Can You Spot The Infuriating Problem With Victoria's Secret's "Sexy" List?
21 April 2017, 11:36 | Updated: 8 May 2017, 17:09
Can't believe we're still doing sexy lists in 2017, TBH.
There is something distinctly "mid-2000s" about brands doing "sexy lists".
Just when you thought we'd moved past arbitrary awards for sexiness, companies like Victoria's Secret drag you back in. Victoria's Secret revealed their sexy list and it has one massive fail. Can you spot it?
Now, I'm not here to bash any of these talented ladies. They're all great in their own ways. But, with all the ladies of colour who rock the entertainment world, it seems pretty deliberate that this list has a distinctly...beige look to it.
To be fair, Priyanka Chopra and Jamie Chung add a touch of diversity to the line up, but people aren't happy with the composition of this "sexy list".
Victoria's Secret decides to tell you #WhatIsSexy. Note: your odds of getting on this list go up if you're young, thin, and white. pic.twitter.com/QXF29vz5in
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) April 15, 2017
The list is a who is who of thin, able bodied, white women with little diversity of race, religion, or body type.
Why does this matter?
Representation is everything. Selective runway casting is one thing. Cultural appropriation is another thing. Having a "sexy" list with zero black women, no trans women, and no one above a size 10 sends a clear message.
Sexiness has little to do with "boldness" and "confidence", as VS claims. It has more to do with a standard idea of beauty that celebrates blondness and thinness.
I don't know how to break this to Victoria's Secret, but brown women wear lingerie. Curvy women wear lingerie. Differently abled people wear lingerie. I can't believe I have to explicitly say this.
When a brand makes the effort to include a variety of women in their campaigns or awards, it feels like they've taken the time to acknowledge the beauty in all women, not just one type of woman.
No shade (literally and figuratively) to the women on this list, but sexiness comes in many different shapes and colours. Perhaps that's why I don't know a single person in the year 2017 who shops at Victoria's Secret.
____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Listen to the #PopBuzzPodcast with Secret Midnight Press’ Ashley Dun & Jesse Cale and Carmen Carrera right here or subscribe for free on iTunes to get new episodes sent straight to your phone every Friday.
