Victoria’s Secret has been a topic for a while now. The popular lingerie company faces several issues, and singer Jax is calling them out one by one in her new single, “I Know Victoria’s Secret.”

The Downfall of Victoria’s Secret

Victoria’s Secret is known for being more than just a lingerie company. In previous years, viewers would watch the highly anticipated and star-studded Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show where the models who’d strut the runway were famously called Victoria’s Secret Angels. However, the lingerie company is also shrouded in a dark and disturbing culture.

Misogyny

Dozens and dozens of employees complained about former Victoria’s Secret executives Leslie H. Wexner and Ed Razek. Over hundreds of models also signed a letter addressed to the former CEO, John Mehas. They called for positive changes to the company, lamenting that bullying, sexism, and harassment were very much present in the Victoria’s Secret world.

Former Victoria’s Secret Marketing Director Ed Razek was also firm with his anti-transsexual comments. He told Vogue, “Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world.”

Body-Shaming

Victoria’s Secret Angels are known for what society accepts as gorgeous figures — long-legged, slender, yet curvy on top. These days, however, consumers seek diversity in fashion brands — but, the company didn’t agree with this plea. Ed Razek said in the same Vogue interview that the public weren’t interested in seeing plus-sized models. He asserts “Because (Victoria’s Secret) has a specific image, has a point of view. It has a history.”

Many of the models were reportedly yelled at for eating and they were critiqued about their weight a lot. Ex-Victoria’s Secret Angel, Bridget Malcolm, shared her experience working for the company on TikTok. She said “I was rejected from the show in 2017 by Ed Razek. He said my body did not look good enough. I wore a size 30B at that point.”

Sexual Harassment

In the Hulu docu-series Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons, the issue of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to the company and executives was discussed. It talks about how Jeffrey Epstein would sexually abuse very young (and sometimes underaged) women — and his close friend Leslie H. Wexner allegedly assisted the sex offender in accomplishing these heinous acts.

Jeffrey Epstein was Wexner’s financial adviser. The sexual abuse incidents sometimes took place in Wexner’s house in Ohio and the Victoria’s Secret executive was allegedly aware of the vile incidents. Wexner even once refused to let a model leave his home as she hid in one of the rooms to flee from Epstein.

Several other models came forward claiming that countless executives would grope their crotch, they’d receive emails asking for sexual favors, and some were bid on by powerful men as though they were “high-end prostitutes.” Recently, singer Jax released a song titled Victoria’s Secret and in one part of the song, she sings the lines “I know Victoria’s secret. And, girl, you wouldn’t believe; She’s an old man who lives in Ohio. Making money off of girls like me.”

Who Is Jax?

Jackie Miskanic or Jax is a singer from East Brunswick, New York. She’s an American Idol (Season 14) third runner-up who went viral when she released her Victoria’s Secret song. The song charted in the Billboard Hot 100 and internationally; she also performed it at Government Ball Music Festival — she has long teased the release of the song on TikTok prior to these.

Her inspiration for the song was a young girl she previously babysat. Jax shared that the child felt insecure about her body. She also clarifies on her TikTok that her intention “was never to take down a brand.” The singer added, “You let them know what you need to feel safe and represented and comfortable and beautiful in today’s society.”

Addressing Body Image Issues

Reclaiming one’s body after it’s surrendered to society’s demands and preferences is a difficult process. It’s also a well-known fact that the changes you want for your body may be minor, but they can sometimes be so bothersome that it leads to extreme insecurity. Sadly, these insecurities can progress to mentally scarring and physically-endangering problems.

Eating disorders and body dysmorphia are real issues that many Americans suffer from. According to research, 28.8 million Americans will develop one form of eating disorder in their lifetime. In the same fact sheet, it’s claimed that 10,200 people die as a direct result of an eating disorder. Moreover, the study claims that an eating disorder is one of the deadliest types of mental illness — it’s “second only to opioid overdose.”

Just like other kinds of mental illnesses, many who suffer from an eating disorder don’t usually get the help they need; several cases remain unnoticed not just by other people, but sometimes, even by themselves. Whether or not you think you’re suffering from an eating disorder, it’s important to be surrounded by friends and family who can help you live a positive and worry-free life.

However, if you think you’re dealing with an eating disorder or your mental health isn’t at its best, talk to a healthcare specialist so you can be diagnosed properly and you can get the proper treatment that you need.

With This in Mind,

The angels have fallen and a new generation of socially and culturally aware youngsters are continuously emerging. With Jax singing a song about the alleged toxicity of how Victoria’s Secret run their business, many are becoming more aware of the underlying (but quite obvious) meaning of the song. Most people have insecurities about their bodies and “body positivity” needs to be enforced more on oneself and the others. Most importantly, any form of abuse should not be tolerated.

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