Why This Creepy Thigh Gap Jewelry Company Is Actually Body Positive
Remember all that controversy around the thigh gap trend last year? Well, apparently, despite the surge in body positivity lately (did you know that body shaming actually makes you sick?), a lot of us are still pining for that gap between our thighs. It’s totally unnatural for most body shapes, but it can be really hard to accept that fact when thinness is so glamorized. And that’s why we were so shocked when we saw this new line of “thigh gap jewelry” — yes, you read that right.
TGAP is a company that features jewelry that hangs around the waist and falls between the thighs — sort of like a waist necklace — with a goal of “accentuating and celebrating the gap.” Initial reaction: ugh. But, dig a little deeper and you’ll find out why the company is actually really body positive. Here’s how it works: If you put an item in your cart and proceed to checkout, the very last step in the process will take you to a page with more info about the company. And here’s the surprise: It’s a fake company, “launched to catalyze a debate on unrealistic body image social media portrays.” What?!
The website was created by a designer named Soo Kyung Bae from Singapore in an effort to get rid of the thigh gap trend once and for all. According to the webpage, bone structure (the shape of the pelvic girdle and distance between the hipbones) determines whether or not you have a gap between your thighs, NOT how much you weigh. Still, according to the page, 80 percent of people are “convinced by the media that their body looks ‘wrong.'”
TGAP is a really unique way to send a message about body image to the people who might need to hear it most — AKA those who would be interested in buying thigh gap jewelry. The page offers some tips for how to get past culturally-perpetuated beauty and body standards. “Disregard the negative body image messages from media while understanding that the messages change over generations and with trend,” it reads.
What do you think of this fake company sending us a message? Tweet us your thoughts @BritandCo!