Bye bye thigh gaps, there's an empowering new beauty hashtag on the rise...
So long Photoshopped thigh gaps, there’s a new, truly lovely campaign taking off on social media that’s encouraging women to celebrate our wobbly bits and battle scars in all their #NoFilter glory.
#ThighReadings are officially trending on Instagram and Twitter, with women everywhere snapping selfies of their thighs and celebrating all the good ‘n natural things like stretch marks, scars, hairs and veins that society usually tries to airbrush out.
Feminist Tweeters @EmoSlut and @PrincessLabia were the ones who kick-started the empowering campaign, suggesting that the stretch marks on thighs could tell a woman’s story, just like a palm reading would.
They’re asking women to ‘Show us your thigh readings’, and talk about the marks we’ve earned – maybe from having babies, overcoming an eating disorder or self harm, or gaining or losing weight.
So what are women saying about the trend?
‘Hi stretchies #ThighReading is a reminder that everyone is beautiful!’ writes @laurmarie_12 on Instagram.
@roshaereckless writes: ‘No matter what people are gonna complain about their thighs. Actually correct that. The media and society will complain about our thighs, whether they're too big or too small. Sorry, but I'm a deviant I suppose. Because my thighs are beautiful. And yours are too, whether you're a guy, girl, or an elephant, who the hell cares. Love yourself, because at the end of the day you're all you got. I'm proud to be apart of this movement. Now go put on a killer pair of shorts or a skirt. ❤️ #ThighReading #ThighReadingChallenge'
'Because WHO CARES?!' asks tayloranne06 with the excellent hashtag #EffYourBeautyStandards
And even a few celebrities are starting to get in on the action. Chrissy Teigen posted this stunning snap on her Instagram last week, with the caption, 'Bruises from bumping kitchen drawer handles for a week. Stretchies say hi!'
