An open letter to Victoria’s Secret regarding their choice to make an underwear line aimed at young teenagers. (Read about it here)
Dear Victoria’s Secret,
I am a father of a three year old girl. She loves princesses, Dora the Explorer, Doc McStuffins and drawing pictures for people. Her favorite foods are peanut butter and jelly, cheese and pistachios.
Even though she is only three, as a parent I have had those thoughts of my daughter growing up and not being the little girl she is now. It is true what they say about kids, they grow up fast. No matter how hard I try I know that she will not be the little ball of energy she is now; one day she will be a rebellious teenager that will more than likely think her dad is a total goof ball and would want to distance herself from my embarrassing presence.
I know that this is far down the line and I try to spend as much time as I can with her making memories of this special time.
But as I read an article today posted on The Black Sphere, it really got me thinking that maybe the culture that we currently find ourselves in is not helping the cause.
Recently I read an article that Victoria’s Secret is launching a line of underwear and bras aimed at middle school aged children. The line will be called “Bright Young Things” and will feature ” lace black cheeksters with the word “Wild” emblazoned on them, green and white polka-dot hipsters screen printed with “Feeling Lucky?” and a lace trim thong with the words, “Call me” on the front.”
As a dad, this makes me sick.
I believe that this sends the wrong message to not only my daughter but to all young girls.
I don’t want my daughter to ever think that her self-worth and acceptance by others is based on the choice of her undergarments. I don’t want my daughter to ever think that to be popular or even attractive she has to have emblazon words on her bottom.
I want my daughter (and every girl) to be faced with tough decisions in her formative years of adolescence. Decisions like should I be a doctor or a lawyer? Should I take calculus as a junior or a senior? Do I want to go to Texas A&M or University of Texas or some Ivy League School? Should I raise awareness for slave trafficking or lack of water in developing nations? There are many, many more questions that all young women should be asking themselves… not will a boy (or girl) like me if I wear a “call me” thong?
I want my daughter to know that she is perfect the way she is; I want my daughter to know that no matter what underwear she is wearing it does not define her.
I believe that this new line “Bright Young Things” thwarts the efforts of empowering young women in this country. “Bright Young Things” gives off the message that women are sex objects. This new line promotes it at a dangerously young age.
I implore you to reconsider your decision to start this line.
By doing so you will put young girl’s self-esteem, self-worth and pride above profits.
Sincerely,
Rev. Evan Dolive
Houston, TX
PLEASE REVIEW THE COMMENT POLICY
Please stay positive with your comments. If your comment is rude, it gets deleted. If it is critical, please make it constructive.
Rev. Dr. Evan M. Dolive 
I have not read every response here, so forgive me if I repeat something someone has said. I currently have 2 daughters, both in middle school. They are great kids. However, the peer pressure that my girls endure on a daily basis is absolutely incredible!! They have so much to “fight off” in order to maintain many morals and values as it is. I won’t even begin or start to open that can of worms!! There are 7th graders getting pregnant!! Really? Is this because of Victoria Secret? Absolutely not! Is it because they have horrible or irresponsible parents? Well, in some cases, yes. But in some cases that I know of personally, no! Our society has so many bad influences on kids and I agree with this father that this is not the cause, but only adds fuel to a current fire. I believe his intent in this letter is to ask Victoria Secret respectfully to change their mind. I don’t see anything wrong with that!! I see him trying to take action to protect his young daughter and doing it in a very respectful way. I would want to ask Victoria Secret, “Why would you even want to sell undergarments with such teasing remarks to “tweens” unless you intend to have them seen by someone? Are you trying to support or encourage “tweens” to WANT to have their undergarments seen by anyone?” Surely not!! I’m SURE that person wouldn’t be their parent!!! This only leads kids to believe that that’s what you should do or that it’s ok? There’s nothing wrong with pretty. We all want to feel pretty. It’s the writing on them that is sending such a message to our young girls. I wonder if the CEO of this company has daughters? Have you ever heard the statement “it takes a community/village to raise a kid”? It does! At this age, these young girls respond more to outside influences than the morals and standards taught to them their whole lives until now. I agree that the parent is ultimately responsible for their kids and the way they behave – and what they wear. And yes, you can count on the fact that I will take every possible measure to ensure my kids do not purchase any of these items. But I can guarantee you that lots of parents out there WON’T!!! Many parents DO NOT take the initiative to guard against such things. But guess what. Kids will be kids. They will sneak stuff. My daughter isn’t supposed to have food in her room. Guess what I find consistently somewhere hiding in her room? Yep! You got it!! BAGS of empty candy wrappers!! Did I buy that for her? Nope? Where did she get it? I have no idea? I can’t even think of a chance that she would have to buy it herself as she’s with me just about everywhere she goes!! I just think this is one more way VS intends to make money and using women, now girls, to be exploited, which is a shame!! We have fought so hard for women’s rights, to be seen as equals, we are NOT just a body to lust after. This just goes against all of that in so many ways!! VS – pretty undergarments are good for adults, and yes, even to tweens. Teasing or inviting words on such garments – well – there’s just nothing pretty about that!!
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Pingback: A Letter to Victoria’s Secret From a Father | Binghamton's Best
If we really won’t to change things, it has to be both parents and the clothing industry. Freedom in any area of life is not free, it always pays a price. There are some freedoms that cost us plenty in America and to objectify women is one of them. Healthy sex is a wonderful thing but when companies know that men are turned on by certain apparel, they are only in it for the money and it doesn’t seem to matter what the age. If money hungry companies had their way, I don’t think we would have any morals.
Morals or money? I wonder which side VS is on?
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The problem with the underwear is NOT whether it’s designed for young girls or college-aged women, or whether it’s slutty or shameful. Women have the right to wear whatever they want, just like all of us have the right not to buy the product, but this line (as well as the entire Pink line) perpetuates sexism and rape culture. Having “call me” written on underwear implies that a woman should just shut up and let her clothes/body do the talking. It’s not sexy, it’s oppressive. I, like many women, LOVE, and frequently wear, lacy, revealing, sexy underwear, and I, like most healthy women, enjoy consensual sex. But my voice is perfectly capable of telling someone whether I want to have sex with them, regardless of what I’m wearing.
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What a sick bunch of perverts at VS. People should contact their local malls and tell them they won’t support ANY of the stores there as long as they have VS stores there…
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I don’t understand society. They start with middleschool aged girls to try & make them look like a ‘woman’ and yet they target the boys to stay boys so that they can play their video games…..no matter how old they are.
I am boycotting anything Victoria Secret. Thanks for posting this. God bless
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Simply dont shop there. Just say no to your kids and talk to them about how they feel about things like this. Talk about it. Kids do listen. They want to make parents proud. Expect standards and stick to them. Stay active and you will not have problems with your daughters. But to all Dads. Daughters need there fathers opinions when it comes to relationships. My daughter is a beautiful 21 year old. Who loves everyone. but doesnt really date a whole lot. She is conservative. I can credit that to her father that knows his daughter. Dont worry its only underwear. If you dont aprove your daughter wont either. Stay strong.and firm and only except what is right. Your kids will follow.
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although that may work for some families, unfortunatly the age we are in is “i get what want and i want what i get because others have it and i need to fit in” bottom line is if some realy wants something, theyl get it eventualy
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Whether you allow your daughter to wear this or not. The commercials for it are still going be all over the tv for them to see. The world has become AGAIN, what Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for. Most products are geared to sell through sex in the advertising world. Even when you only keep your tv on kids shows, the trailers for movies that are rated R, have scenes in them that are the REASON they are rated R. SO, your children are still subjected to it even without you watching the movie in front of them.
The commercials for VS are all about being SEXY and how IMPORTANT it is to WIN your man! How important it is for the men to choose women like that. Women that are all about looks. REALLY>>>HOW SEXIST and UNREAL!!! What a bad message to send to ALL of our children, males and females alike. What will they expect of marriage, that they will not receive? Marriage is about loving and sticking even when you are at your worst.
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I agree completely with your post, sex really does sell and that’s what VS’s commercials are geared towards. Although I think the interpretation is up for grabs, I understand seeing it in a sexist way, but I do not agree their intention is to show “woman how important it is to WIN your man”. At least with the store I worked with, our main aim was to make women feel as comfortable as possible, and if they wanted to buy something for a special night with their significant other, we have bras for that too. Our store wanted our women to be comfortable as they are. I know as an example, any women that tried VS and didn’t like the way our product portrayed them or fit, made them feel, etc… I was glad to help them find another store (not VS) that they might like to fit their needs. For our store, it wasn’t necessarily all about the sale, it was really about the customer!
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Let me begin by saying that I completely agree with the message Evan is promoting in this article. There is no need to objectify middle school girls, and VS is clearly doing this by putting out a line of clothing with flirtatious phrases on them. It’s sad, tasteless, but unfortunately true. However, this comment is littered with hyperbole and reactionary shortsightedness. It is not sexist for a woman to look and feel sexy. It bolsters self confidence and to deny the fact that VS gives women products to help with feeling sexy is absurd. A woman does not need to look like a model to be sexy, and she does not need to look like a model to make a marriage work. To say that VS is saying so trying to make them believe this is old fashioned. It’s not 1910. Women enjoy looking good, feeling good, and having confidence in how they look.
Bible thumpers should also remember a couple things; We were not there for the story book that Sodom and Gomorrah allegedly was, and if you wanted to take it literally, then refer to the text that tells how God was unable to find even a small handful of good people. It is nothing but hyperbole and over the top silliness to equate that story with Victory Secrets alleged war on marriage you pretend is evident, and any good person today should take absolute offense to your implication that we live that way.
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In response to questions we recently received, Victoria’s Secret PINK is a brand for college-aged women. Despite recent rumors, we have no plans to introduce a collection for younger women. “Bright Young Things” was a slogan used in conjunction with the college spring break tradition.
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Thank you for clearing this misinformation up.
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If PINK is branded for college age girls..what is the rest of the catalog for? I believe the PINK line IS geared toward middle school…and it just isn’t right. I have no problem with women buying lingerie that they feel good in. Key word is WOMEN. Women who are secure in themselves and their sexuality. Tweens. and young teens don’t need to live up to the sexy images portrayed in the media.
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I’m not sure I understand SJMeyer, the whole catalog in PINK is geared towards college students. Sure, some younger children may think “Oh those yogas are so cute!” and I think that is fine, there is a difference between buying their appropriate items and their inappropriate items. I do not think they can seperate everything based on who might be this age and who might be the other age shopping here, when in reality it is supposed to be just for older girls (college).
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If PINK isn’t geared toward college aged girls then why do they have sweatpants with university names written on them? Also Victoria’s Secret sells lingerie, and bras is that also being directed toward middle school aged children too?
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I totally agree this will send little girls the wrong message. Thinking they have to wear sexy underwear at such an young age when I strongly believe that this line is strictly for adults. You mix adult and children’s line together it will send the wrong message to these little girls. They will feel the need to put this stuff in for the little boys that they like at their tender young age, which will promote sex which leads to sin with our children. Their minds are already going towards the wrong mind set Victoria Secret lets not help them continue to Promote sex. They will get the wrong message from this line. They are children let the. Stay that way
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I understand where you’re coming from. Sex has become a big part of our culture, and with all these responses I’m making, I can really only speak for my store (as a past employee) our main goal for our shoppers is to feel confident and amazing as they are. Sales, surveys and studies have shown (of all aged WOMEN, not children…we don’t intend to make a line for little girls) that some like feeling sexy, others provocative, but there are shoppers who want to feel confident but modest. We have a bra for all those feelings. We have bras that are very modest and in good taste, but how are we supposed to show our customers them without actually presenting the actual items for them to see? I don’t mean disrespect whatsoever, I just want to give you another prospective.
The bigger thing here is supply and demand. I feel the more parents say “ok” to their children wearing these things, the more others will follow suit. I understand it is hard to shelter children from VS, but that’s also anywhere you go! Society as a whole has changed, and I am not a parent, so I don’t have experience to truly believe this, but if you have an open and honest relationship with your child… it may be easier (that’s what my parents did for me and I shopped at VS for the first time in high school!)
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Yes, sending the wrong message to girls needs to be considered – but what about the message we are sending to the rest of the world as well? when we sexualize little girls, we send a message that they are are sexual beings – i.e.. it plays into the fallacy that little girls “want it”. If you read material that is written from predators point of view, you will discover that they sometimes justify their behaviour by convincing themselves that little girls are active participants in their molestation. This type of dress just reinforces that delusion.
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It does not matter what the age range of the target audience is. These items and this clothing line send the wrong message to youung men, women, boys, and girls. It is yet another part of our culture that bows down to sex.
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And what’s wrong with sex? or looking good for your spouse?
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There is nothing wrong with sex. Sex is a beautiful coming together between a man and a woman in order to create new life, the most God-like we will ever be. This is the most unselfish act of love that you can grant a person, within marriage it is a complete giving of yourself.
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There is nothing wrong with sex when it is used in the correct context. But when it is used as a means to gain profit through marketing to adolescent girls….I think you may need to rethink either your motives, your personal views of sex, or your destination for the afterlife. And also there is nothing wrong with looking good for your spouse JohnnyO, but adolescent girls don’t/shouldn’t have spouses. There is no honest justification for this shenanigan, only things you might say to make yourself think it is justified
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I agree.!! I do not have a daughter however I have 15 yr old son. I am teaching him to respect women. This is a hard task when they do not have respect for themselves. He is does notice the 2 “types” of girls. And he states that he feels sorry for the ones that their parents have not taught them the value of them. . Just a different perspective…
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I am glad to hear how you are teaching your son to respect women and I understand the difficulty of how that must be as women/girls are so aggressive these days. I have raised 2 boys (now 32 & 29) and am currently raising 2 daughters (13 & 14). As I was chaperoning one of their school dances, it was just AMAZING to see how girls pushed themselves on these guys. And I could see – it was SO OBVIOUS – these young boys really didn’t have a clue as to how to respond to such advances. For some reason, girls seem to feel the need to make the 1st move and that if they don’t, they’ll miss their chance on “getting” this guy to be their boyfriend. And the pressure for them to look good and act sexy is incredible!! To me, means outward sign of, really, insecurity. It was hard enough to raise my boys to respect women and be gentlemen years ago. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you now. I commend you for doing that and can only pray that I can teach, and my girls will learn to act in such a respectful way that they end up finding a young man that has the freedom to treat them like a lady.
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Vivtorias Secret has said that there has never been plans to launch underwear for anyone younger than college aged women.
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Thank you for writing what every parent should be writing to places such as these.
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My husband confronted the store at a mall very upset for having almost nudity shown in their windows for all ages to see.
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what a sight to see in the store windows today. nearly 75 years of age, it still makes be cross over to the other side of stores where I will not have to look at this filth put out for all ages to see. It is going to get worse TOO.
Just this old red neck boy’s point of view.
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your all jackasses dont believe everything you hear the slogan bright young things is aimed at a line for COLLEGE AGED WOMEN not middle school kids
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if you are going to insult people, please use proper grammer….. It should be “You’re” all jackasses, not “your.” (and, p.s. YOU’RE rude and ignorant.)
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Lori, while initially so, yes. VS, however, is now gearing towards the younger audience – teenagers. At a conference in January Limited Brands’ Chief Financial Officer Stuart Burgdoerfer confirmed Victoria’s Secret’s plans. “When somebody’s 15 or 16 years old, what do they want to be?” Burgdoerfer asked. “They want to be older, and they want to be cool like the girl in college, and that’s part of the magic of what we do at Pink.”
Just ask the cigarette companies who their target audience is. I doubt they’ll admit that it’s the impressionable ones that are more easily acquired as lifelong customers. Oh, wait, I guess they already got exposed for this…
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Good argument Joe, I was not aware of that. I wasn’t there of course, so I can’t vouch for what he meant, but I don’t believe they would gear items with those sayings specifically towards middle school children. They have the PINK line that is popular with younger girls, so they may open that up more to the younger girls (I’m talking yogas and fleece, etc) also, bras and panties are available, but who’s to tell them that they HAVE to buy those things? Technically, it is not our job to tell them what they can and cannot buy, it’s the parents.
I do, however really respect what you’ve brought to the table, I think I may call my old district manager and talk to her about this, because I know our store wouldn’t be comfortable with it, since most are mothers or soon-to-be mothers.
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I absolutely would boycott VS for adopting this line of garments for little girls. It will do nothing but encourage young girls to be promiscuous, We certainly do not need this. Shame on Victoria’s Secret!!!
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My daughter is well beyond the little girl or the tween stage, so I don’t have a vested interest in this subject. Having said that, Victoria’s Secret is in the business to make money and not friends. If these garments offend you, the best way to deal with situation, is to take the money elsewhere. Buy your under garments from JC Penny or any other store that you prefer and keep your kids out of Victoria’s Secret.
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People need to not buy them. That would send a stronger message than any words that anyone can say. Hit them in the pocket book, where it hurts the most. I don’t shop at VS, and never have, because they have always had this opinion of females, as far as I could tell. It’s just really sad that they are now considering targeting the young ones. What a sad state our world is in!
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As a past employee, I understand your view of VS. At least my store, however, really appreciates each woman as an individual and never EVER lets them think they are not good enough…fact is, we would love to get rid of the pictures of the models, they’re unrealistic… but that’s what built our business. It was originally created for men to buy their girls something to wear. Please don’t mark every store on having that opinion of females, because I know my store sincerely doesn’t!
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I throw the Victoria’s Secret ads away that arrive in our mail. I am embarrased to see them or to have my young-adult kids see them. They are inappropriately seductive and immodest. They will never get my business!
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So… what was VS response to his letter?
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Sir I 100 % agree this is like a challenge we all want to go just one step further or even blow it out of the water by 1 upping it our children want to succeed and we want the to have drive and determination if V S keeps putting the challenges in life so low that will wrecklessly aim our children then we need to address them and if the don’t and they continue to abandon our moral direction then we should not support them by buying the merchandise !!!
Thank you Greg Harry
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I didn’t have the energy to scroll through all of these to read them, and I am not here to bash either sides, so please hear me out with an open mind. I have worked at Victoria’s Secret for almost 3 years. I moved up the ladder a little in my time there, and I have to say I love the company to pieces. I do understand that what we sell might offend others, especially the PINK line (I have gotten yelled at by many moms). What I like to tell them is, I do not control the line, supply and demand does. PINK was originally created, and still aimed at college girls. When we first started the PINK line, that is all who bought the items. Since it’s popularity boomed, younger and younger children are thinking it’s “fashionable”. I completely understand the disgust parents see when there is a “Your boyfriend says hi” panty for sale. But I have to let the parents know that some parents openly buy their children these items and do not care. I understand it’s not appropriate, because I would not want my future children to feel the need to buy that kind of underwear, but it is also is a parents part to talk about these things, and PINK sells perfectly behaved underwear too (that’s all I buy)! And as for the middle school line– I could see it happening. But, I can assure you, they will not have their own separate place. Those panties will be mixed up with all the other safe, and raunchy underwear, as will the clothes and bras. I feel that no matter what, VS will always target an older, college audience because they make their own money and can buy these things whereas parents have the right to tell their children no.
I completely understand the disappointment aimed at VS, but we also ask for your understanding that as a company, we aim for college students, and we do not control what ages this “fad” reaches to. It’s like a snowball effect, the more parents that let their children buy this, the more acceptable other kids will feel it is to get it. Sorry for my rant, I really love the company and I know the intentions are not to stir this anger up at all! 🙂
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I think Victoria Secret should have a mens line. Men and womens matching underwear sets. Yes YEs YEs !!
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You have no idea how many times I’ve legit heard that VS should have a men’s line, hahaha.
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OK to all you people who are defending vs and saying things like ” if you don’t like it then don’t buy it” you guys are probably just a bunch of old farts and need to pull your head out of your butt. You guys are blind to see that young teens are hugely influenced by VS. I’m 23 and I work with young teen girls and it shocks me to hear everything that influences them and makes me sick that you crappy parents don’t do anything about it. Its no wonder the growing numbers of young girls acting like sluts and getting pregnant so young. VS panties with saying on it is basically a sexual tease and their ads promote being freakishly thin is beauty. Open your eyes people.
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Whoa…”you crappy parents don’t do anything about it”? There are amazing parents out there with really impressionable kids, who get bombarded by the media. Sometimes no matter what a parent says, girls pay attention to the media images they see and hear. I’m fortunate enough to have a daughter with a good head on her shoulders, and as much as I get a little bit of credit, that’s just her; practical and pragmatic. Some parents assume their girls are okay or seem okay…maybe they’re ignorant (that doesn’t mean ‘stupid’), but they’re not absent, permissive or abusive.
If you work with teen girls, you should have them watch this VERY powerful documentary. It’s frustrating, infuriating, hopeful and the girls will really be moved by it…guaranteed!:
http://www.missrepresentation.org/the-film/
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Hi, I agree with you. The way things keep changing isn’t always for the better. The thought that younger girls(girls in middle or even elementary school) are going to wear thongs or other undergarments that further the hint of sex by having words on them is a bit disturbing. I’m an 18 year old woman-girl-female, and I even find it disturbing for people my age to wear that stuff. I still wear sports bras and underwear from target that you can buy in a pack of 9 for about $10. If elementary or middle school kids are thinking of sex that early; doesn’t that mean that there is something wrong with society? Isn’t that taking it a little too far?
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Amen! Well said!
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There would be no advertisements if VS would listen and not produce things which degrade the worth of girls. They have minds, hearts, souls, and value. What happened to the sacred and private expression of making love–it has been publicized as sex and sold to girls telling them that the only value they have is as objects of lust, around to be used and discarded. I was hoping for a spot to vote, so VS would listen and choose NOT to go forward.
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I doubt VS would ever, ever want to open up a line just for middle aged girls. They are full aware that even now parents get angry at them for selling things that are geared towards grown women! They would not want to open up the flood gates for anything more controversial!
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this seriously makes me cry. I’m a mom of two girls (and one boy) and what in the world. SHAME on them. Sick.
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You would think any parent who would allow their children to wear such clothing would be breaking the law! No child should have to be exposed to such immoral, or suggestive behavior! Children need to be able to grow up as children away from the immoral world, and hopefully become moral adults! This is just teaching them the sins of adulthood at an earlier age, which in my opinion is dead wrong, and should be stopped! God Bless!
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Well said Dad. If there are women writing or developing
this line or this campaign, they should be ashamed. And…if it’s men, they have mothers, sisters and some may have wives.
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I totally Agree with you!!!!!
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I myself, at 19, shop at VS. They send out regular free underwear coupons, why would I pass up free underwear?! Just because there is underwear that has silly words across the back doesn’t mean you have to buy them. There are plenty of cute underwear, and yes any teenage girl wants her underwear to be cute.. not for any boys, but for herself. My mom has raised me to know that I don’t need underwear that has “sexy” written across the back. That said, she also allows me to decide for myself what I want my underwear to look like. She respects my decisions, and in return I respect myself.
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I think their clothes in general are trashy and when the women wear them they look trashy.But as long as it is in THEIR OWN bedroom with THEIR OWN husband who cares.
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OMFG a pediphiles dream. What a shameful business strategy. Your adult ads are much like porn as the women pose like they’re having an organism! Now your into kiddie porn!
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Shame on VS for even thinking of developing a line targeted for middle-school aged children with such a provocative angle. If they want to develop a line, go right ahead, just don’t gear it towards sex. These kids are just beginning to learn about such things and this age is very very impressionable. There is enough out there that we as parents have to monitor in order to protect the innocence of our children.
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You need to start a petition. I don’t think you would have any problem getting a few hundred thousand people to sign it.
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Lets’s spreak this around so we can stop the culture that is going around. Women are more than sex objects we have a destiny and a plan that was perfectly written by our creator. I thank this dad for stepping up, there is nothing like a father and daughter relationship.
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As a parent and a grand mother i totally agree w/ dad on his stance. I appalude him in all that he has said.If we do not start standing up for what our children should be wearing and saying then we have no one to blame when they go down certain roads in life.All to often we just sit back and complain and do nothing so parents now is the time to do something.
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Shame on them….but I’d bet they don’t care. It’s all about profits…at any price. Parents need to wake up, teach their children some morals after they learn them first. This is just a small picture of the larger problem in our world right now.
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Please do not generalize the company. The store I worked at geniunely cared about our customers. I have talked to many younger teens wanting to buy our bras and panties and listened to them and their wants, and stirred them in a more appropriate direction. As a child, I did not shop there and did not want to shop there, I made connections with my younger audience and showed them places that would be better suited and less expensive for younger children. Not all stores in the company are sexifying everything in sight.
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College aged women or not. I work at at a mall and nine times out of ten I see 14 year old girls and up buying these things or wanting them. It’s kept women fashion. By the way, eighteen year old girls are college aged but, in my opinion, as long as that “teen” is at the end of that number they are kids. Period.
You would never EVER see photos of boys in window displays sexy poses advertising underwear. People would freak. But no one says a thing when it comes to girls? Absurd…
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Thank you for writing your letter! This idea from Victoria Secret is horrifying. For another reason that you haven’t mention in your letter which is the fact that their are young girls being molested and put into pornography around the glob and this company is going to add fuel to that going flame. I’m discusted. What is our world comng too?!
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I have two young granddaughters and I pray that they will not define themselves by what underwear they have on. VC should stop this launch
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Don’t try to change the world around you, Reverend. Try to shine your own light and find the best way for you to get along within it. Your daughter will grow up to be self-respecting and will have high self-esteem because of the way you choose to parent her. Be there for her when she has questions, especially about sex. Encourage healthy discussion on sensitive subjects and try to be truthful. She might not subscribe to your religious beliefs and nor should she have to, as these are YOUR choices. She shouldn’t have to agree with you to earn your unconditional love. The best gift we can give our children is the freedom to express themselves while they are undertaking the difficult task of growing up in a culture such as ours. Many different viewpoints are best, and discussions about how and why some of them might not be the best options.
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Well said!
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Good lord people. Instead of blaming other people such as stores and commercials, how about we raise our children to be able to see this stuff and decide that they should or should not be wearing these clothes or watching these movies, etc. By totally blocking all of these things from our children’s periphery, we are only hurting their abilities to protect themselves from making bad decisions later down the road. I am not saying to buy them this underwear or take them to these movies, but instead take the opportunity to talk with your children about WHY you believe these are wrong or sinful because like it or not, THIS is the world we live in. THIS is the world our children will grow up in and have to deal with on their own someday. So, it would be good for us to give our children the right tools to deal with this world on their own.
Also, there is NOTHING wrong with a grown woman feeling good about herself and feeling sexy. VS’s methods of advertisment may be a bit too much at times, but blaming a lingerie store for YOUR children’s decisions is not right. Raise your kids. Stop blaming others.
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he is right on leave the younger girls alone they have enough to think about
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As the mother of a boy, I also think it sends the wrong message. I don’t take my son to malls that have big lingerie stores, because I want him to see women as people, not underwear models. But when I read stuff like this, I’m relieved to not be raising a girl. Ugh.
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VS is not a classy place to shop. Kids and men do not need to walk past their windows and see mostly naked mannequins. Young boys do not need to view women like that. The commercials are horrible too and I have five young men living at my house that thankfully find them disgusting. I am teaching my sons to respect women but places like VS sure make that hard these days!
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Someone asked what VS’s response to this was, and I would like to reiterate that this line of underwear was NOT intended for middle school children. If parents are purchasing this stuff for their middle-school daughter, THE PARENTS are the ones who should be castigated…not the business selling the panties.
That said, I also agree that if this sort of thing offends you regardless of your child’s age or gender, then don’t shop at Victoria’s Secret. And televisions come with an ‘off’ button. Take your kids to the park.
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Excuse me sir but you are your daughters father, therefore you should be teaching her and telling her how to behave. In this world there will be things A LOT worse then a pair of underwear that say “call me” on them. If what Victoria’s Secret is promoting makes you worry about how your daughter will view herself when she grows up then you are doing this parenting thing completely wrong. Now you say you don’t want your daughter to be defined by the undergarments she wears? I think that will be her decision to make when she grows up not yours also they’re underwear, they are meant to be worn underclothing, not displayed like you assume they will be, and why you assume so worries me a bit. Teach your daughter the values that you believe, writing hate mail to a major brand will do you no good especially since she is only 3 years old, you still have a very long way to go. Bright Young Things has already been launched and it is NOT directed toward middle school aged girls.
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First, the line is for college age women, not tween girls. Second, this post skirts very closely to sexuality shaming: The idea that girls or women are not allowed to own, let alone reveal their God-given femininity and sexuality, and that doing so makes them sex objects. My appearance and my femininity are only parts of my whole personality and array of gifts that God has given me. This sexuality shaming is no better than prude shaming. Both ideas sexually objectify women saying either that they must dress scantily for the preference of men, or that they must not show any sign of their sexual nature lest they be objectified by men. This post for me only perpetuates the idea that women’s bodies are nothing more than sex objects, that any show of female sexuality means that her sexuality is all there is to her. Whether men (or women) are encouraging women to dress sexy for men’s approval, or to dress un-sexy so they won’t get too much inappropriate male attention, sends the wrong message. Either way we’re encouraging women to dress for men, and not for their own comfort and preference. We’re telling our girls that the preferences and approval of men come before their own. It was very hard for me growing up being shamed into thinking that I had to go out of my way to make sure none of that aspect of me showed. I made sure I walked as stiffly as possible so that other girls wouldn’t make fun of my hips moving like I’d heard them do to other girls. My mom confiscated any underwear that had a flattering cut or color. The result was an adult married woman who still wasn’t sure how to enjoy her own sexuality, even with her own husband. I hope to raise my girls to realize that they can be intelligent, capable, and enjoy their sexuality and femininity in appropriate ways. I hope some day they meet men who have been taught that women’s bodies are designed for many wonderful things including to house an analytical mind, to do physical labor, to nurse and bear children, and yes, even to be attractive and provide a vehicle for her to have joyful life experiences. I hope to teach my girls that men’s biological reactions to the sight of a woman’s body does not make him the highest authority on what she should or shouldn’t be wearing.
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Fantastic response. We need more voices like yours.
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I back you 100%. It’s disgusting that money (via sexy adds) is more important than self esteem. Perhaps VS should start a campaign with that in mind.
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You no this is the third on I’ve read n I agree yes that a lil to young but I love Victoria secret and to b completely honest if u don’t like the idea than don’t shop there it’s that simple not rocket science.
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