We all know what a thigh gap is. Guys may have different views on the matter, but the majority of girls are not able to argue the fact that they have not felt jealousy when seeing a petite girl with a thigh gap. But, honestly, what is the hype about a gap between your upper legs? Why does almost every girl disturbingly hunger for this look?
With the arrival of bikini season, the prominent superstore, Target, has taken on a new name in the swimsuit industry: Amateur. In a controversial picture of a model donning a Junior’s two-piece bikini, an essential body part seems to be missing: Her vagina. On top of her absent reproductive system, the model’s waist and arms are whittled down to unrealistic proportions. An ignorant editor did such a horrid job photo shopping this image that it is almost comical.
Although this picture may cause us to roll our eyes and move on, it brings light to an even more controversial topic in our society today. Identifying positive body image for girls has been a losing battle ever since media began recognizing stick-like women as “normal.” The fact that a discomfiting percentage of adolescents have an eating disorder should speak volumes about the offensive body image that circulates media everyday.
People have taken action to regain the sensical image of a healthy, well-nourished woman in order to dub “normal,” but naïve teens are attracted to this thigh gap phenomenon. What they don’t realize is that a thigh gap is not physically normal. Girls must have a certain pelvic build and an extremely high metabolism in order to naturally obtain a thigh gap.
Target and other media have progressively become ignorant to the fact that young girls, and boys, mimic what they see, especially if it seems to be “the cool thing.” This being said, I believe they should spend less time butchering an already beautiful model, and spend more time spreading a natural, healthy positive body image. Thigh gap or no thigh gap, there is discoverable beauty in everyone.