Halsey, who was a featured performer at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show last month, criticized the label via an Instagram post which utilized the signature VS hues, white and slutty fuschia. On Sunday night, the singer wrote: “...After I filmed the performance, some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity. Especially not one motivated by stereotype.”
She’s clearly referencing comments made by the company’s VP of public relations, Ed Razek, in which he stated that he would not include trans women in the show, as they are incongruous with the “fantasy” that the show is selling. Halsey’s post reassured the trans community of her status as an ally, and she made a donation to an organization focused on LGBTQ rights.
Kudos to Halsey for the public critique and avowed support for a vulnerable community, but isn’t this all maybe 15 years too late? The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show ratings plummeted by nearly 30% last year, the lowest in its television history. Commercial sales are similarly abysmal. Which isn’t to say that Razek’s comments weren’t tone deaf and out of touch, but so is the rest of the brand. Trans women, women of color, and plus sized women deserve ill fitting, poorly manufactured bra’s and cheap, vodka-smelling body sprays as well, and are worthy of representation as consumers. I worked as a bra specialist at Victoria’s Secret for a while, so I may just be jaded. If you received an inaccurately sized Victoria’s Secret bra between 2012-2013, I was likely responsible.
After dropping her much anticipated “thank u, next” music video, Ariana Grande has since tweeted that true love is a sham. The tweet, which has since been deleted, read “actually... i don’t want no ‘next’. true love doesn’t exist. hope you’re having a great day!” Don’t give up on love, Ponytail! She’s obviously in a post-break up flux, having recently covered up her tattoo of Pete Davidson. Hopefully the pet pig, and her first number one single, can provide her some comfort. I’m a new but impassioned, member of the Grande Hive (what is our official name?) and wish her the best. No one takes breakups as hard as water signs.
- Can someone buy me one of the chairs from the Oprah Winfrey Show, which are now up for auction? [TMZ]
- Cher reflects on her her iconic twitter brand. [Us Magazine]
- Happy Birthday, Dashca Polanco! [Bossip]