We have all heard the average dress size of an American woman is 14. Some medical physicians may not consider this a healthy average but it is still the norm. But who wants to be normal, right? So what are we striving for in terms of a woman’s body?
Thigh gap is a new diet trend young women are striving to achieve. The main goal in this diet is to have thighs that don’t touch.
This new body image stems from the usual super models and Hollywood actresses in their sample size frocks of two or four, however the pursuit of the thigh gap can cost a woman much more than just weight loss.
Lindsay Bruyninckx, a senior mass communications major, works out to stay fit and thinks thigh gap could be a good goal.
“I think it’s crazy to try and make a gap, honestly, but it’s a good motivator. I don’t think it’s worth the stress if my thighs don’t touch,” Bruyninckx said.
Juri Thompson, a senior biology major, has seen this trend hit social sites like The Chive with daily photo galleries titled “Mind the Gap.”
“I’ve never heard a guy say ‘man look at the gap between those thighs’ and I do not think this is an appropriate diet plan,” Thompson said.
Thompson says that social media has gone a bit far when addressing body image.
“I think they use a trending hashtag to show girls what they are missing out on because they are ‘too fat,’” Thompson said.
The website Tumblr has pages dedicated to thigh gap and most images are
Tyler Whiteside, a senior kinesiology major
“There is a difference in having a thigh gap and being toned. Mostly it has to do with bone structure and genetics,” Whiteside said. “If you are working out and gaining muscle mass while losing fat this gives you toned thighs. Thigh gap has to do with your hip structure.”
Wide hips lead to natural thigh gap, while narrow hips don’t have room for a gap necessarily.
The likes of Marilyn Monroe have slowly started to creep into our society again. Curves are something to accept not denote anymore. Women like Kate Upton, Beyonce and Sophia Vergara show a figure of curves.
In the end, the human body can only allow so much due to structure and genetics. What seems like a great body type may not be in the cards for some who want to remain healthy.
stacey018 • Apr 7, 2014 at 11:20 pm
14 is normal? It might be the new normal but that is not normal. Back in the day the average size was not 14 and what in the world do you mean that a great body is not in the type for someone who wants to remain healthy? You can be healthy and get a thigh gap (see http://www.thighgaphack.com)
By your standards it’s healthy to eat so much that you are more than likely at the high end of your BMI and your body fat percentage categorizes you as overweight!
Please, do not listen to this dreck. A thigh gap is fine to strive for if you want to. It’s your body and you’re the one who has to live in it and deal with the discomfort of rubbing thighs, discoloration, low self esteem, health issues, etc. Not the author.
Also, I really wish people would get more educated on the fact that you don’t have to have wide hips to have a thigh gap. Just look at any of those pictures of girls on the chive and you’ll notice many with narrow hips and a thigh gap
And finally, thigh gaps alone can’t be unhealthy when so many people have them naturally, including men, including overweight women with wider hips, and including women who have very very small spaces that still qualifies as a thigh gap.
Do some actual research on a subject matter! It’s obvious all her facts come from articles written by women who unfortunately want everyone to join them on the belief that size 14 is ‘normal’ to feel better about themselves. Actually buying that a great body is not in the cards for you is simply an excuse to avoid putting in the work.