The *gasp* Thigh Gap!

My guest today, Amber, tackles an important topic for women. Old, young, athletic, curvy. It doesn’t matter. Read on for a powerful message about body image, self esteem, and living your happiest life. And to my male readers: share this post with a woman you love.

—


Thick, 

Big, 

Massive, 

Muscular, 

Solid,

Strong,

and most recently,

Lethal in the Legs

All are words that have been used by others to describe my legs, to me, they are compliments. 

I am proud of my muscular legs, and thankful for all that they do to support my body. 

My thighs touch, they have for as long as I can remember, and their lack of a space has never been a big deal to me. They stick together in the summertime, glide by one another while I run, and make me order the next size up in jeans, cause a size two just won’t do, with legs as thick as mine. 

So at first, I was confused with the whole “thigh gap” term. The running joke between my friends and I is that I “live underneath a rock” when it comes to all things that deal with pop culture, social media, and trends. Well, clearly, my thighs and I were out of the loop on this “thigh gap” phenomenon. While I’ve been at the gym doing squats and looking in the mirror excitedly at my leg gains, other girls have been trying to eliminate theirs….

A “thigh gap” is when you stand with your feet together, there is a gap between your thighs.

WELL, as you can see in the photo,

when I stand with my feet together,

there isn’t a gap between the two until my knees,

in which there is a small spec of space,

and my legs continue to touch all the way to my feet.

I must be part mermaid, or part awesome, maybe both

Ariel always was my favorite Disney movie.

I stood in front of the mirror and tried again, this time with my feet shoulder width apart, still no gap.

It wasn’t until I stood with my feet past my shoulders that an “if you squint your eyes and look hard enough” space was created, but even still, right below that space my thighs touch.

I was unphased by my lack of space. Instead I was impressed by how my legs still touched despite the growing distance between my feet. 

Still impressed, I did a little internet research and read a few articles, to see what was so wonderful about this space that I clearly, by the above photos did not posess. I sat at my computer and stared horrified at the screen. What was once something that only existed in the model world has now become a contagiously coveted desire for young girls and women. Social media sites have allowed this “thigh gap” desire to spread like wild fire. Fueling it with support in the form of hash tags, instagram/pinterest accounts for “thighspiration” and diet and work out plans that promise to unveil that so called sacred space. I felt sick looking at pictures that said, “Do it for the thigh gap” or reading girls’ comments about their own bodies, bashing their touching thighs and wishing for nothing more than a space between the two. If I could, I’d go and delete every single one of those stupid pictures and posts, because a space between your thighs doesn’t mean anything about who you are as a person, your health, fitness, or beauty.

LADIES – THIS IS FOR YOU AND YOUR THIGHS,
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE, GAP OR NO GAP

A space between your thighs does not make you prettier

A space between your thighs does not make you happier

A space between your thighs does not make you a better person

A space between your thighs does not make you “more fit”

A space between your thighs does not make you healthier

A space between your thighs is simply just that, a space that some of us have, and others don’t.

Jen Sinkler writes a great article on this topic, specifically describing how a thigh gap and whether or not we can achieve one has more to do with our bone and muscle structure than the food we eat and exercises we do.

So this highly sought out space, for some girls and women, just isn’t possible based on our bone and muscle structure. In addition to it not being possible, think about all the wonderful things your legs do for you, and how, if you partake in self-destructive behaviors to achieve this space, you may hurt yourself and your legs’ abilities.

Our legs are our vessels in which we take on the world. It is with thicker legs we can run faster, jump higher, dance longer, walk farther, and simply stand. My legs are a resting place for my boyfriend’s tired head, a warm lap for a small child, and a make shift tray when I’m trying to eat without a table, my touching thighs acting as an excellent crumb catcher. It is with these larger legs that I ran my first 5k, walked across the stage for graduation, and danced the night away many times. With these thicker thighs I feel beautiful and strong, whether I’m sweaty at the gym in tie dye spandex or dressed up, my legs give me the confidence to wear whatever I feel like.

Stop wishing for that space and start loving

I love my legs, all around their 22 inches of width.

You should love yours too, gap or no gap.

Need some more positive “thighspiration”? Check out Elisabeth Akinwale’s blog post embracing her thighs, in which she refers to them as “juicy and beautiful.”

Stay Happy and Healthy.

-Amber

—