I have never cared about the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Their models have always been the definition of impossible beauty standards. I was never able to relate to seeing them walking up and down the runway because they did not reflect how I looked or how any of the women in my life looked. The only time I would ever watch it in recent years was when a singer I was a fan of would perform during the show.
When it was announced that the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was canceled, I barely batted an eye. I thought there would be more people that felt the same way since the hype surrounding their brand has gone down ever since refusing to diversify, but there were still plenty of people upset about the show's end.
I came across multiple tweets where people were blaming the cancelation of the Victoria's Secret show on those of us that demanded the brand include plus-size and trans models in their show. How is the show's cancelation our fault by telling a brand to be inclusive when they should have had the common sense to be doing it on their own? The executives of the show guaranteed its failure when they attempted to justify their refusal to include plus-size and trans models by claiming that the show is "a fantasy."
This slap in the face to anyone outside of their skinny, cis bubble definitely did not help the popularity of the show, but Victoria's Secret's Fashion Show viewership was already on the decline for the past few years. In 2018, the show brought in 3.3 million viewers, which was a significant drop from the 6.7 million viewers in 2017. The 2017 show also did poorly in comparison to Victoria Secret's 2013 show, which brought in 9.7 million viewers. Audiences have been bored with Victoria's Secret's Fashion Show for several years, so once again, how is this the fault of plus-size and trans women?
If the cancelation of this outdated show has hurt you so badly, then maybe YOU should have watched it.
Do not take your anger out on plus-size and trans women for wanting to see themselves represented in the media. This show was already nearing its end even before the recent criticism. And honestly, Victoria's Secret should have been grateful for the criticism because the public was trying to clue them in on the fact that we want to see diversity in the fashion industry.
While you Victoria's Secret fans take the show's cancelation as an opportunity to gripe about "social justice warriors" ruining your fun, even though you weren't watching the show in the first place, I'll be watching Rihanna's Savage x Fenty fashion show.