American singer-songwriter Halsey has called out Victoria’s Secret after the brand said they wouldn’t have trans people in their shows.
The Without Me star performed at the show this year, but wants her fans to know that she doesn’t support the comments made L-Brand’s chief marketing officer by Ed Razek.
In a recent interview with Vogue, Razek controversially 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.”
After the Victoria’s Secret show aired on Sunday night, Halsey told fans in a statement that she’s adored the underwear brand since she was young, and the night was “supposed to be the best night” of her year.
“However, after I filmed the performance, some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore,” she wrote. “As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity. Especially not one motivated by stereotype.”
She then encouraged fans to support GLSEN, an organisation that ensures LGBTQ youth are valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Halsey concluded her post with a message of solidarity to the trans community: “If you are a trans person reading this, and these comments have made you feel alienated or invalidated please know that you have allies.
“We stand in solidarity, and complete and total acceptance is the only ‘fantasy’ that I support.”
See Halsey’s post below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq6NQraB3jy/?utm_source=ig_embed
Transgender actress Rain Valdez, who covered our August issue, wrote an essay for Gay Times on Victoria’s Secret’s transphobia.
She wrote: “It’s no secret that Victoria Secret has been transphobic and discriminatory towards plus size women and transgender models because that’s actually been evident throughout decades of their existence.
“Proven time and time again through their advertising from the lack of the diversity and sizes on the pages of their catalog, and their predominantly white, skinny, European models in the commercials and runway shows – so it’s not like we’re surprised.
“But for a 70 year old man to come right out and say that transexuals and plus size women will never be cast on the annual iconic Victoria Secret runway show because what they sell is a fantasy, suggesting that we can’t sell fantasy — pretty much destroys “the fantasy” for millions of women around the world.
“Congratulations, Ed Razek! You’ve just destroyed every young girl’s fantasy for themselves.”
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