How do you deal with hecklers?

[GTMHP]

I know this is a sensitive topic. How do folks here deal with hecklers when out heeling? I have several techniques. Kids & teens I tend to dialog with. The rude & ignorant I merely ignore & walk on. I have found girls & women are more curious & complementary - boys & men are more surprised & taken aback at first. I find dialog, honesty & humor are my best tools. How do others deal with this? GTMHP

[Jarl Ayari]

To be honest, at the moment I haven't had any (that I have noticed) bad comments or heckling, it will happen, I know it will, but for now my confidence is growing slowly to the point where I wore metallic bronze victorian style 4" heels to the Empire Cinema in birmingham tonight and I thought being a bit more bright than just plain black that they would have sparked some comments etc. Nothing... I will be reading this thread with interest as I know one day my luck will change... These are the heels I wore...

[crotchboots-m]

as long as they are not threatening,i just usually ignore them. i think you have the generalities about the gender/age thing pretty much rite on. in my experience,ive gotten the most compliments from women. and the most stares from men...lol

[Bubba136]

Not only can you gauge the educational and social level of a person by the way they look and dress, but how they react to your presence in high heels. The "ghettoized" punks, thugs and entitlement class are loud and show their complete ignorance with pointing, hooting and jesters. They are the class of which you must be especially aware. The people that possess a little "up-bringing," while equally aware, are more apt to look and move on without comment or visual reaction. Women, while they mightn't be approving, for the most part are more curious than anything else. I've had some great conversations with different women about me, my heels and shoes in general.

[GTMHP]

Not only can you gauge the educational and social level of a person by the way they look and dress, but how they react to your presence in high heels. The "ghettoized" punks, thugs and entitlement class are loud and show their complete ignorance with pointing, hooting and jesters. They are the class of which you must be especially aware. The people that possess a little "up-bringing," while equally aware, are more apt to look and move on without comment or visual reaction. Women, while they mightn't be approving, for the most part are more curious than anything else. I've had some great conversations with different women about me, my heels and shoes in general.

Many times they jeer, jest & hoot because no one taught then better -- and many are insecure in themselves. Most don't have the guts to do anything as bold as heel in public. Most are followers not trail blazers:clap:

Like you I've found many women interested in learning more about me & my stilettos:smile:

GTMHP

[HappyFeat]

To be honest, the most negative reactions that I have ever received have been a few really nasty looks, I can't say that I have ever been heckled while wearing heels. It takes a whole lot more than being yelled at by some idiot to get a rise out of me anyway.

[Elegant]

Hecklers? Got my Heckler&Koch right here! To be serious, how I deal with unpleasant ones depends on how I feel. Sometimes I have balls to go right in front of rogues' faces, sometimes I prefer to avoid them. If somebody stares, I usually stare right back.

[Guest]

I'd have to agree with Bubba136 on the type of person(s) reaction to our heels that we wear in that their upbringing always shows IN their reaction to this, make no mistake about it either. you can always tell them apart-they stick out sore thumbs!

[JeffB]

While I've gotten several odd and funny looks here and there, I've never been actually heckled all that much, if at all, but on those exceedingly rare occasions when I have, I've simply ignored them. There's no sense or logic or gain in engaging narrowminded idiots.

[vassies]

for me 9/10 times i just walk on it depends on the situation. on the other hand how do we know the normal guy standing having a good look isnt thinking i wish that was me,i wish i had the confidence to wear shoes/boots like that.

[raymond.nl]

I find dialog, honesty & humor are my best tools.

Yup. Kids tell 'em as they see 'em. Dialog and humor works best and these have never let me down. Just the other day a (I'm guessing here) eight y/o girl asked me about my heeled boots. When I explained why, she smiled and said "Cool!"

I've never been heckled by adults, so I can't comment on that.

[GTMHP]

Yup. Kids tell 'em as they see 'em. Dialog and humor works best and these have never let me down. Just the other day a (I'm guessing here) eight y/o girl asked me about my heeled boots. When I explained why, she smiled and said "Cool!"

I've never been heckled by adults, so I can't comment on that.

After I explain - Hey I like heels, they're comfortable & I look good in them - I usually get positive comments back.

GYMHP

[crotchboots-m]

if you will notice,the hecklers and hooters usually do it from the safety of a pack. they are gutless little peckerwoods on their own but somehow they lose there gutlessness when banded together. ive found the best bet is to confront the leader...he is usually the one who starts the whole thing. once you get him to cower,the rest slick away also. however,depending on the territory and size of the group the best thing might be to beat feet. no use getting killed or maimed for a pair of heels,eh?

[Trolldeg]

Like Eddie Izzard said, they hang out in groups of five, because they each have a fifth of a personality.

[GTMHP]

Like Eddie Izzard said, they hang out in groups of five, because they each have a fifth of a personality.

Or they need 5 in order to hold up their weak back bones - prehaps they need training corsets:w00t2: HEHE

GTMHP

[Bootking]

I was at the Sawgrass Mills Mall in Florida and was walking back to the car in extreme pain as the sandal straps were cutting me badly (see the separate thread on Insolia inserts). Unfortunately, a car with apparent Neanderthals saw me and passed by extremely slowly (obviously looking at the footwear - gee!). Then I heard some kind of chuckles or jeers and the bone heads drove away.

My feet were hurting so badly that I wanted to hit them (whoever they were as I didn't acknowledge them) with the 4" stiletto heel. But they just went away which is really what I wanted - just to get to the car and take the damn sandals off!!!!!!!!!! The pix are what I was wearing at the time; henly shirt, black nylon pants with side ankle zippers and the Colin Stuart black leather stiletto sandals.

[roniheels]

if you will notice,the hecklers and hooters usually do it from the safety of a pack. they are gutless little peckerwoods on their own but somehow they lose there gutlessness when banded together. ive found the best bet is to confront the leader...he is usually the one who starts the whole thing. once you get him to cower,the rest slick away also. however,depending on the territory and size of the group the best thing might be to beat feet. no use getting killed or maimed for a pair of heels,eh?

This is good advice. I was heckled by a group of teenage boys while I was sitting in the park reading my newspaper. It was a group of about six boys between 16-19 years old. They started my way to confront me. I was close to my car, so I walked over, got into my car and drove away. That is the only time I have ever been harrassed while wearing high heels in public.

[Magic Heels]

I was gently heckled by drinkers outside a local pub on Sunday. Previously I have had stares but I just stare back. The funniest occasion was when two lads were so busy staring that they walked into a table and chairs outside a cafe and fell over!

[crotchboots-m]

lol...and then who was the fool,eh?

[on heels]

I do worry about physical abuse whilst wearing heels. A lady of about 45ish did follow me up some stairs in a department store and at the top did give me a disapproving look. I can cope with the verbal...just. Most of the local ‘yobs’ walk around in shorts or capri’s of varying lengths but mock anybody who wears similar clothing. Strange world we live in.

[euchrid]

Most of the local ‘yobs’ walk around in shorts or capri’s of varying lengths but mock anybody who wears similar clothing. Strange world we live in.

I saw numerous 'hip' teenage lads at Camden & Brent Cross yesterday wearing jeans/trousers that were hanging around their backsides, their underpants clearly on display above them. Not a word was spoken or finger pointed at any of them !?! In a logical, healthy society, we would all be calling these idiots out for being, well for being idiots basically. What will they do next? wear no trousers at all? wear them around their ankles?

meanwhile, a guy openly wearing heels will get stared at, pointed at, nudge-nudge+whisper treatment, snickering, looks of pity/amusement/horror, etc. (I know, i've seen all of these and more when out & about with some of the 'brazen' streetheelers from this forum)

Strange and distinctly unfair world we live in!

[GTMHP]

I saw numerous 'hip' teenage lads at Camden & Brent Cross yesterday wearing jeans/trousers that were hanging around their backsides, their underpants clearly on display above them. Not a word was spoken or finger pointed at any of them !?! In a logical, healthy society, we would all be calling these idiots out for being, well for being idiots basically. What will they do next? wear no trousers at all? wear them around their ankles?

meanwhile, a guy openly wearing heels will get stared at, pointed at, nudge-nudge+whisper treatment, snickering, looks of pity/amusement/horror, etc. (I know, i've seen all of these and more when out & about with some of the 'brazen' streetheelers from this forum)

Strange and distinctly unfair world we live in!

This is just the time & place where I engage these yob in dialog. You can't change minds & hearts by silence alone.

GTMHP

[roniheels]

I saw numerous 'hip' teenage lads at Camden & Brent Cross yesterday wearing jeans/trousers that were hanging around their backsides, their underpants clearly on display above them. Not a word was spoken or finger pointed at any of them !?! In a logical, healthy society, we would all be calling these idiots out for being, well for being idiots basically. What will they do next? wear no trousers at all? wear them around their ankles?

My nephew dresses like that. He once confronted me about wearing high heels. I said " how can you question me about my appearence when you dress as though you just got out of bed and haven't totally finished putting your clothes on?" He said it was the latest style and everyone was dressing that way. I told him I simply dressed the way I enjoyed dressing and didn't care what "anyonelse" thoght or said about it.

[JeffB]

I saw numerous 'hip' teenage lads at Camden & Brent Cross yesterday wearing jeans/trousers that were hanging around their backsides, their underpants clearly on display above them. Not a word was spoken or finger pointed at any of them !?! In a logical, healthy society, we would all be calling these idiots out for being, well for being idiots basically. What will they do next? wear no trousers at all? wear them around their ankles?

Living in the inner city, I see kids sporting that ridiculous look all over the place. Blame gangsta rap videos for the abominable fad. But while I think clowns like them look abysmally foolish, I would never openly criticize them. I actually had one kid whom, while dressed so idiotically comment on my wearing a skirt, like he had any room to talk. Talk about a joke.

[PJ]

When I go out in public wearing heels, I dress completely en femme for two reasons: it hides my identity, and it adds some excitement. Although I do not consider myself to be passable as a female up close, I think I look good enough. I had only one experience that generated some kind of reaction. It was late one evening. I was dressed en femme, listening to the sounds of my heels against the concrete pavement, while window shopping at a strip mall after closing hours. I heard a wolf whistle come from behind me across the street. When I glanced in that direction, I could see nothing since it was very dark. Since I was the only person visible in the area, I assumed it was directed at me. I got scared thinking they might approach me. So I returned to my car and drove off. To this day, I don't know if they were heckling me or complimenting me.

[ShockQueen]

Total ignorance, aside from the occasional nice compliment. After the past 20 years or so, I figure I've earned the right to be who I want to be, and to Hades with the rest. Granted, I'm a bit more "out there" when I go out (today was my 2" mary-jane heels from Payless with ladies' wide-leg jeans, my pink Tinkerbell Love shirt, bright pink nail polish, and large hoop earrings). I made no attempt to "pass" or anything like that - I just wore what I enjoyed wearing. Yes, you do notice the eyes upon you, but it's all about the backbone of confidence. Once that is in place, nothing can get you down. That's what I've learned anyway.

[Dawn HH]

PJ:-) You did the right thing to return to your car right away. There are a bunch of wierdos out there and you never know what might happen if someone gets up close and then discovers that you are male. You never know what they might do or try and it is prudent to be on the cautious side, but still enjoy your outings. Congrats! Cheers--- Dawn HH

[GTMHP]

Hecklers? Got my Heckler&Koch right here!

To be serious, how I deal with unpleasant ones depends on how I feel. Sometimes I have balls to go right in front of rogues' faces, sometimes I prefer to avoid them. If somebody stares, I usually stare right back.

I took on three hecklers today when I was out in my Utilikilts & sandals:smile: I was in a food court. When I explained the kilt was ancient/honorable male attire, that I felt quite at ease in a kilt in summer I got applause from other diners men, women & kids -- the tween hecklers melted into the crowd.

As i get bolder in my attire this summer, Utilikilts, skirts, stilettos, sandals etc. I find my courage fashion ease has increased.

GTMHP

[JohnCinheels]

i recently had a heckler decide to get violent with me because i was wearing high heels and makeup. a quick application of painful pressure to the pressure points in his wrist, armpit and collarbone and he was apologizing for his stupidity. I walked away from the incident smiling.

[GTMHP]

i recently had a heckler decide to get violent with me because i was wearing high heels and makeup. a quick application of painful pressure to the pressure points in his wrist, armpit and collarbone and he was apologizing for his stupidity. I walked away from the incident smiling.

Good skills to have:smile:

GTMHP