Personal Health

Tess Holliday Slams Victoria's Secret for Lack of Diversity

Our society is slowly but surely having more productive conversations about inclusivity. But unfortunately, Victoria’s Secret seems to have not received the memo yet. In fact, an executive from the company recently made some insensitive comments about transgender and curve models, and people are having none of it.

In an interview with Vogue, Ed Razek, chief marketing officer of L Brands, which owns Victoria’s Secret, said: “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… We attempted to do a television special for plus-sizes [in 2000]. No one had any interest in it, still don’t.”

Sorry mister, those comments simply aren’t going to fly with those of us who proudly embrace diversity. Tess Holliday is in this powerful group, and she spoke out in support of the curve and transgender communities.

“Who needs VS anyway?! They never supported plus ladies & now they are trying to dis my trans sisters? Hell nah,” Holliday wrote in a recent Instagram post.

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Who needs VS anyway?! They never supported plus ladies & now they are trying to dis my trans sisters? Hell nah. Kiss my fat ass. I said this to @teenvogue this week: “As much as I want VS, who’s the biggest lingerie retailer, to embrace plus size and more diverse body types, it's also important to give your time, focus, and money to brands who are actually doing what you want to see. It’s important to be vocal about the brands you do like and what they’re doing right because that’s who should get our money because they actually care about marginalized groups. Always support progressive brands.” . . I’m wearing @asos on my bum which will always get my money! ✌?#effyourbeautystandards #boycottvsfashionshow [image description: black and white photo of Tess’s bum wearing lacy underwear & the second photo is a screenshot of a news article of the CEO of VS pictured with models & the headline reads: “Victoria Secrets execs explain why they don’t use trans or plus size models”]

A post shared by T E S S (@tessholliday) on

In an interview with Teen Vogue, Holliday went deeper on the issue. “As much as I want VS, who’s the biggest lingerie retailer, to embrace plus size and more diverse body types, it’s also important to give your time, focus, and money to brands who are actually doing what you want to see.”

She has a point. While it’s important to let brands know if they’re doing something you don’t like, it’s even more important to tell the ones who do share your values just how much you appreciate them. It’s those brands that should get our money and attention, which is why Holliday wore Asos lingerie in her post, she wrote.

Hopefully, the more we buy from and talk up brands that showcase diversity, the sooner others will catch on. 

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