Do You Mind the Gap?

Young girls see images of skinny, fit models and go to extreme measures to emulate their bodies.
Photo Courtesy of www.carbonated.tv

It only takes one day for someone to feel bad about themselves. That day comes every December with the telecast of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Many females flood Twitter tweeting about how perfect the models are, and wishfully thinking they could be that beautiful and in shape for one day.

Minding the gap is a phrase associated with the new craze, the “thigh gap”. The thigh gap is achieved when one stands with their feet together creating a space between their inner thighs. Teenage girls across the country are indulging in this new trend to help deal with their self-esteem issues. Girls are attempting the thigh gap to be like those Victoria Secret models and actresses they read about every day.

Huffington Post: The Hunger Blogs: A Secret World of Teenage 'Thinspiration'

In every generation, there is a body fad that consumes culture, peaks and then becomes non-existent. For Baby Boomers it was looking like Twiggy. In the 90s it was attaining the “heroin-chic” look inspired by Kate Moss, and the early 2000s saw a spike in plastic surgery such as breast augmentation and rhinoplasty (nose job).

“I don’t understand why girls have this obsession with their body. It’s (touching thighs) there for a reason,” says Allison Horhn, a high school senior in Delaware. “It’s only an issue to those who are insecure.”

For years, females have been plagued with issues of anorexia, bulimia and body dismorphia. According to the Journal of Counseling and Development, “anorexia is more common in girls by 10 to one,” while the National Eating DisorderAssociation reports approximately 30 million people will be diagnosed with an eating disorder.

Nowadays, mainstream media is the driving machine behind this issue. Social media sites have users that promote these harmful behaviors by re-blogging photos on Tumblr or following Cara Delvigne’s (British fashion model) thigh gap on Twitter. “Young women are inclined to judge their bodies harshly, particularly when they compare their bodies to those of emaciated models in magazines and to celebrities who they admire who are often rail thin,” says Barbara Greenburg, a clinical psychologist and Huffington Post blogger.

Girls in high school are feeling the pressure of having the perfect body that is believed to be attractive to the population. In an interview with Good Morning America, Emily Rozansky, president of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) at her high school chapter, told GMA’s Juju Chang that many girls view the thigh gap as the ideal body shape.

Although many girls want to lose weight, most guys don’t even notice the space between their legs. Getting rid of their inner thighs has become a solution for some to deal with their insecurities and to feel more attractive. Horhn knew of the issue, but never heard it referenced as the thigh gap. Even after discussing it with her friends, they don’t like the idea of seeing through someone’s legs.

Albright College has procedures in place to help students conquer their issues. The Gable Health and Counseling Center offers free and confidential counseling services directly on the college’s campus. Students can make daily appointments from Monday through Friday to talk with licensed professionals

The thigh gap doesn’t affect everyone, but Greenburg offers some tips if you notice changes in your children and friends. It is hard to predict whether or not this trend will pick up steam or fall flat; however, social media is trying to do its part to promote healthy, positive messages. Pinterest and Instagram have taken action against users encouraging unhealthy images and dietary habits. In early 2012, the New York Daily News reported on Tumblr changing its policy by banning users from posting images that support the “thinspiration” movement with Pinterest and Instagram, respectively, following suit.