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For every positive message about body image put out in this world, there are about five negative ones. Unfortunately, the availability of this negativity is saturated in our modern day full of social platforms. For every constructive image of health and confidence is a picture of an impossibly skinny girl, inviting women to achieve the same physique. The latest scary skinny sensation to emerge in social media is the “Thigh Gap.” What exactly defines this terrifying body image trend?
The thigh gap is the amount of space between the inner thighs when standing with feet and knees together.
Sounds a tad ridiculous right? Sadly the silliness behind this desired affect is the least of the trends’ problems. Achieving that type of gap for some women, is factually unmanageable. It all comes down to our individual bone structure. Women, traditionally, are built with a certain natural skeletal structure around the hip, thigh, and butt region. If you have wider set hips, the thigh gap might be naturally occurring. For ladies with smaller set hips, the femur will pronate inwards making it literally impossible to achieve such a gap between the legs. In short, attaining this look cannot happen naturally. Aren’t there enough discouraging messages about unfeasible ideal body types out there without the saturation of an unattainable goal? The amount of imagery out there encouraging girls to strive for this is sickening. The majority of it being pictures of girls with ridiculously tiny legs paired with a confidence crushing slogan disguised as inspiration to get thin. A quick search for the thigh gap will lead you to tumblr’s, instructional videos for “how to get the thigh gap,” and even a twitter page devoted to model Cara Delevingne’s thigh gap . How sad.
Think of your 3 best friends. Do any of them have the thigh gap? I hope your answer is a resounding no, unless you happen to be best friends with an international supermodel. This trend needs to be stifled for the sake of all women out there. Not just women with “curves” – for all women because we all have hipbones right? Our body structures make us strong and beautiful. Remind yourself to work with what you have, stay fit and motivated, and love your own skin. Aim for the achievable and not the impossible when it comes to your health.
By
Ali Vitali
My best friend in college and I used to talk about this all the time! I think the conversation went something like “wait, there are people with space there?”
thighgaphack
Why aren’t all women allowed to want their bodies to look a the way they prefer? You’re telling WOMEN how they SHOULD want to look, just as the ‘evil’ magazines/media are said to be doing.
Yes, if you narrow hips it will be a little bit harder to get a thigh gap and you will need to become lean to do so. But, athletes, fitness models and body builders strive to become very lean ALL THE TIME. They do it without starving or killing themselves.
If you are not a fan of the gap, it doesn’t mean your view should be imposed on everyone else, right? That’s like telling people they shouldn’t want to strive for six pack abs (because that’s not naturally occurring for most people)
Basically, if you wouldn’t tell a man or woman they shouldn’t want six pack abs, you shouldn’t tell a woman she shouldn’t want a thigh gap. It’s just another way people think they have jurisdiction over womens’ bodies.
I hope I’ve given you something to think about.
Respectfully,
The Thigh Gap Hack
Ali Vitali
I have to say, I agree with what you’re saying. That said, it’s important to tell girls and women that to thigh gap is as much an option as not to thigh gap. That latter point is often underrepresented.
Alyssa
Or, we’re just seeing girls pose a certain way, and thinking this is the body norm we should be striving for, based on a two dimensional fashion photo, like so:
Sarah A. Ward
I have a thigh gap because my hips are very wide set and I ride horses, causing these muscles to be very fit. It’s all about body type. Honestly it makes you look bowlegged.
Naturally occuring thigh gap
I agree with you that these kinds of trends are incredibly damaging, particularly for young girls. But I think your message of loving our bodies gets a little lost at the beginning of the last paragraph.
“Think of your 3 best friends. Do any of them have the thigh gap? I hope your answer is a resounding no, unless you happen to be best friends with an international supermodel.” (What about those who have the aforementioned naturally occuring thigh gap? This is along the lines of the “real women have curves” campaign.)
Joselyn
Thigh Gap Hack,
The point of the message is to debunk the trend as something young girls should strive for – if it’s not phsyically possible for them. My perspective was pained by the social media outpour obsessing over this particular physical trait that is genetically unachievable for most people. I am an advocate of feeling comfortable in our own skin. If that skin involves a six back, a pronounced collar bone, or a thigh gap – then it is beautiful!
I absolutely respect everyone’s right to desire and strive for whatever body type they want – as long as it can physically be achieved in a healthy way. That’s all that matters at the end of the day right? That girls out there have fitness goals that work for them to make them the best version of themselves they can be.