Plus-Size Bra TV Ads
We are inundated with television commercials featuring sexy girls and lots of cleavage on a daily basis. We know them as the Victoria’s SecretVictoria’s Secret Angels and we’re not particularly offended by them, despite the fact they come into our living rooms in their underwear and bras flaunting their perfect bodies. But if you take a bigger girl and put her in a bra, should she be allowed on our televisions?
Apparently not, according to FOX and ABC. Plus-size store Lane BryantLane Bryant recently tried to get their lingerie ad on television and the networks rejected it. According to a post on Lane Bryant’s blog, “ABC and Fox have made the decision to define beauty for you by denying our new, groundbreaking [lingerie] commercial from airing freely on their networks.” Fox wanted to re-edit the commercial and ABC would only show it in during the final moments of a show. This, despite the fact that neither network has a problem showing Victoria’s Secret commercials at all hours of the day.
Allegedly, the models on the Lane Bryant commercial were showing a bit too much cleavage. But it wasn’t because they were more scantily-clad than the Victoria’s Secret modelsVictoria’s Secret models; it’s simply because they’re bigger girls. So, in essence, the networks are saying bigger girls in bras are inappropriate for television. Not only is this discriminatory, it’s also telling young girls that being a “normal” weight isn’t going to get you very far.
I personally don’t think the Lane Bryant commercial is much different than a Victoriaa Victoria’s Secret ad. Yes, the girls have bigger breasts, but they’re still wearing bras and aren’t engaging in scandalous activities. If I’m not offended by the Victoria’s Secret commercials, I’m not going to be offended by Lane Bryant’s.
Some are saying all of this controversy is working in Lane Bryant’s favor and that this could even be a publicity stunt on their part. Though the commercial wasn’t on the air, they’re likely getting much more publicity now that so many people are talking about it. But, while I’m sure Lane Bryant is happy for this publicity, I think their main intent was to get the commercial on the air.
Are the television networks wrong for not airing the Lane Bryant commercial? This is just one more way television is defining beauty for us and telling us what is and is not acceptable. I think the Lane Bryant commercial should have aired. Read more: http://www.tressugar.com
