The A4 Waist Challenge.
Photo: Weibo
If you’re a Weibo user (China’s version of Twitter), you’ve probably already seen #A4Challenge trending. What is this mysterious hashtag? In the vein of last summer’s Bellybutton Challenge, it’s a “challenge” that requires you to photograph your waist behind a piece of A4 paper, which is eight inches long. If your waist disappears, you … win? It’s like the Ice Bucket Challenge, but for propagating impossible body standards.
Inevitably, there’s been considerable backlash to this challenge, as it promotes a level of extreme thinness that doesn’t come naturally to most. Mashable reports that Weibo user Joe Wong posted a selfie of him covering his face with A4 paper with the caption “I have A4 face.” Same, Joe.
