Unwritten rules

Unwritten social rules are kind of fascinating.

One I've noticed: it's okay for women to go barefoot at work, church or weddings. Every office I've worked in, at some point women kick off their shoes and walk around barefoot, usually near the afternoon. Same for church and weddings.

At the same it, it would most likely be inappropriate of guys to kick of their shoes and starting walking around in their socks.

I get why: women's shoes tend to be less comfortable than men, but it the rule remains the same even if a woman wore sandals to work. There's no widely known social rules that this is okay for women, it's just an unspoken thing every just seems aware of.

This is not a complaint, just something I find interesting.

Also: women dancing together, holding hands, going to the bathroom together, getting dressed together to go out....all socially acceptable while there's no way in hell men would this each other.

I wonder how it became this way.

@vivify said
Unwritten social rules are kind of fascinating.

One I've noticed: it's okay for women to go barefoot at work, church or weddings. Every office I've worked in, at some point women kick off their shoes and walk around barefoot, usually near the afternoon. Same for church and weddings.

At the same it, it would most likely be inappropriate of guys to kick of their shoe ...[text shortened]... oken thing every just seems aware of.

This is not a complaint, just something I find interesting.

@Ghost-of-a-Duke said
Interesting, but corny. (Foot joke).

Can't say I've ever noticed a women take her shoes off at work, especially if barefoot. - Even if it was cool for men to do that, I don't think I would on communal flooring.

@vivify said
Usually they have stockings on, so not completely barefoot...though I've seen that too.

@Ghost-of-a-Duke said
I think you are easily distracted at work. 🙂

Nodding at a stranger you've made eye contact with.

This is considered a polite thing to do if you're walking past a stranger, whether in a park or hallway, and eye-contact is made. This is not behavior that's ever taught but is somehow behavior that is learned by most people.

@vivify said
Unwritten social rules are kind of fascinating.

One I've noticed: it's okay for women to go barefoot at work, church or weddings. Every office I've worked in, at some point women kick off their shoes and walk around barefoot, usually near the afternoon. Same for church and weddings.

At the same it, it would most likely be inappropriate of guys to kick of their shoe ...[text shortened]... oken thing every just seems aware of.

This is not a complaint, just something I find interesting.

@Torunn said
Interesting also, men can walk in summertime with nothing on to cover the upper part of their bodies (from waist up), quite openly in many public places - women can't do that. There is an unwritten rule...

@Torunn said
Interesting also, men can walk in summertime with nothing on to cover the upper part of their bodies (from waist up), quite openly in many public places - women can't do that. There is an unwritten rule...

@vivify said
Unwritten rules are ideas that people follow despite the idea not being discussed.

Female toplessness wouldn't count since there are laws about it in varying degrees around the world, and most women are taught from young ages to cover up that area.

See my example of nodding (or smiling at) at complete stranger as you pass them by to acknowledge their presence. This isn't something anyone is really taught to do.

@vivify said
Also: women dancing together, holding hands, going to the bathroom together, getting dressed together to go out....all socially acceptable while there's no way in hell men would this each other.

I wonder how it became this way.

@Ghost-of-a-Duke said
How about knowing when and when not to shake hands?

I shook hands today with an estate agent, and I particularly dislike estate agents. (I don't think I even had a choice in the matter). In contrast I rather like my postman, but I wouldn't shake his hand when I pass him in the morning.

@Suzianne said
Who was it that said that social behavioral norms are there to grease the wheels of interaction between people? I can't bring that quote up right now.

@vivify said
Unwritten rules are ideas that people follow despite the idea not being discussed.

Female toplessness wouldn't count since there are laws about it in varying degrees around the world, and most women are taught from young ages to cover up that area.

See my example of nodding (or smiling at) at complete stranger as you pass them by to acknowledge their presence. This isn't something anyone is really taught to do.