it to the desire to absorb "positive energy coming out of the earth".
As for the trend's origins, there appears to be no single explanation. While some link it to the Indigenous cultures of both countries, others simply find it comforting.
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Internet reacts
Many individuals from Australia or with experience living in the country corroborated these assertions in the comments section of the viral post, owing the casual barefoot trend to clean roads free fromnails or broken glass.
"It’s good for your feet legs and circulation and we don’t have broken glass or nails lying on the ground. It’s a clean country," one user wrote.
Another user commented, "Yeah I'm an Australian and this is actually rather normal in Australia."
"Only people from dirty or cold places think this is weird. Australia is WAY cleaner than the USA in comparison (I’ve lived in both for a long time) I happily walked bare foot in Australia, I wouldn’t do the same in the USA," a third user remarked.
Some people, however, were repulsed by the idea of walking barefoot despite the cleanliness. "The bottom of your feet, no matter how clean, must still be dirty black by end of day. Feet perspire, it's just going to happen no matter where you are," a person added.
(With inputs from agencies)