A so-called “fashion trend” famed for showing off the physique of the female genitalia has sparked anger among women. The “camel toe” has reportedly made a major comeback, this time with a modern new name after being dubbed “crotch cleavage” by Gen Z. While both are slang words, the term “camel toe” is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as an effect created by clothing that fits tightly around a woman’s groin, drawing attention to the shape of her external genitals.
The earliest known use of the noun camel toe was in the 1980s, but it was popularized in the early noughties by the “Camel Toe Annie” skit on Late Night with Conan O’Brien , according to Jezebel . Despite showing a woman’s natural shape, having a camel toe was far from celebrated, in fact one Australian publication recently described it “as humiliating as walking out of the public bathroom with your dress tucked inside your underwear”. It’s this negative sentiment, and the recent resurgence of the “revealing fashion trend”, that has sparked calls from women for the camel toe to be “reclaimed”.
A recent report from the Fashion Journal argues that far from being “vulgar” and “repulsive,” a camel toe should be considered a positive female attribute. “High-waisted jeans, leggings and bike shorts are all major culprits and labia-hugging bottoms. It’s scrutinised and looked upon with disgust.
But shouldn’t a camel toe be cute?” Hannah Cole wrote for the publi.