Breast Cancer Survivors Are Still Underrepresented At Victoria’s Secret
The trauma of battling breast cancer, undergoing a mastectomy, and using prosthetics is difficult for any woman.
For various reasons, not all women are eligible for reconstructive surgery. And after the treatment is completed, many survivors, especially those who require prosthetic breasts, suffer from body image issues.
Inspired by her mother’s story of survival against breast cancer and her struggle to find bras that fit, Allana Maiden decided to petition Victoria’s Secret, asking them to consider making ‘Survivor’ bras, ABC News reports.
Many women do not get reconstructive surgery after breast cancer.
“I know this is a minor inconvenience compared to the other things my mom’s been through, and she never complains, but it is not fair,” Maiden wrote in 2013. “A strong woman like her should be able to feel as beautiful as she is. She should be able to go to a store in her local mall with everyone else and buy a beautiful bra like everyone else.”
Victoria’s Secret is the largest manufacturer of bras in the United States.
According to the Business Standard, Allana was told by Victoria’s Secret that they felt that the creation, fitting, and sale of these bras would be too complicated.
Meanwhile, Victoria’s Secret engineers continue to fashion multi-million-dollar bras for their runway shows, complete with lovely and improbable angel wings. Surely a fraction of that time and energy would be well-spent appealing to a new demographic of women who want to look and feel beautiful.
“Through our research, we have learned that fitting and selling mastectomy bras … in the right way … a way that is beneficial to women is complicated and truly a science,” Victoria’s Secret spokesperson Tammy Roberts Myers responded in a statement. “As a result, we believe that the best way for us to make an impact for our customers is to continue funding cancer research.”
Help ask for greater representation for survivors at lingerie stores like Victoria’s Secret.
As the largest American retailer of lingerie, Victoria’s Secret is in a unique position to make beautiful, well-fitting, and affordable post-mastectomy bras easily accessible to survivors of breast cancer.
Women who don’t want breast reconstruction after surgery deserve options that help them feel confident and look how they want, just as are available to everyone else.
Click below and ask Victoria’s Secret to reconsider their decision not to create bras for breast cancer survivors.
