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What Are 'Legging Legs' And Why Are Women Revolting Against The Term? The Viral TikTok Trend Explained
A new slang term that could have harmful side effects is being called out by users across TikTok. The term is "legging legs", and it's gone viral as a way of describing women with legs that are perfect for wearing leggings. So what is it about the term that's so harmful and what are TikTokers doing to fight against it? Here's what you need to know.
What Does 'Legging Legs' Mean?
"Legging legs" first started going viral on TikTok in October 2023 when user @not_jassy14 posted a video expressing her frustrations over seeing girls with "perfect legging legs." While she doesn't exactly define the term, another video using it went viral in November, helping spread the idea of "legging legs" across the app.
Legging legs have been described by TikTokers as thin, long legs with a thigh gap. The term essentially suggests that women with these types of legs look the best in leggings. While this might not seem harmful at first, the idea that some girls have "legging legs" could cause insecurities in some women, which has lead to backlash against the term.
Why Are TikTokers Mad About 'Legging Legs?'
The term generally flew under the radar until January 2024, when TikTokers began posting videos sharing their frustrations with the term. In their opinion, the term is "toxic" and could inspire many young women to feel insecure about their own legs, discouraging them from wearing leggings.
One TikToker, whose video gained over 7 million views in just a few days, says that having legging legs is "not a flex" while suggesting there could be some 15-year-old girls who see these videos and now won't wear leggings. Another went viral with a video captioned, "all legs are legging legs," spreading the message that you don't need to have a specific type of legs to wear leggings.
Was 'Legging Legs' Banned From TikTok?
On January 30th, 2024, it was reported by several media outlets that the term "legging legs" was banned from TikTok. Since the ban, searching the term on TikTok results in a page that reads "You're not alone" and offers a phone number for the National Eating Disorder Information Centre.
For the full history of Legging Legs, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.