Victoria's Secret Apologizes for Native American Attire: Were They Being Insensitive?

by SodaHead Celebs Posted 2012/11/14 14:00:00

Related Topics: victoria's secret, Navajo, Karlie Kloss

1,241 votes
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	Yes	297 votes	24%
	No	944 votes	76%

Victoria’s Secret has released an apology after complaints were made about a Native American-style headdress worn by a model at their latest fashion show. According to the New York Post, a representative from Navajo Nation described the outfit as “spitting on our culture.”

They have said that they “sincerely apologize” and that they “absolutely had no intention to offend anyone," and have also said that they won’t include the headdress, worn by Karlie Kloss, in the upcoming television broadcast of the show or any related marketing.

Michelle Spotted Elk, a California woman of mixed descent whose husband is of the Lakota tribe, explained that “"When you see a Lakota chief wearing a full headdress, you know that he was a very honorable man. He was a leader. He did a lot of honorable things for his people." Do you think that Victoria’s Secret was being insensitive?

+31

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Moonage 2012/11/14 14:21:13

No

+36
Just to be clear, that's not the outfit, this is:

She makes it look hot!

Michelle Spotted Elk and her ilk are doing the best they can to assure the planet completely forgets Native Americans ever existed in the first place by shaming anyone who celebrates their history in any way. People don't always do it in a flattering way, that's just the nature of people. But if everyone's scared to death to mention anything to do with Native Americans, then they next generation will only think of them in the past. A lot of cultures are doing that right now. People need to get over this constant search for insults and start celebrating their cultures so that positives overwhelm the negatives. Karlie made Indians look GOOD. There is nothing wrong with that.
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More polls by SodaHead Celebs

Dead Beyond Koncern 2013/02/01 07:19:57
TheCheshireKitteh 2013/01/31 22:46:10

Yes

considering more than 1 in 4 Native American women are sexually assualted (***aka more than any other "race") & usually violently & by a non native, yes sexualizing us is offensive & wrong, not to mention exploting, & red-face (akin to blackface), & is disrespectful. Headdresses are like war medals & scared religious attire combined, & worn by men who earned them.

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KaWa 2013/01/18 02:25:24
Vicereine Killbride 2012/12/16 19:49:44

Yes

+1
HELL YES! People need to stay the out of other cultures! NEWS FLASH: Not EVERY culture revolves around sex, and if yours does, fine. But THEIRS doesn't!

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JustMe 2012/12/07 01:42:09

No

+1
Its just another case of an indian tribe wanting to piss and moan trying to get sympathy and attention. There is a tribe near me that is like that, they expect the state to cater to their every whim, but expect nothing in return. My thought is that the native americans have been much more fortunate than natives of other countries. You don't hear of other conquering nations giving the defeated land and things like we have done. Most were either enslaved or slaughtered. I am not making a blanket generalization here, I am merely responding to two cases that I know about.

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Vicerei... to JustMe 2012/12/16 20:41:04

Oh yeah, because it's not like the Trail of Tears ever existed. -_-

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JustMe to Vicerei... 2012/12/16 21:49:30

Never said it didn't, but they weren't completely slaughtered or enslaved like other conquered nations. I haven't heard of any other countries giving land and money to the peoples they conquered

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Vicerei... to JustMe 2012/12/16 21:57:38

That doesn't mean they shouldn't. And yes they were. That's was my whole point of mentioning the Trail of Tears. Native American mothers were even forced to shoot their children in the face, and children were forced to watch their parents get killed.

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JustMe to Vicerei... 2012/12/16 22:01:48

You are missing my whole point

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Vicerei... to JustMe 2012/12/16 22:05:04

That doesn't make mine any less relevant. Because you did mention that.

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JustMe to Vicerei... 2012/12/16 22:14:07

I am not saying yours wasn't, I am just stating facts here

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Vicerei... to JustMe 2012/12/16 22:15:46

As did I.

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JustMe to Vicerei... 2012/12/16 22:47:37

true

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VictorianBabe 2012/12/06 12:26:41

Yes

+1
I probably wouldn't use the word "insensitive" but not every culture wants to be represented by sex attire. The Natives had a right to be upset about it.

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Mahegan 2012/11/22 17:30:35

No

+2
I'm native american and I'm not offended...it's kinda flattering. LOL. It's like they want to be native american.

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OBA Blo... to Mahegan 2012/11/23 18:35:14

+1
I agree, i love native american history and culture, and i must say, this babe make the culture dressing hotter! And i dont see any offense, alcontrair, its flattering. I would be proud of being a native american.

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Vicerei... to OBA Blo... 2012/12/16 19:52:13

They ARE proud. They aren't centered around being "sexy" or "hot" like modern Americans are. I'll bet you that most true Native Americans actually WOULD find this offensive. Obviously modern Americans don't, and therefore voted "no."

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Dead Be... to Mahegan 2013/02/01 07:21:08

+1
Hey, I just had to laugh. Why is she afraid of Mestizos ? She can wear a headress and stuff, but scared of Mestizos? Yet Mestizos have American Indian I don't get it. XD

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Vicerei... to Mahegan 2013/02/17 17:31:47

+1
Native Americans have a whole way of life. Just because you are related to some Native american doesn't make you one. If that is flattering to you, you are not Native American. They live in a sacred manner.

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Mahegan to Vicerei... 2013/03/20 16:31:28

yur right, i aint one sadly becuz i cant speak my ppls language and where i live my ppl tend to pay more attention to booze than our traditional way of life...some of us aren't in touch with our traditions and it aint our fault. Even though this pic may be offensive to others, ppl must understand that they didn't mean for it to be so.
Just chillz man, chillz....and have some bannock.
luv yur opinion by the way. :D

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gordan.mitsas 2012/11/22 07:13:51

Yes

+2
Victoria's Secret owners, share holders and contract forgers were part of the same bloodline royalty who massacred the Native Americans to start with. Victoria's Secret is owned by an Israel based company, and I think this head dress is further evidence of why they would take offense. Even a casual mistake can have searing consequences.

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charles nelson 2012/11/22 03:58:53

Yes

+2
Its funny anybody can be sensitive about anything anymore but try and remember your sensitivities and I know you got some.

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KitKat 2012/11/21 21:31:17

No

+2
Wow. That girl looks fine. I don't get how you could be offended when it looks so good. Here's what I'm hearing, "I'm offended that you look good!" xD Ah, I'm amused!

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KaWa to KitKat 2013/01/18 02:24:09

It partially boils down to "waah, white women are prettier than ours!," which is a common complaint from pretty much every non-white group. It's nothing special at all.

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bt sedlock 2012/11/21 05:58:59

No

Enough with this political correctness.

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stevie.luplow 2012/11/20 22:16:48

No

+1
I don't think they were meaning to be. I think people don't do research and just say "Oooo..this is pretty! Let's use it!" They have NO clue what most things actually mean to people who are different from themselves.

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Lily Yacoub 2012/11/20 17:13:30

No

+1
It is just a very s**y native style because she is hot and she's n****.

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lucky 2012/11/20 14:42:25

No

Its a Native American STYLE headdress, now if it was an actual headdress used by the Lakota's then I could see the problem. Just because you honor that type of headdress doesnt mean you own the whole style.

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Kaori Smith 2012/11/20 01:00:58

No

I'm part Cherokee and frankly I don't care. She made it look amazing and I agree with Moonage one-hundred percent! There was no reason for Michelle Spotted Elk to flip about this.

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crystal.houser.739 2012/11/19 22:01:14
Sedated Whispers 2012/11/19 17:09:06

No

Personally, no I don't think so. But I am sure the Navajo Nation has the right to be offended since the headdress is a symbol of authority and so on, and she's wearing it as a simple prop with nothing else on the rest of her body, kinda ruining the meaning of the headdress or say 'spitting on their culture'

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A Lionheart 2012/11/19 04:27:33

Yes

+1
But Moonage makes a good point.

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Kaye 2012/11/19 04:14:33

Yes

+2
Being part Cherokee I think they should have checked with the tribe to see what was ok to wear

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carolin... to Kaye 2013/04/23 02:15:15

+2
This is a fashion trend... do you check with someone inside the culture of your clothing every time you decide to wear something?

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bigfoot 2012/11/18 21:21:20

Yes

+4
Why do I know the Native American attire was offensive to Native Americans? Because Native Americans said it was.Doesn't the main population ever learn? The main population does not get to decide how others should think and feel about situations unique to their historic and ethnic experience.Sorry! Admitting ignorance of the culture and apoligizing for an unintended insult is to be congratulated.The main population ignorant of the Native American culture has no right to dictate how Native Americans should react to the Victoria Secret Native American attire.This is the very battle being waged between Conservatives,who want to dictate beliefs and feelings in everyones life and Liberals,who believe in choice.

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Kaye to bigfoot 2012/11/19 04:19:46

+1
Thats crap.I'm part Cherokee,I'm also conservative too.I'm in total agreement with the Indians,but not with you.Quit making nasty remarks about conservatives,because you don't know what you're talking about

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bigfoot to Kaye 2012/11/19 15:54:18

Which part is Conservative? Apparently,like Mitt ,you're still having a debate with yourself.All I have to do is believe my eyes and ears.You should try it some time. Don't make me laugh.

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Butch 2012/11/18 19:27:35

Yes

+3
Marketing is always about money. Masters degrees are tough sensuality as a weakness of the public to be exploited. Also to take advantage of any opportunities, with total disregard for crossing lines of respect.

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Tordgaard 2012/11/18 17:06:30

No

+1
I'd be surprised if the headdress depicted is an accurate rendition of those worn by any Native American nation. But, that being said: I understand why some people of Native American heritage, having a deeper understanding of the significance of certain items, could be offended. Victoria's Secret clearly meant no disrespect; they apologized and it's over.

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Moon 2012/11/18 15:07:23

No

+1
We have become a pathetic oversensitive nation!

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