Megan Knees / Good Knees Challenge

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About

Megan Knees is an internet slang term that means you have strong knees. It is a reference to rapper Megan Thee Stallion's knees, which are perceived as strong based on the way she twerks and bounces while deeply bending her knees. The term started to spread online in 2019, inspiring the Megan Knees Challenge on TikTok in 2021, where users attempt to twerk while kneeling like Megan. The trend became popular again in August and September 2022, as well as through the Good Knees Challenge on TikTok.

Origin

In early 2019, people began discussing the perceived strength of Megan Thee Stallion's knees more frequently based on her twerking ability.^[1]^[2] On April 8th, 2019, Twitter^[3] user @CharDasia_M posted, "i need some Megan knees 😂😂😭," using the exact term for the first time on Twitter. On August 1st, 2019, YouTuber^[4] MOVE Fitness posted a video titled, "How To Have Knees Like Megan Thee Stallion," where she teaches viewers how to twerk while bent at the knees like Megan, garnering over 200,000 views in three years (shown below).

On August 5th, 2019, Twitter^[5] user @desdeshun_ posted a screenshot of her mother texting her that Megan has her "testing her knees" at work, which Megan retweeted that day, garnering over 60,000 likes. On August 15th, Afropunk^[6] published an article about her knees. On August 22nd, Garage^[7] published an article about her knees. On September 25th, YouTuber HipHollywoord posted a video titled, "7 Times Megan Thee Stallion And Her Industrial Strength Knees Took Over The Internet," compiling clips of Megan using her knees to twerk, garnering over 360,000 views in three years (shown below).

Spread

On July 7th, 2020, the term was defined on Urban Dictionary^[8] with a sexual connotation, writing, "It is a trending term, the ability to coordinate your knees when on top in sexual intercourse, 'jumping on his thang.'" On August 22nd, a Redditor posted to /r/NoStupidQuestions^[9] asking, "Hi all, what in the world are megan knees?" It was most popularly defined on Urban Dictinoary on May 3rd, 2021, the user writing:

When someone can coordinate moving their hips, knees, and ass; While moving up and down with rhythm. Like Megan the Stallion does while dancing on stage. To be good at this one has to have strength in their legs. Also many hours of dancing in the mirror. A useful way for women to embrace their sexuality.

Megan Knees Challenge

In September 2021, the "Megan Knees Challenge" began spreading on TikTok. The challenge has TikTokers attempt to bend their knees and twerk rhythmically in a style similar to Megan Thee Stallion's in order to show off their knee strength. On September 30th, 2021, YouTuber^[10] Salsa Sauce posted a compilation of the trend, garnering over 300,000 views in a year (shown below).

On September 11th, 2021, Twitter^[11] user @lsloops tweeted a video of a K-pop performer, writing, "HER MEGAN KNEES," garnering over 10,000 likes in a year (shown below).

A version of the trend saw a resurgence in popularity on TikTok^[12] in August 2022, where TikTokers do a specific dance where they twerk while bending their knees. For example, on August 6th, 2022, TikToker^[13] @madywdaflaty3 posted a video doing the challenge, garnering over 150,000 views in a month (shown below, left). On August 11th, TikToker @strice2 posted a video doing the challenge, garnering over 224,000 views in a month (shown below, right).