- Today I am walking this damn runway in my underwear
because why the fuck not?
- I've had a very up and down relationship with body
image over the years.
- I would just look at a magazine and I would look at
this photoshopped image and I would try and make my body
look like that body.
- If my body wasn't perfect,
then no one was going to love me,
no one was going to think that I was a valuable
human being or that I could contribute anything.
- There are days where I'm really feeling myself,
and there are days when I just don't want to exist
in the body that I live in.
- But I think this is really going to put it to the test.
Can I be body positive in front of an army of people,
practically naked?
- It's the morning of the show.
We are very nervous.
- This is real.
We're going to do this.
- I tried to shave everything that I could.
I think at one point,
I stopped shaving,
and I'm like I'm done, I'm done.
(upbeat music)
- When you watch Victoria's Secret fashion show,
the joke is that all girls are crying and eating
ice cream because you want to look like that.
From this experience,
I wanna learn for myself that I can be
confident in my own body.
- I think I hope to gain a little bit of understanding
that even though I'm goofy and fun,
I am a very sexy powerful person too.
- I transitioned when I was 13.
Issues now with my body are a blessing.
- I'm most excited to be outside of my body and see
myself walking down the runway and say
hey, that girl's cool.
Look at her, she's super confident.
- Today what I hope to gain is a little bit of bravery.
I've definitely never walked the runway in my underwear
ever because no one's given me an opportunity.
- I'm 4'11", so I would never be allowed to model.
I hope to gain a newfound confidence 'cause this is
a side of myself that I don't really engage with.
- The reason I'm doing this isn't about my body.
It's about representing a lot of other women's bodies.
- I feel like I've just gotten to a place where I feel
comfortable expressing myself fully.
And now I'm a boss ass bitch,
no matter what I'm wearing,
or lack thereof.
- It's not about promoting one type of body,
but making sure we're promoting all different
types of bodies.
- All the empowerment that I'm going to feel,
I'm really excited to feel that because
I feel like that's really needed right now.
- This might come as a surprise,
but I do not get mistaken for a Victoria's Secret model.
I know you see me and you're like,
"Oh my god it's Gigi Hadid."
I'm really excited to show that we should all be given
the chance to feel as beautiful as we actually are.
- I hope to gain a better understanding of where
other women are coming from.
- Anyone out there that has a body type that I have,
I'm hoping they see me in my underwear and they're like,
"Damn queen,"
and that they realize they're just as beautiful as I am.
- I've been preparing by eating a lot of sweets.
- Walk, walk, walk.
Turn around, drop it.
- I feel like we may be the first women to walk the runway
with unshaved armpits.
- Welcome.
We do not shave our armpits or our legs
because we don't fly that way.
But, it's okay if you do.
- That's what I love the most,
is seeing how beautiful everyone looks in
their underwear.
Everyone just looks so good!
- Holy shit.
These puppies are high.
There's no turning back now,
so kill me now.
- I truly appreciate all of you coming here
and supporting these lovely women.
A lot of what I stand behind is just being yourself,
and just rocking what you have,
and just being confident.
I can't even tell you how awesome these women are
and how awesome that we have this experience
and this opportunity to do this.
Thank you, thank you.
(cheers)
- I may not look like I have body issues,
but being trans hasn't been easy.
Why should the Victoria's Secret fashion show
limit any of us?
- When I hit the runway,
it all comes down to your confidence.
If you believe,
then everyone else will believe.
This thing came over me and every nervousness I had
traded away and I came to slay.
And slay I did.
- Before I heard the crowd,
I was nervous.
Then I heard the crowd and so I think this was
a very good beginning step for me.
- I feel like I blacked out.
And I was like it's not gonna happen,
it's not gonna happen, this isn't really happening.
And then, that's when it hit me.
Oh okay, I guess this is who I am.
I am this leopard print lady.
- I hope that this can change the narrative for how
women are viewed in the media.
- This was my inner 13 year old who always watched ANTM,
that wanted to be a model.
I got to shine tonight.
The people in the audience,
they weren't even there.
I was just feeling myself.
- I never really look at myself in the mirror
and just super confident and like,
"Yes, I love your body, you're awesome."
But this attire gave me that confidence.
- I honestly do feel a lot better about myself.
When it really comes down to it,
you really have to accept and love yourself.
And I feel like this whole experience
really just helped me do more of that.
- I think it's one thing for me to work on loving myself
by myself.
It's another thing entirely to then go and put what
you've worked on out on display.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
- Surprisingly, being in my underwear
in front of all of my coworkers
helped my confidence.
- Once you step onto that stage,
there's a weird adrenaline rush that comes with everything.
I just felt really excited and pretty.
I loved everyone shouting my name.
- I think I gained definitely more confidence
just being in front of people,
being in front of a camera.
- I was definitely really nervous to show my stomach
because I don't really ever show this much of my stomach,
especially because I have a five and a half month old baby.
I felt like I was in good company
and everyone was really supportive,
so it was a really good experience.
- We just did it!
- Oh my hand is shaking.
The camera's literally shaking from my hand.
- We fucking did it!
- I feel super exhilarated and I don't want to put
my clothes back on.
- We haven't.
- [Both] We did it!
- Who came to slay?
- I came to slay.
- Yes!
- I think I blacked out.
I walked so fast and then when I came back,
I was like, "Oh my god, that's over."
- How many people were screaming and excited?
It made me feel so good.
- Yes, now I know why models like this.
It's very good for their self esteem.
- Also, our boobs look good.
- They looked amazing and it was so empowering.
- Even I was emotional seeing that.
It was so dope to see all of them be confident up there.
- Also this is so realistic.
I would wear the stuff that I saw.
- I don't know,
I have so much respect for them,
even more than before.
They are the best.
I look up to them, for sure.
- I think mostly what I'm taking away from today is that
if you own it,
if you believe in it,
then everyone else will believe in it.
And that each and every one of those
Victoria's Secret angels are capable of feeling insecure.
- This was incredible.
This was a lot more empowering than I think
I ever realized it would be.
Having everybody here and cheering reminds you
that no matter what,
there are people rooting for you.
- I am taking away a great sense of gratitude,
for all of my flaws.
I'm like all the rest of these girls,
embracing it and loving it.
- I love watching the Victoria's Secret fashion show.
But yes, I wish they included more body types.
I think today goes to show that no matter what you're
wearing or no matter how your hair is,
or how tall you are,
if you think you're beautiful,
who cares what everyone else thinks?
It's about how you feel.
If you're happy and healthy,
then that's all that really matters.