Victoria’s Secret Angels Model Lingerie and Feminism

It always amazes me when extreme left-wing, second-wave feminists and extreme right-wing, stuck-in-the-1800s conservatives agree on something. Yet when it comes to tonight’s annual runway party we know and love as the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show, backlash comes from both sides. The left thinks the show objectifies and demoralizes women, whereas the right thinks the show is inappropriate and overly sexual.

Well, I am here to tell you they’re both wrong!

“But Morgan,” you may say. “Aren’t you a feminist? How can you disagree?” Notice that I referenced a very specific kind of feminism. A type that I like to call “faux-feminism” because it failed to move on from the extremist, misandrist views held by those women in the 1970s that people still like to associate with feminism today–incorrectly, of course.

The fashion industry has never been clear cut on the issue of women’s rights. On the one hand, you have a business that thrives on women starving themselves and that perpetuates the idea that only one body type is beautiful. On the other hand, you have models like Cara Delevingne who broadcast their feminism on a daily basis, and more and more fashion advertisements geared toward “normal” body types and positive body image.

Victoria’s Secret, as we all know, is an underwear company. Women around the globe, myself included, love to buy their five  for $25 panty specials and comfy campus sweatpants. They sell the idea that women–regardless of size–are the definition of sexy. Aside from some beauty products and an ever-shrinking clothing line, they make their money off of lingerie. It follows that their fashion show would feature just that. What’s more, instead of acknowledging the long-held stereotype of underwear models as “sluts” they make their models “angels.”

But not the cliché of pure, virtuous angels. Victoria’s Secret instead chooses to laugh in the face of the dichotomy of women being either angel or devil: their models are both. They walk the runway in what conservative society deems inappropriate or risqué, and they smile, laugh, and blow kisses at the audience while they’re at it. It’s thanks to feminism that they have the right to walk the runway in their corsets and bikini-cut panties. It’s thanks to feminism that they can enjoy it without judgement.

Oh but wait, we don’t live in a perfect society! These models, who walk the runway and model this lingerie willingly, are still judged for their choice to do so. I hate to repeat myself, but as I have said in several previous posts, feminism allows women to do and wear and be whatever they want. These women choose to be underwear models.

And they are damn good at it. Do I think the fashion show objectifies women? You could make the argument that it does. But from years of tuning into the fashion show, most of the time I just see a fun celebration for the models. Besides, recognized feminists like Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and even the models themselves, perform on that runway. Obviously they don’t take offense to the outfits. Do I think some of Victoria’s Secret’s advertisements objectify women and are geared toward men? Sometimes, but that is a topic for another post.

My point this time around is, if a woman wants to model underwear for Victoria’s Secret, more power to her. Who are we to judge?

Morgan McMurray

Morgan McMurray is an editor and gender equality blogger based in Seattle, Washington. A 2013 graduate of Iowa State University, she has a Bachelor of Arts in English, Journalism, and International Studies. She spends her free time writing, reading, teaching dance classes, and binge-watching Netflix. Contact Morgan at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.