The thigh
gap has, over the years, become an internet phenomenon. Hundreds, thousands of
dedicated thigh gap supporters have saturated sites like Facebook, Tumblr and
Pinterest with photographs, blogs and memes of thigh gaps. For anyone who doesn’t
have a clue what we mean by “thigh gap”: it’s a hollow cavity at the top of the
inner thighs when you stand with your feet together. Largely it indicates a
drastically underweight frame and there’s many a website offering girls “tips”
on how to starve themselves to achieve these cavernous spaces betwixt their
legs. At Luxe Models we’re all about maintaining fit, healthy bodies and think
it’s about time this dangerous trend comes to an end.
For young
girls, the internet is a pressure-filled hive swimming with pictures of “how
they should look”. Plus-sized model Robyn Lawley of Australia has spoken out
this week about her fears for teens that may end up starving themselves to
achieve legs so thin they don’t touch at the top. She is hugely disturbed by
websites that promote the thigh gap as “thinspiration” to encourage visitors to
reduce their calorie intake in order to slim down to this unrealistic size.
24-year-old Robyn
is a size 12 and has worked for Vogue
and Elle France amongst others, and
is the first plus-sized model to be shot in a Ralph Lauren campaign. She says this is a very worrying image for
teens to be exposed to and was alarmed when an image of her posing in lingerie
was used on a pro-thigh gap Facebook page. The photograph, in which Robyn leans
forward slightly, creating a natural parting at the top of her legs, garnered
900 comments and many of them were far from positive.
In an
article written for the Daily Beast, Robyn says that she was described as “too
hefty” to be featured on the site, and notes that the word “pig” was bandied
about far too often in reference to her gorgeous figure. She also says that far
from aiming to achieve a thigh gap, she’s been working hard to make her thighs
bigger and stronger so that she can enjoy longer workouts.
She feels
that true acceptance comes from within rather than comments on a Facebook feed
or a ridiculous website where eating disorders are openly encouraged. Women and
especially young girls have enough pressure laid on them without having to feel
like they’re not beautiful because they don’t have a large wedge of air where
the flesh of their legs should be.
And Robyn
has seen it from both sides. She began her career as a standard-sized model but
felt it wasn’t worth the effort of trying to maintain a size 8. From the looks
of her Tumblr page, Robyn is a passionate foodie who certainly wouldn’t dream
of starving her body of vital nutrients. We reckon she’s absolutely gorgeous
and a real inspiration for any aspiring models. But that’s not to say that
naturally slim women ought to feel bad about their shapes either!
If you’re
hoping to enter the world of modelling, it’s very important to understand the
value of loving yourself through and through and being very confident about
your body image. At Luxe Models we can offer advice and tell you which area of
modelling you’re best suited to. Check out our website for more details!
