The Internet has always seemed to have its own language. This slang is often derived from celebrity and fan culture usage. We’ve gone through phases of popular terminology and code names, especially now that they spread at a faster rate. Katy Perry has even been celebrated recently for making a claim to be “in the know” about this type of lingo by her use of the word “wig”.
However, is fan language something to be celebrated? Like all things, we need to be ready to be critical. A new phrase has been rising: “skinny legends”. In many ways, it seems harmless, like most terms do, but let’s be real: equating skinny to a modifier such as “exceptional” or “amazing” is not only harmful but downright confusing.
There’s nothing wrong with being skinny. In fact, I believe in body confidence no matter your body shape… and that’s why I think we need to stop the term “skinny legend” before it takes off too far. We’ve made amazing strides in body positivity, so this term seems to have arisen out of nowhere and has major implications for those who don’t hold that “skinny” presence.
For a demographic (stans) who advocate for body positivity and self-love, it seems in many ways ironic to use coded language that implies that being “skinny” is the only way to be a legend. While when they use this term, it doesn’t always apply to a person of slim physique, it does still hint to the imagery and thus reinforces the beauty norm that skinny is the only way to be beautiful or successful.
Stans are widely young girls. While there are many exceptions to this, the dominance in this demographic category is certain to explain why so many of us are used to reverting “skinny”. With the media still reminding us this after every turn, it was inevitable that we would start to regurgitate this form of internalized oppression.
Yet, many believe this is something small that should be looked over. “Just” a term that some fans are using online that can’t possibly hurt someone. On the contrary, language is powerful, especially when woven into the commonalities of our lives. For people who don’t see themselves as “skinny” to hear the word repeated back to them as the ultimate goal is already such a norm that when placed in the context of pop culture helps to engrave in their minds that a slim body type should be the goal. This can have major consequences.
Even worse, so many people who claim to be “feminists” or body positivity activists think that using this term is okay. They believe overlooking their core values for the sake of participating in this “nonconsequential” slang is worth it. For what reward? I couldn’t tell you. While the pressures of fitting into the mainstream are always working on everyone, the very point that this is where we slip up is absurd.
How could we allow something so simple to avoid, happen? I never believed that we would regress back toward our beleifs of how people should look, but it seems I was proven wrong. Somehow, we seem to let ourselves begin to slip with such a simple phrase of “skinny legend” and I would like to warn us to remain hesitant as we continue.
Every time someone says “skinny” or “skinny legend” people who have ever doubted their body shape begin to go back to that place of self consciousness. Simple things like this can inspire a chain of coded language that harm us every day and if we can combat these words and rethink our language, maybe we could make a difference to someone without them ever even knowing.
