Victoria’s Secret is being sued by a former employee who says she was fired because of her weight. According to Bangor Daily News, Kelly Merchant, 50, who was a former manager at a store in Maine, claims she was fired in 2015 because she is plus-size. In her complaint, Kelly alleges the company hires “based on a body image of young, very attractive and slim women, a concept known within [Victoria’s Secret] as [the] ‘brand/company image,’” and that firing Kelly for not fitting that image (as well as for her age) went against Maine’s Human Rights Act.
In its official response to the complaint, the retailer said Kelly was actually fired for theft, but her attorney has denied that claim, according to Bangor Daily News. The company hasn’t made any public statements at this time.
Victoria’s Secret is no stranger to controversy over body diversity. Just last week, before the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, models Ashley Graham and Hunter McGrady highlighted the issue with Instagram posts that hit back at the company’s lack of size diversity on the runway. In stores, the brand does not offer plus-size lingerie, and their bra cup sizes only go up to a DDD.
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