It is that time of year again. The time of year when Angels aren’t only on top of Christmas trees, but on your television screens as well. Yes, I’m talking about the annual “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show”. This event has always been one for much debate. On one side you have people saying that it sends negative messages to girls- especially girls of a younger age whom are still trying to understand their own bodies and feelings. On the flip-side of that you have people saying that it is all in good fun and like to see the glitz and glam of a business that they support and wear in their everyday lives. This begs the question, “Is it really all in good fun, though?” Well, that is what I tried to get to the bottom of. I interviewed seven girls, all of different shapes and sizes, and asked them to answer the following: “Describe the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in one word or phrase.” and “What messages do you think it sends to girls?”
Discouraging, Godly, I-Feel-Fat, Unrealistic, Fluffy, Goodbye Self-Esteem
These were a few of the sentiments I got from the girls. Rachel, 20, said, “The smell of the PINK body spray makes me want to chew on ice cubes and go to Zumba class.” While she was clearly having a bit of fun with subject, she went on to tell me how she feels the VS Fashion Show perpetuates a lot of stereotypes for women. She passionately said, “It makes me feel like I have an obligation to have a body that is deemed “sexy”, and that having that body is the only way I’m going to be considered attractive. I can be smart, I can be funny, I can be witty and charming, but if I don’t fit the stereotype of “sexy”, all of that is null and void.” Deanna, 21, had similar feelings towards the show. She told me, “I don’t watch the VS fashion show. But I don’t really like it because it perpetuates that this is the only body type that can be prided and envied for wearing sexy underwear. I feel like young girls are going to look at these models and see them at the rule, not the exception.”
A similar pattern that I saw with many of the girls was that they were concerned for younger girls and the insecurities that they face. Many felt that it is only with age that you come to realize certain truths and accept your own body, but for girls at a young age this is a hard concept to grasp. Julie, 21, said “I think because I’m older and more educated on body issues I do see it as something fun. The wings are just incredible.” While we all do love a bedazzled wing every now and then, I went on to ask her if she thought young girls had the same knowledge she does about body issues. She quickly responded, “No absolutely not. Little girls see that and think that that is what they have to be. Also, it doesn’t really do a good job of representing women of other colors and races either.”
When I interviewed Stefani, age 14 whom has dreams of becoming a model one day, and asked her what she thought of the show, she said “It inspires me to take modeling seriously and to keep healthy habits because those models are my body goals.” I then countered, “But you know a lot of the models have really unhealthy ways of getting and maintaing that body.” Her response was simply, “Yeah, but still.”
However, some of the girls said that the thoroughly enjoy the watching the show. Emily, 19, expressed, “I honestly like it. I’m a very aesthetic-oriented person and I love the production and how it looks visually. The show and the costumes are beautiful as well as the models.” What I found interesting was that even when someone would say they enjoyed the show, they would still acknowledge the negative messages it can send to girls. Emily went on to say, “I understand how it can cause girls, including myself, to feel insecure. It does demonstrate an unrealistic image of perfection but, again, I do like and enjoy the show.”
This leads me to wonder if there is a certain level of acceptance with media-related issues like the VS Fashion Show. Has the media made us so comfortable with the fact that there are always going to be negative messages surrounding women’s bodies that we just accept it? Jacqui, 21, seems to think so. She said, “ I don’t think VS shames anyone. I think it’s the media’s representation of body images that are damaging to young girls.” Paige, 19, took that a step further by stating “I just see it as the patriarchy making women believe that showing off our bodies and walking around in underwear is empowering us and fun and flirty, but that’s just what the patriarchy implanted into our heads. She went on to say, “There’s nothing really empowering about women with socially deemed perfect bodies being used by a corporation [VS] to make money.”
There are many situations, like the VS Fashion Show, where you have a lot of people saying things like, “Don’t take it so seriously.” That makes me wonder, though, when is it appropriate to take it seriously? What needs to happen for people to take issues like these seriously? We brush things off and deem them as “fun” or “funny” because the media tells you this is the way you should think. But the truth is there is a girl out there who maybe doesn’t have the best self-esteem and all she has to do is turn on the television to bring all of her insecurities to the surface. All she has to do is watch the models, who are constantly praised by their looks, and think to herself “That’s what true beauty is.” or “Looking like that will make me beautiful to others.” If that is not serious enough for you, then watch out because I hear those angel wings are being used as weapons now (sorry Ariana Grande).