Subtle inclusivity seems to be Victoria's secret
I watched the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show so you don't have to. It got me thinking about model Tyra Banks in particular and how far away from actually being actual body positive we are.
I don’t remember the first time I watched a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, but I do remember the first time I watched an episode of America’s Next Top Model (ANTM.) What do these shows have in common, you ask? Models, obviously, but also the one and only Tyra Banks.
ANTM first premiered in 2003, and thanks to the popularity of the show, we now have some of the best gifs, one-liners, the word “smize,” and memes that have come from it. Banks served as creator, producer, and judge for the show, having been a model since the 80s and one of the supermodels who was a household name. I remember being excited about ANTM show as a teenager and watching every single episode of the first season. It was the early 2000s, so reality TV wasn’t what it is today, and getting a peek into the lives of models was very eye-opening.
I remember the drama between the contestants and the struggle of many of them to get used to being in front of the camera. I also remember the judge's table. Sitting with Tyra at the judge's table for the first season was Janice Dickinson, an ex-supermodel who, in my opinion, did not know the difference between constructive criticism and tearing down someone’s self-esteem. Sure, most of it was for the cameras because every good show needs a villain, but seeing Dickinson in interviews and in her own reality show, I have come to the conclusion that most of this was her personality.
Here’s where my thoughts get a bit convoluted - I vividly remember Tyra being a huge advocate for inclusivity on the show. Please just hear me out. The first “plus-size” model on the show was Robin Manning, and I’m using the word “plus-size” very, very loosely here because she was a size 10.
But again, this was the early 2000s when Bridget Jones and Jessica Simpson were considered fat. So, this was very much a diabolical era. I remember the drama between the contestants, but I also remember the drama between Tyra and Janice. I remember Tyra loving that contestant Robin was representing a larger-bodied demographic, and I remember Janice tearing down Robin with every opportunity she could get. The body shaming was unreal, and constantly using the words “huge” and “fat” to describe Robin was more than cringe, it was downright diabolical. (I want to make it clear that I take on a weight-inclusive lens, and I don’t use the word “fat” as a negative descriptor myself. This is purely taken from the show.) However, just as often Janice would find ways to make digs at Robin, Tyra would, in turn, stand up for her and be one of her biggest supporters. (And just to note that Dickinson has addressed this controversial time, and no, not in an apology kind of way, but in a people need to get over it because it was TV, kind of way. Sure Jan. Sure.)
I also remember season 3 of ANTM, when designer Marc Bouwer was a guest judge. He also was one of the designers that the models had to visit on their go-sees. His first controversial comment came when he told contestant Cassie James that her 39-inch hips were too “hippy” and that he preferred someone smaller. It should be noted that Cassie had an eating disorder that was highlighted in the show. Now, I do think Tyra was an advocate for inclusivity, but this is where her problematic ways came into play. She and the production team knew about the eating disorder, but this is “showtime baby!” so, of course, it was used as entertainment instead of getting Cassie the help she needed. This is why I keep going forward with Tyra and her role in body positivity. It was during this same episode that she got rightfully aggravated at judges Marc Bouwer and Janice Dickinson because they were body shaming plus-sized contestant, Tocorra Jones, calling her “Larger than life,” with emphasis on the word larger and not with a positive connotation. There was also this exchange:
Dickinson: “If she could just slim down 150 pounds…”
Banks: “Then she would only be 30 pounds.”
Dickinson: “Even better.”
Dickinson left ANTM in 2005, and she did very little to hide her dislike of Banks. In 2007, some pics of Tyra Banks surfaced of the model in a bathing suit, appearing as though she had gained weight. Gasp! A woman gaining weight. Shocker. Banks famously clapbacked at the critics, saying, “Kiss my fat ass,” on her talk show at the time. Well, Dickinson took the opportunity to say, “You want to see someone who’s fat? I’m sorry, Tyra. Tyra Banks is fat.” Reflecting on this now is almost comical to think about because Banks was still in a thin body. Yes, her body had changed (as one normal body does), but implying that she was now a fat advocate or even a real body positivity role model is ridiculous.
Now, as I mentioned earlier, I think that Banks was one of the louder advocates for inclusivity in modeling. She was one of the few Black models at the time, and yes, even though she possessed a thin body, she was larger than most standard models with whom she shared the runway. Did she still demonstrate problematic behavior on ANTM and play into the racist and fatphobic stereotypes for views? Absolutely. I mean, who can forget the models donning blackface for a photo shoot and in that same season, when one of the models who was gaining weight during filming being made to wear an elephant costume for a photo shoot? Diabolical.
So, back to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show that aired on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. The brand has had its fair share of criticism over the years because of a lack of inclusivity in sizes and models of color, not to mention a feeling that the brand, even though it sold lingerie, was not really catered to women. This really shouldn’t be that surprising, considering that the founders were men. The brand was given quite a makeover and now showcases more diverse bodies and faces on its websites and on the runway. But this begs the question - Is it enough? Absolutely not. I could count, on one hand, the number of plus-sized bodies. It’s more than before in previous history, yes, but I wouldn’t call it perfect. Not to mention that while perusing the Victoria’s Secret website, the sizes seem to only go up to a XXL. So, no, I’m not applauding size inclusivity here.
During the finale of the recent 2024 show, Banks herself made a surprise appearance, coming out of retirement to walk. It was ending, and she was indeed covered up in a corset and leggings, but she appeared. The response online was a mix of positive and negative. I myself had mixed thoughts. Remembering the hell she put the ANTM contestants through came to mind, but also remembering that she was in some ways a victim herself. I mean, in some ways, we all are because diet culture is insidious and affects us all, even if we don't realize it at the time. I personally don’t blame Tyra Banks on diet culture, just like I don’t blame Oprah Winfrey. I don’t believe the onus is on one person because it is an industry as a whole. Can people demonstrate problematic behavior? 100%. But this is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are many players here.
It should not be a surprise that seeing Banks caused a mixed reaction from viewers. Some were more than happy to feel the nostalgia of the 90s and early 2000s and even applauded Banks on her new figure.
But as you can also imagine, there were a number of people who did not feel fond memories at all. Here are some of those thoughts:
Here are my two cents… Celebrities are easy to blame. We don’t know them personally, and they seem out of touch with reality so often. Because of wealth, it is easy to wave them off and not think about them as humans like us. Humans with feelings and humans who can also fall victim to predatory dieting. I believe in placing blame on what is truly driving diet culture, which is anti-fatness and weight stigma and bias. I don’t believe in placing the onus on any one individual, even if they’re a celebrity or mega-wealthy. I can’t imagine what it is like to be under public scrutiny like that. I 100% understand the frustration at seeing Banks, but I feel more frustrated at seeing the performative inclusivity of Victoria’s Secret because, for them, it’s just a “new body positive trend.” A company making a profit off of selling unrealistic expectations and trying to put on a facade of inclusivity to distract us is more of the problem to me.
I will end with this - Anyone who goes through significant body changes is, I hope you are happy. I hope you feel at peace, whatever that looks like for you. I hope you feel content, and I will hold space for you. Being a human is not easy.
Like what you read? My debut book, “Live Nourished: Make Peace with Food, Banish Body Shame, and Reclaim Joy,” is available wherever books are sold.
Thanks for this thoughtful piece, Shana.