While we love our skinny and thin sisters, the appropriation of “thicc” needs to stop.

First, let’s understand what thicc means (and an extra ‘c’ if they’re extra thiccc) and where it came from. The word “thicc” is derived from the actual word thick, and it refers to women who have a full-figured body, specifically a full, round booty with thick thighs, and a curvy waist. It’s pretty much the descendant of the word “phat” used in the 90s with the same intent. Thicc was coined and used by curvaceous, Black women to describe their bodies and take pride in their voluptuous, hourglass, pear-shaped, and fuller bodies without the fat-shaming. Thicc women come in a variety of shapes and sizes but the core definition is the same. Unfortunately, due to social media, young women who don’t have a big booty and thick thighs but don’t have a flat stomach are fat-shamed.

Then came dudes, memes, and the insufferable “she’s not thicc, she’s fat” bullshit trying to derail thicc women’s pride in their own bodies. We all know that as soon as something hits Urban Dictionary and goes mainstream, it’s no longer fun.

A Brief History of the Usage of Thicc and Thicc Girls

Thick has been used in the Black community for decades, to describe full, voluptuous, bodies, with a particular focus on booty and thighs. The earliest use in hip-hop, however, was in 1993 on Naughty By Nature’s “Written on Your Kitten”.

Pretty patter craps, then I lick her paw,

Looks like a thicker broad, thick as a brick, time to pick the draws

And referring to “thick” women and “thick thighs” continued in Hip Hop through the 90s with artists like Sir Mix A Lot - “Ride” (1994), Rough Ryders’ Eve featuring Nokio - “What You Want” (1998), the first female rapper to refer to herself as “thick”, and The Lox - “If You Think I’m Jiggy” (1998). It became more common in the early 2000s, starting with Nelly’s “Thicky Thick Girl” (2001), Da Brat and almost every artist in the South praised the thickness.

Now, thicc is being applied to and/or describing thin women who wear thigh highs that are one or two sizes too small, or thin girls who have a nice body. This is an especially favorite pastime of men and boys into anime. It becomes problematic when a word used to attribute the attractiveness of a woman’s full figure is, yet again, appropriated to describe an aesthetic that is already considered the status quo. Curvaceous women, whether thick or overweight have been fighting for self-love in the face of a society that likes to belittle their size or tell them how unhealthy their bodies are. So when thicc women coined the phrase thicc, it’s a slap in the face that it’s being attributed to thin women. There’s more to being thicc/thick than camera angles for selfies, wearing booty shorts and jeans that are too small, and just calling yourself thicc.

No, this isn’t a “let’s dump on skinny girls” thing. We love our thin girls, thicc girls, fit girls, and everyone in between. What this is, however, is a “you need to understand how problematic you’re being” thing. Let’s be perfectly honest here. I repeat: Thicc was coined and used by curvaceous, Black women to describe their bodies and take pride in their voluptuous, hourglass, pear-shaped, and fuller bodies without the fat-shaming. Thin women are cashing in on a body type that’s not even theirs.

Thicc, curvaceous bodies are not the meme people keep trying to make them out to be. Sure, it’s flattering that, yet again, our physical attributes are being coveted by those without them. But what’s not cool is marketing our body types to produce yet another unrealistic “trend” that convinces people that their body needs to look a certain way, including people getting plastic surgery, butt fillers, injections, trying crazy diets, waist trainers, and extreme workouts. That’s not cool.

Of course, we want everyone to feel comfortable in their own bodies, as they should. But that confidence shouldn’t come at the expense of a group of people who have naturally curvaceous bodies. Girls, say no to size discrimination, put on your most beautiful dress, put on makeup that makes you feel happy, wear custom earrings that express your personality, and tell everyone that you deserve the best in the world.

The Kardashian Slim Thicc Body Ideation is Very Dangerous

In 2015, Harper’s Bazaar published an article on the very unobtainable ideal body trend. The “slim-thick” trend does more than appropriate Black women’s bodies. It presents yet another unobtainable body goal for young girls when they see influencers and socialite celebrities like Kim Kardashian and her family who do not obtain these body shapes naturally. The Kardashian slim-thick body trend is characterized by a thick booty and a very small waist, often accompanied by a thigh gap! It’s basically trying to obtain Beyonce’s body shape. Women and girls covet this body type while men and boys desire it. But without a lot of money, it’s not real. Squats may help tone and define your bottom, but all the squats in the world will not give you J-Lo’s booty if you’ve never had a booty to begin with.

Yes, eating healthy and copious squats, lunges, etc. will tone your booty, give it a little lift, and a little shape. But it will not make it bigger. For that, you will need to shell out money for the Brazilian Butt Lift surgery that we definitely do not recommend. Women are really dying after getting butt surgery.

Look, everyone likes thicc thighs and big booties. That’s just how it is. But not having thicc thighs and a plump booty is okay, too. It’s okay to be thin or skinny. It doesn’t make you less attractive. It doesn’t make you less you. What’s not okay, is appropriating a body type that’s clearly not yours and then using your new found confidence to disparage the women who naturally have the thick, curvaceous body that you imagine yourself having. And fellas, we love you, but you need to stop your nonsense, too. We know thick thighs save lives, but our bodies are not your memes.

What’s on your mind?