Victoria’s Secret Ads Are Lies. All Lies.

On Saturday evening, I took my kids to the mall – our lonesome, awful, deserted mall. We went for one reason — to go play glow-in-the-dark mini golf. Truthfully it has been forever since I have walked through the mall because it is so lame and I never need anything from there.

I parked at the wrong entrance {duh!} and we had to walk further than I planned…right past Victoria’s Secret. And we all know what that’s like – scantily clad women in provocative poses…it’s soft porn. Let’s just call it what it is, okay?

I have to preface this by saying that obviously stores have to sell lingerie – I’m not making my own, thankyouverymuch. I don’t care if you shop at Victoria’s Secret or not. This post isn’t about their products, service or the experience you get there.

Got it? Cool.

However, for the LOVE of all things good, holy and pure, the advertising needs to be dialed back a lot.

A. LOT.

It makes me sad, angry and ill. Let me explain myself.

1. Victoria’s Secret advertising cheapens something that God made special.

A woman’s body, the marriage relationship, the act of sex = SPECIAL. Do you think everyone who looks at those ads thinks about that?

Nope.

Not a chance in hades.

2. Victoria’s Secret advertising isn’t real life.

Hello photoshop, airbrushing and editing out the wazoo. I mean, c’mon. You don’t REALLY think that’s all real, right??

Lies, people.

All lies.

3. Victoria’s Secret ads give men, women, boys and girls an incredibly heartbreaking, SKEWED view of true beauty.

Self image issues, eating disorders, depression, addictions of a million different sorts and many other sad, sad issues are ruining our society and our culture. Marriages are falling apart, relationships are in turmoil, expectations are often unreasonable, women feel like they will never, ever, ever measure up to whatever they think men *really* want, and ultimately women think they will never be enough just as they are…it’s a disaster. A disaster fed by lies.

THOSE ADS ARE NOT a depiction of true beauty. At all. And they never will be. 

But sex sells. We all know that.

Victoria’s Secret knows that. And every other company’s marketing team knows it too.

So you’re probably wondering what I’m doing to fight back in my own heart and in my own home because you better believe I’m doing something proactive.  #mamabear

No, I’m NOT boycotting Victoria’s Secret. Good grief. Please, don’t even tell me you were thinking that.

1. I’m working hard to guard my own heart and my own thoughts.

We have probably ALL walked past those ads and thought about how “fat” and imperfect we are. You know you’ve done it! Except those thoughts are wrong – total lies.

God programmed me as a woman to want to feel beautiful, to want to be noticed, to want to be attractive. That isn’t innately wrong! I am passionate about fitness and eating healthfully. I want to be the BEST person inside and out that I can be…compared with myself…not a scrawny lingerie model who has been photoshopped to death.

I can’t lie to myself and say that I’ve never wished I looked a tiny bit more like a Victoria’s Secret model. You know…a little less fluffy, definitely more tan, without excess skin and sag-ish-ness from having babies…oh, and that thigh gap that everyone seems to be talking about lately. Seriously, people?

But that’s not my reality and I’m guessing that it’s probably not yours either.

I am beautiful just the way I am. YOU are beautiful too just the way you are. 

That scrawny lingerie model is NOT a measuring stick for my beauty or your beauty either. So there. Just shut up the lies right now and let’s move on. 

2. I’m slowly teaching my children to guard their hearts and their eyes as well.

My babies are 7.5 years old, 4 years old and 9 months old, so I’m doing tiny, almost unnoticeable things that will help to shape their character.

I usually don’t take my kids to the mall…because I usually don’t need to go there….problem solved, right?

Not really.

The agenda to define what “true beauty” is doesn’t begin and end with Victoria’s Secret ads…they are just an example. This agenda is pushed everywhere – billboards, check out lanes, magazines – everywhere. 

Ridley is learning to just look away or look at his shoes. I’m not trying to protect him from reality. I want to be faithful at encouraging him to think right. Right thinking leads to right living and there’s some pretty whacked-out crazy people who aren’t thinking right these days. Can I get an Amen?

Cameron is a sweet heart. He says to me, “Mommy, you are so precious. Mommy you are so boo-ful.” I jokingly told him several months ago to tell me that every day. Rarely does a day go by that he doesn’t tell me. My heart almost bursts right out!

I have overcome a lot in the last two years with my body image. I thought I was “fat” when I got married. How blind I was. But I am super passionate about encouraging Nora as she grows up that true beauty is on the inside…and it will show itself on the outside. I just want to be a good example for her as she grows up and deals with her own self image.

I am 100% sure that many of you reading this are thinking…

-“Uh, this is the 21st century, lady. Get over it!” 

Ha! Yep it is. But I am responsible for myself and my children. I like to sleep at night. I’m not in charge of you or your family, so don’t try to be in charge of mine. 😉

-“This stuff is EVERYWHERE! What’s the point?!”

By God’s grace, my faithfulness and consistency will separate my children from their peers. I want to instill in my children the ability to discern right from wrong. I want them to have God’s perspective on truth and justice. And with every cell in my body I want them to have peace with God…in their innermost heart, mind and soul…where no one but they and God can see. THAT is the point.

-“What about swimsuits? How is that different? Do you not go swimming?”

Look, the point of this isn’t about swimming…it’s about blatant advertisements. But since you asked, I’m not a swimmer. I just don’t really enjoy the water, but I do love me some beach time with a good book. Did you know it’s possible to find quiet beaches away from the crowds? Yeah, very cool.

-“Do you ever feel like a weirdo?”

Um, yep! Don’t care. I embrace it to the fullest! 😉 You can also refer back to my thoughts on being in charge of my home (with my husband, of course!) and liking to sleep at night.

I believe with my whole heart that this message needs to be heard. Our hearts need to hear it. Our minds need to hear it. We have to be prepared to fight for ourselves and for our families. The enemy wants nothing more than to destroy us. He wants to dumb us down and de-sensitize us to his agenda.

So, what in the world was the point of this post? I wanted to get back to blogging, (Holla! Back with a bang, I guess?), to share my thoughts and feelings about over-the-top lingerie advertisements with my mama-bear claws out {Totally owning that! LOL } and to tell YOU that…

You are beautiful just the way you are.

For real.

Ignore the LIES that are lingerie ads and tell yourself what I just told you.

YOU. ARE. BEAUTIFUL.

The end.

XOXO

Myra