Target’s thigh gap Photoshop fail has drawn criticism from the Gainesville community.
The retailer posted last week an advertisement for a junior’s bathing suit on its website, and several bloggers noticed the glaring Photoshop errors on the picture. The model’s thigh gap, the nickname for the space between thighs, extended into her pelvis. Parts of her arms were obviously thinned.
Target acknowledged the error and removed the image.
Kali Kaufman, a 20-year-old UF psychology junior, said she felt outraged.
“I couldn’t tell if it was a mistake or if they meant to do it,” she said.
Images like that can negatively influence girls, she said.
“I have a younger sister, and I do not want her to think it is OK to look like that,” Kaufman said.
Research has established media like the Target advertisement contributes to increased body dissatisfaction among girls, said Natalie Rella, a GatorWell Health Promotion Services specialist.
“Being bombarded with these unrealistic and unattainable images encourages girls and women to base their self-worth on appearance and can be a contributing factor to the development of eating disorders,” she said.
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 3/17/2014 under the headline "Thigh gap photo raises controversy locally"]
