Laws regarding bare feet

I was under the impression that in America it was a violation of health codes for a store to allow barefooters service. Here, I find a lot of people talking about going frelling everywhere shoeless. I even got into Dollar General barefoot myself! Was I lied to about the laws? I'm confused!

 

There are no known state or federal laws against going barefoot that I've ever heard of. However, a store owner or manager has the right to refuse service to someone based on whatever reason they come up with.

 

Damn them. Damn them all.

 

Yeah I don't like it either ..I prefer my feet liberated from shoes myself

 

Yes, you were lied to about the laws... those signs saying 'No bare feet by order of the Health Department' are just plain lies -although I've also heard of a store manager who claimed it was the *company* Health Department, not the government one... now that's a weasily excuse if I've ever heard one.
If you want proof there are no Health Department laws (government, that is ), there are letters online from most US states:
http://www.barefooters.org/health-dept

 

Yay! Thanks, guys!

 

Stores may have a policy, but there is no official law by the health dept.

 

Why would there be a law, there is nothing unhealthy or dangerous in going barefoot

 

Its my feet...and I'll do what I want

 

This year, I want to finally find out if this is true. Need to know. Refusal of service is discriminatory---some of us have tested this, but I don't think it's been tested enough. I want to know if they really do have this right. Where is the line drawn---can they go on to tell us what to do with other parts of our bodies too?

I'm on record here as being in favor of clean---or at least not really dirty soles. To each their own, but I am convinced the idea that barefooting is dirty has worked against us. And I mean, bad.

 

I'm pretty sure theres no law against bare feet either in stores or for driving.

 

Refusing service from customers because they are barefoot is discrimination, plain and simple. If you allow stores to ban customers just because they are barefoot then that makes it easier for them to ban them for wearing *or not wearing* practically anything else. Also if a store has one of those signs stating shoes are required by order of the health department then thats dead wrong and in fact its illegal to have a sign like that and the store is the one breaking the law, not the customer.

 

what about that whole thread about phantom law? Isn't there a provision that allows stores to legally display signs that claim there is a state or federal law even though it is false? I thought stores are allowed to discriminate for any reason they want- heck they could discriminate against race or gender or religion. Isn't that what is meant by the sign "We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service"? Or is that a phantom right?

 

It's too bad society is so naive. If we would wake up and realize the "dirtiness" of everything we touch, we might change our tune. Stop and think about the unseen germs coating shopping cart handles, door handles, that pen the cashier gives you to sign your credit card receipt, hotel beds, hotel showers, hotel pillows, hotel toilets, you get the picture. Showing a little dirt on the bottom of your bare foot only proves that the surface you walked on is soiled, not necessarily unsanitary.

 

There ya go! could'nt have said it better. Right on!

 

It's just an off-shoot of the puritanical mindset - because the foot is so often covered by most people, I think that collectively the idea that a foot bared in public "can't be good" has become pervasive. I can't think of any other reason why people react so strongly to it otherwise. A lot of the negative feelings come from long-held stereotypes that sadly persist to this day.

Phantom laws are complete BS. But unfortunately if a majority of people in an area go along with it, it becomes the standard. Not too long ago there used to be signs declaring business were not open to "colored people". They could just as easily have claimed "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone"...but we now know that as racial discrimination. It only changed because enough people felt it was wrong to enforce such a policy. It will take the same kind of "majority rule" to rid ourselves of discrimination based on appearance.

 

Yes I totally agree with this. It is up to us as the people to stand up and say it's discrimination and make it unacceptable practice.

 

I agree with you all the way, obviously. It is discrimination. Sadly, though, there are people posting on this board who are barefooters but who still believe it's the store's right to refuse barefooters. This is what I'm trying to get to the bottom of. Do they really have this right? Natually, I think you and I are right about this, and the others are wrong. But I want to make sure our side is right.

Agreed on your second point about the "health department" signs, too. I've called a couple stores on that one. Maine State Law---my ass---

 

Well this is where the issue gets complicated. Businesses are for the most part privately owned and operated. That implies that owners do have certain rights to set policy within their premises. Good examples are their right to ask people to leave who are belligerent, inebriated, or in some way disturbing the other patrons of the business.

Their right to ask people to leave based on their level of dress (or lack thereof) can either completely depend on "community standards" of what is deemed acceptable, or may simply reflect the personal prejudice of the parties involved in setting such policies.

I think that whether they have the "right" to do these things comes down to answering the question - does their policy infringe on a barefooter's freedom to the degree that it could be considered discrimination. I know we probably all firmly believe that to be the case...but does the average Joe or Jill?

 

Matthew is correct in that a business is a private place and that place can ask you to leave for what ever reason. If you don't leave when asked then you are trespassing and the business has the right to call law enforcement to force you to leave the establishment and if you don't then you could be charged with trespass.