All opinions expressed in this article are solely the opinions of the contributors.
TikTok has recently banned a trend on its platform due to concerns that it was fostering negative body images and endorsing behaviors linked to eating disorders in women. The trend, known as “legging legs,” involved women and girls showcasing their slender legs while wearing leggings. Alongside TikTok’s official ban, users on the platform have been actively opposing the trend, highlighting its negative impact on self-image.
Straight Arrow News contributor Jordan Reid is relieved to see the backlash, particularly concerning her worries about the potential impact of these trends on her tween daughter.
And now they — we — have to feel bad about how our legs look in leggings, aka the most ubiquitous, and, it must be said, wonderful and comfortable item in most of our wardrobes. It’s almost as if there’s an entire industry built on the concept of women hating ourselves. On the plus side, many TikTok users have revolted against the term.
And, in a rare example of a social media company actually doing the right thing, you can no longer search for “legging legs” on TikTok. If you do, you get an image with the caption: “You’re not alone. If you or someone you know is having a hard time, help is always available,” and a link to eating disorder resources — which is truly, truly great and something I’d really love to see become standard practice for social media companies. But even more than that, it’s been exciting to see women — real women, real social media users — flat out rejecting this concept at almost the instant it began to gain traction.
We are done. We are exhausted from decades, centuries, eons spent hating our bodies, and we are tired of our very selves being positioned as trends for the sole benefit of those who profit from our desire to fit into a predetermined mold. Let’s say that again, all together. Our bodies are not trends. They’re miracles.
