What exactly is the ‘legging legs’ scandal taking over TikTok – and why is this fad so ‘harmful’ and ‘toxic’ according to some social media users?  

Many young women on the video-sharing platform have been defining the term ‘legging legs’ as meaning having a thigh gap that’s visible in the spandex pants – but this has proved to be controversial. 

The ‘legging legs’ search on TikTok brings up a combination of videos – young women showing off their thigh gaps in spandex under the search term ‘perfect legging legs,’ along with women speaking out against the ‘toxic’ trend. 

Women on social media are aghast, and think the trend is bringing back the ‘thigh gap’ for Gen Z and encouraging unhealthy eating habits. 

Gen Z women have been showing off their thigh gaps in leggings on TikTok, including content creator Mia Griggs , 20, in New Jersey 

Gen Z women have been showing off their thigh gaps in leggings on TikTok, including content creator Mia Griggs, 20, in New Jersey. 

A few followers loved the content, with one commenting, ‘So beautiful girl.’ 

However, others were less impressed, and expressed that anyone can wear leggings and should feel comfortable in them, no matter what their bodies look like. 

‘Yeah, yeah. You got them. Congratulations,’ one person snarked. 

‘I always thought about leggings as the ones to use to get comfy, specially when nothing else would fit,’ another comment read. 

One user fought back with, ‘all legs are legging legs,’ as another agreed, ‘how to get legging legs: 1. Have legs, 2. Wear leggings.’  

Influencer Mik Zazon, whose content focuses on comfortable fashion and eating disorder recovery, made a video bashing the body shaming trend, which she shared with her 1.7 million followers. 

The health and fitness coach from Columbus, Ohio, clarified, ‘People who have thigh gaps only have them because of their genetics, because of their bone structure, because of their hip structure.’ 

Women on social media are aghast, and think the trend is bringing back the ‘thigh gap’ for Gen Z and encouraging people to wear leggings no matter what 

‘Now, we have young girls out there who think that they were born wrong,’ the wellness influencer continued. 

‘These trends have got to stop,’ Mik said. 

‘Social media is so harmful and toxic, we have young girls right now who think that they can’t wear a wardrobe essential that is comfortable that can be paired with so many different things because they don’t have a thigh gap. 

‘Our sole purpose in life is not to fit into clothes and to fit into whatever beauty standard is in right now because they change every couple of week if not weekly,’ Mik told her followers. 

She ended the video by proclaiming: ‘We are not doing this.’ 

Influencer Mik Zazon, whose content focuses on comfortable fashion and eating disorder recovery, made a video bashing the body shaming trend, which she shared with her 1.7 million followers 

And Mik’s followers completely agreed with her message. 

‘I put leggings on my legs therefore I have legging legs. Thank you,’ a commenter joked. 

‘I’m on the side of social media where I only heard about legging legs by people getting mad about them,’ another wrote. 

Some took the trend a bit too far, with one woman writing, ‘Easy to say when you have perfect legging legs.’ 

‘I can’t even remember if my thighs have ever been separated, they’re depended on each other,’ one commenter joked. 

Some users share photos and ask if they have ‘legging legs,’ while others are worried that history is repeating itself and begged for the trend to stop

On X, formerly known as Twitter, the response was much the same. 

Some users shared photos and ask if they have ‘legging legs,’ while others are worried that history is repeating itself and begged for the trend to stop. 

One person tweeted, ‘People acting like “legging legs” is new when it’s just “thigh gap” rebranded? 

‘Influences, advertising, and the media will recycle these ideas to the end of time to keep woman insecure so they can capitalize off of our insecurity and shame.’ 

Another wrote, ‘All these TikTok trends about legging legs… it feels like we’re circling back to 90s magazines when they gave everyone eating disorders and I hate.’ 

Others thought the popularity of the trend was being blown out of proportion. 

‘I’ve seen more videos on TikTok of people saying “I can’t believe that legging legs is trending this is disgusting’ than I’ve actually seen videos about legging legs.’