After marketing boss provokes outrage by calling transgender people “transsexuals.”
Matt Winkelmeyer
The Victoria’s Secret runway show broadcast Sunday on ABC was a bust, as viewers turned off from the outdated skinfest. The show attracted just 3.3 million viewers, down from 5 million the year before, after the company’s top marketing officer, Ed Razek, provoked outrage when he dismissed calls for plus-size models and called transgender people “transsexual.” The singer Halsey, who performed at the show, voiced her disdain for the remarks, saying on Instagram, “As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity. Especially not one motivated by stereotypes. If you are a trans person reading this, and these comments have made you feel alienated or invalidated, please know that you have allies. We stand in solidarity, and complete and total acceptance is the only ‘Fantasy’ that I support.” The dramatic drop in viewership mirrors the company’s declining brand image and market value.
