Halsey, who performed at this year’s Victoria Secret Fashion Show, took to Instagram on Sunday night to criticize the annual lingerie display.
The performance was taped on Nov. 8 and included Halsey, Shawn Mendes, Bebe Rexa, and The Chainsmokers, among others. Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Behati Prinsloo, Winnie Harlow, Adriana Lima, and others were among the models in sight.
Ed Razek, the chief marketing officer of L Firms (Victoria’s Secret’s parent company), was queried about competitor brands “that are putting trans women in their advertisements” and “women who are size 40” in a November interview with Vogue. “If you’re asking if we’ve considered putting a transgender model in the show or looked at putting a plus-size model in the show, we have,” Razek replied.
It was what he said after that that irritated some people.
“Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No, I don’t think we should,” Razek remarked. “Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.”
Ed Razek’s statements made news for over a month, but now Halsey is speaking up.
The “Bad at Love” singer used Victoria’s Secret colors—pink and white—to express her dissatisfaction with the company’s lack of diversity. “I have adored the Victorias Secret fashion show since I was young. Performing this year alongside other amazing artists and hardworking models/friends was supposed to be the best night of my year,” she said “However, after I filmed the performance, some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore.”
Halsey was one of the performers at the show. Getty/Thomas Concordia
“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity,” Halsey, who is bisexual, said.
She wrote, “Especially not one motivated by stereotype. If you’re on my page because you watched my performance tonight, please allow me instead to direct your attention to GLSEN: An organization that offers services aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ youth. And with respect to those youth targeted by these comments in a world where they have been made to feel ‘other.'”
She went on to declare that she had donated to GLSEN and encouraged others to do the same, before addressing trans persons who had been personally harmed by Razek’s remarks.
“If you are a trans person reading this, and these comments have made you feel alienated or invalidated please know that you have allies,” she said. “We stand in solidarity, and complete and total acceptance is the only ‘fantasy’ that I support.”
Fans responded positively to the singer’s message, with more than 244,000 likes in less than 24 hours.
Halsey then shared more photographs from the night of the event, when she was seen cheering on her pal Bella Hadid as she prepared to walk the catwalk.
Razek apologized on Twitter after his Vogue interview went online.
“My remark regarding the inclusion of transgender models in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show came across as insensitive. I apologize,” he stated in a message on the company’s Twitter account.
“To be clear,” he said, “we would absolutely cast a transgender model for the show.”
“We’ve had transgender models come to castings… And like many others, they didn’t make it… But it was never about gender. I admire and respect their journey to embrace who they really are.”