A Pressroom Divided: Dawgs In Versus Dawgs Out

Recently, the Exponent’s news editor showed up to the annual Halloween party in flip-flops and proceeded to walk around completely barefoot, much to the horror of his coworkers. The unfortunate incident sparked discourse among the Exponent staff, so today we are going head-to-head on the hot-button issue: Should people keep their feet covered in public spaces?

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Put Your Dawgs Away

By Molly Houser

There are few things as disturbing as seeing someone's ungroomed toes free and roaming. My bliss at the Exponent Halloween party was quickly interrupted when the infamous News Editor, Connor McLean, showed up dressed as a kangaroo, disturbingly shoeless — and worse: unsocked. 

Utterly perturbed by the gruesome sight, I attempted to understand my counterpart’s perspective. “It just doesn’t bother me to have my feet out,” McLean said. Much to his disappointment, no one at the party sided with him. 

I have been reflecting on my peers' reactions since the incident. What is it about rocking nature's slippers in public that makes us repulsed, uncomfortable or, dare I say, filled with rage? 

At an Exponent tabling event, we asked students for their thoughts on the matter. 

Cadence Ashworth, a freshman studying fish and wildlife, resonated with my repulsion. “I feel it's a little strange, and I feel it's just not always hygienic,” she said.

Similarly, senior aviation major Rachael Long said generally, public-facing feet are gross, especially when they are unkempt. 

“It’s a little freaky,” she said, side-eyeing McLean, whose dawgs were, of course, exposed. “[Toes] should be well-manicured, clipped, polished even — if that is your thing.”

Rangeland ecology major Goddy Bandola said walking around barefoot can be gross. “It is the same thing with any other piece of clothing,” he said. “Imagine some dude in class shirtless.” 

I thought this was a really fair point. Our society requires us to be fully dressed — shoes included. Walking around shoeless is the equivalent of walking around pantsless, an obvious cultural taboo, and for good reason. 

I’m not trying to hate on my co-worker; I just think there is a time and place for free-range feet. Here is my final verdict: It is truly freaky to be ten-toes down in the office, a Halloween party or any public building on campus. It is, however, appropriate to be barefoot at your house or when you’re out touching grass.   

I respect my co-worker for staying firm in his beliefs, even though I adamantly disagree with him.  

Take Your Dawgs Out 

By Connor McLean

After being flamed by my coworkers for not wearing shoes inside, I was inspired to defend myself. Firstly, kangaroos don’t wear shoes and I aim for authenticity, so write that down.

Now, I want to start by clarifying that I’m not some shoe-hating hippie. I think the choice to rock your dawgs out should be up to you. As a general rule, I am only barefoot inside. But I admit, I’ll wear my flops out more than most. This isn’t a hot take at MSU, with 13 of 19 people we talked to being pro-dawgs out. 

The campus community is generally toe-friendly but, like me, they qualify when toes can make an appearance. My criteria for having your dawgs out  is simple: it must be at least 40 degrees and pleasant out. 

“It has to be hot,” said Leisher Gugino, an environmental science major. According to him, people who whip their piggies out when it’s chilly are doing it for attention. 

However, Gugino defended those who grace the public with their feet in good weather. “Some people just want to feel the breeze,” he said. 

The opposing side seems to think that feet or toes are gross, and I’m definitely not advocating for getting your dirty dawgs all over. If your toes are dirty, clean them before going out. 

However, if the oppressive dawgs-in community is here to dismiss toes as being generally gross, they might want to be more body-positive, like environmental design major Amor Colic. “Real men are not ashamed to have their messed-up toes out,” he said. 

I tend to agree. I wouldn’t say my toes are messed up, but even if you think yours are, don’t let that stop you from embracing some flip-flops. 

I could wax poetic about the health benefits of going barefoot, but my argument is simpler than that. Do what you want, and if that means stepping on some toes, then do it barefoot. 

Don’t take it from me though, take it from MSU President Brock Tessman. In response to our whiteboard asking if toes are gross, he said, “What’s the problem with that?”

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Overall, both the news editor and the culture editor concluded that no one has the right to tell people how to express themselves. We all ran off into the sunset, singing Kumbaya with feet flying free — or duly covered — knowing that life can be beautiful when you aren’t policing others’ bodies.