First of all, what is a thigh gap?
A thigh gap in women is a space between the inner thighs when standing upright with knees touching.[1] [Wikipedia]
What does it look like?
This is perfectly fine to have. But aspiring to have it when you don’t have it? That’s actually the bad part of this.
What exactly causes a thigh gap? It could be one of two things.
- The shape of your pelvis, which cannot be changed unless through surgery. Or…
- Being extremely underweight.
Now, this is not to say that women who have thigh gaps are the problem. They aren’t. They, and anyone who doesn’t have a thigh gap, are beautiful. Anyone’s legs are beautiful, no matter what their shape.
But this is my concern.
I have struggled and continue to struggle with anorexia nervosa. I have been, and am staring to again be, underweight. But this is your question, I’m sure… “Did she have a thigh gap?”
No, even when i was 80 lbs and 5 foot 2 inches, I did not have a thigh gap.
“So what?”
The “so what” aspect of this, is that many young men and women are aspiring to get this unattainable thing. You either are born with a thigh gap, or your pelvis is not built that way and you aren’t. Either is fine, but my concern is eating disorders.
I struggled and keep struggling with anorexia nervosa. I really do not want anyone to have this terrible disease. It almost killed me because I aspired to be something I was not built to be.
My bottom line in this entire rant is going to be the same thing I’ve been saying all along:
DON’T ASPIRE TO HAVE SOMETHING WHEN YOUR BODY IS FIGHTING AGAINST YOU!
If your pelvis does not allow you to have a thigh gap, you won’t ever get one! Unless you are on the brink of death skinny, you will not have one. And a thigh gap is not worth dying for! No one will accept you more, or suddenly become your friend because of space between your legs.
And for everyone who does have a thigh gap: I’m happy for you, please don’t take offence to this. You are just as beautiful and you are not the problem. The MEDIA is the problem. They are forcing young girls and boys to think that something as meaningless and body shape has anything to do with people liking or disliking their personality.
Please, if you know that your body is not built for exercise, don’t do it so often. If you know you can’t overeat, don’t overeat. If you KNOW THE SCIENTIFIC FACT that you NEED food to survive, please eat and please keep it down. Dying is not the risk you want to take to look “beautiful”. You are already beautiful!
Stay strong. No matter if you have a thigh gap or not, you are worth it!
miraiitai 