In fact, there are no mixed signals. I think C&G is experiencing what we ALL go through...emerging, engulfing self-awareness. His posts are truly honest. People need to remember when THEY were 15.
Surely, if you don't enjoy/are not comfortable being barefoot, no-one is forcing you to do it. You shouldn't feel that you have to do it. It's not a big deal at the end of the day.
She talked about me having a problem showing my feet. That did not help. But since I started wearing flap-flups she never mentioned it again.
But it is a big deal: We don't put in our window air conditioners until half way through the heat of summer and I don't like being hot, it'd be great to take off my socks. When I need to run outside to put something in the outdoor garbage can or whatever and the ground is wet it'd be nice to not have to find my shoes, put them on, and lace them up when I could just take off my socks and go outside barefoot. I remembered yesterday another experience that shows more of how far back this problem goes, in 6th grade we had a "field" day and one of the events I was in involved taking off your shoes and socks and moving marbles out of one bucket to the other with them. I had to make up a stupid lie to get out of the event, that was bad. When my family vacationed to the beach I couldn't go on the beach or in the water because I couldn't bring myself to bare my feet. I can't go to any pool parties of any sort because I am to nervous to bare my feet. I have been asked in the past why I don't ever show my feet, a question there aren't many feasible excuses that don't embarrass me more than the truth. I always have to say "Because it's not comfortable" and hope they don't further question me. When my mom asks me to give her my socks so she can wash them I have to run to my room, close and lock the door, and then change them rather than just taking them off right there. Sometimes this leads to questions.
Sorry, I have read back over the posts, but I'm missing something.. what is the "truth" defined as in this sentance? And I have a somewhat similar thing with fruit. I hate almost all fruit, the smell, taste, texture.. and telling people that throughout my life has been embarrassing at times. Because people just don't GET it and it leads to endless questions, and I KNOW how ridiculous my hatred of it is.. hah, okay not really that similar, but the emotions involved are.
The "truth" would be "I don't show my feet because I'm self conscious and I relate sex with my feet because I have a foot fetish", something I really don't want people to know. Honestly, I don't think your problem is akin to mine. Not liking certain foods is something everyone has, it's not a big deal, telling someone you don't like a food may lead to questions, but nobody cares at all. Being self conscious is something people are made fun of for all the time.
Ohh, I see, I missed the fetish thing somehow. Oh, I totally get you now. Sorry. And no, the situation is different, but the emotions are similar, is what I said. I appreciate that you think they aren't, but it's not just "not liking a food" ..It's ALL fruit. And not even just eating it myself. Now, i'm slightly better, but I still wouldn't want to hold hands with someone who'd just eaten a banana. So basically, what I meant was similar was having something that no-one else understands, and is hard to talk about/explain. I don't really know what real advice to give you. I think a few people also didn't really understand the fetish thing, judging by their responses, and that has frustrated you. They're only trying to help, remember. It would probably be beneficial to seek out other foot fetishists, and ask how they dealt with feet around family, as they will be the people who truly can identify with what you are experiencing. I actually just did a google search for people experiencing embarrassment around family due to foot fetish, and there was a hipforums thread from 2008! I haven't bothered linking it, because from browsing through, I don't think there was any conclusion, and it was much the same as this thread.. but just to assure you, there are others who totally understand.
Just an update, I've been going barefoot around my house more and more. I pretty much have no problem taking off my socks and walking around the house with my mom and/or dad home. But most importantly, my niece, who I was talking about in the first post who asked to see my feet, was over for the weekend and I took off my socks and got something to eat in the kitchen. She definitely saw my feet. That took a lot of courage.