I guess we all knew this was coming.
The Victoria’s Secret fashion show season is upon us, and after many years of insulting native americans and wearing real fur, it’s really no surprise that they are going to do it again. The fact of the matter is that what Victoria’s Secret calls its “sexiest fantasy” is actually completely wrong. Rail-thin models might be some people’s fantasy, and that’s O.K., but that’s not what everyone desires or wants to look like. But, believe it or not, that isn’t even the main controversy of this year.
Chief Marketing Office Ed Razek spoke to Vogue and, among other things, said, “It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world, and any other fashion brand in the world would take it in a minute, including the competitors that are carping at us.”
Yikes.
Victoria’s Secret does cater to larger sizes in its bra selection (40DDD), but if they’re looking for a pat on the back from me, they aren’t getting it. That’s the very basic size they should be carrying for larger lingerie aficionados. And moreover, it’s very apparent to me that Victoria’s Secret outed itself as 100% transphobic, no ifs, ands or buts. Where does the “fantasy” Razek speaks of get ruined by having trans models on the runway? Trans models come in all shapes and sizes, including rain-thin bombshells, so the only thing excluding trans models from the fashion show is their trans identity.
Here’s the bottom line: the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is irrelevant in 2018.
Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty line does a much better job at showing that diversity is the sexiest thing you can offer, and as a bonus, it doesn’t shame people of different identities and body types by saying that, though they carry your size so they can get your business, they don’t want you to represent them. Again, yikes.
So, even though they’re tempting, I think it’s best to leave Victoria’s Secret’s panties sales in the dust and invest your money and love into a lingerie company that doesn’t actually lowkey hate you. Don’t you think?