Victoria's Secret giant TV screens

[mamabear35]

I want to bang my head against the wall. Victoria's Secret has just opened a shop in my local shopping centre. It is the size of about three shops and very hard to miss. Along one wall are giant 12 foot high television screens showing a Victoria's Secret catwalk show on a loop all day everyday... Think models very scantily dressed.

As a mother of two young girls I am in despair. How am I supposed to teach them to love and respect their bodies when they are so blatantly objectified in such a public place. To make it worse the issue was raised on Facebook with one mother saying she found it offensive and the amount of women who came on to defend Victoria's Secret was terrifying. The argument of "well scantily clad women are everywhere there's no point in trying to change the world" or I shit you not "stop being such a prude"were all voiced here. I weighed in with my opinion but now I am just depressed. Someone please come along and tell me I'm not losing my mind.

How can this be happening in 2014 and what can we do about it?

Zazzles thanks for the link to Victoria's Secret customer relations I have sent them a query asking them to take down the giant video screens.

If you are naturally slim and healthy then that's great. Unfortunately for you however it is your body shape and size that is often being objectified and displayed in provocative and often sexual poses to sell underwear. I do not think it is fair for VS to force these images on my children and will therefore no longer go to that particular part of the shopping centre until the screens are taken down. Victoria Secret models go to extreme lengths to prepare for a catwalk show... I do not want my children to think that their extreme thinness and often enlarged breasts are what a healthy woman should look like. And it is only one example of what a woman's body can look like... Why are we forcing this impossible ideal on our kids? Please if you feel strongly about this issue get involved.

Gina who did you send your letter to?

Just had a look at the campaign link - now looking for 35 000 signatures as they've past the 25 000 mark

Hi Mamabear . I sent my letter to the management offices.

Management Offices
Brent Cross Shopping Centre
Hendon NW4 3FB

Centre Management Suite
Westfield London
Unit 4006
Ariel Way
London W12 7GF

Will also e-mail VS on the address you gave - thanks.

Thank you to all who have signed the petition, and sent emails and letters to VS. This thread is a great example of women getting behind something which affects them deeply and putting actions behind their thoughts and feelings. I have mentioned before that many, many, many seemingly small actions can lead to bigger and better things. In this way, can we hope to improve things for ourselves and for society.

abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/victorias-secret-controversial-perfect-body-slogan/story?id=26735138

Some progress, but how much better?

It's a start but that picture doesn't actually represent 'everybody' does it?

That's exactly it Pointless. Those bodies are still representative of the 'ideal', of 'perfection'. The whole concept of the VS angels is straight out of the sexist 1980's, and doesn't have a place these days in a more enlightened society.

And between the visual and written message, the visual is the stronger message.

out of the sexist 1980's, and doesn't have a place these days in a more enlightened society

I'm not sure I completely agree with that. As a teenager in the 80s I didn't have to contend with anything like the same pressures that my teenage daughter has to in 2014. She is constantly bombarded with sexualised images which objectify women girls more than was ever the case in the 80s - and I don't see much evidence of a more enlightened society when it comes to progress in that respect.

Sorry, probably not making much sense - lack of sleep.

Topical post from topay's news:

Keira Knightley talks about photo manipulation and a lack of variety in body shapes shown in the media, but do her recent topless photos help women gain confidence in their bodies of all shapes and sizes?

www.independent.co.uk/news/people/keira-knightley-i-think-womens-bodies-are-a-battleground-9841989.html

I actually don't have a problem with Keira Knightley's topless shoot (I'm sure she's relieved to hear that!) because it's not (imo) an objectifying shot - it's quite an unsexy shot of a very slim woman with (what looks like) uneven small breasts, standing on her own and almost challenging the camera. Compare that to the inane VS girl-on-girl shots of enhanced, symmetrical, waxed women in their underwear where the bras and knickers are obviously secondary to the shot, and it seems to send out a very different message.

has anyone had a response as yet?

No, and to be honest I don't expect one. This campaign has elicited a some bad publicity for VS and they would be best keeping schtum about it.

Still no response from shopping centre management offices.