Suni Lee Addressed The Bullying After Her VS Fashion Show Debut

Give Suni Lee another gold medal for this clapback. On Oct. 15, the Olympic gymnast made her debut on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway and was one of the first athletes, alongside WNBA star Angel Reese, to walk the show. But her appearance quickly stirred hate online, with people mocking the athlete for her height and walk, criticizing Lee for being part of the show instead of the traditional lineup of supermodels.

But Lee isn’t letting the noise bring her down. In a TikTok video on Oct. 18, she lip-syncs to Ariana Grande’s “Successful,” singing the lyrics, “it feels so good to be so young and have this fun and be so successful.” The video is captioned, “can u guys stop bullying me.”

One commented, “you were on the runway and they were mad and at HOME,” while another said, “girl i got your back. why are people bullying you because of your height💔like u cant control that bro😭🙏.” Lee liked both comments.

Lee also expressed her gratitude for the people who defended her. “i love yall😭🥹 my girls 🤍🤍,” she wrote in a separate comment under the video.

“It Feels Powerful”

Ahead of the show, Lee said in an interview with Marie Claire that deciding to participate was “like a dream outside of my comfort zone.”

“Growing up, I didn’t see many girls who looked like me in spaces like this. To now be here as an athlete, as someone who’s worked so hard to achieve her dreams, it feels powerful,” she said. “I want young girls to know they don’t have to fit into just one box. You can chase Olympic gold and still own your femininity.”

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has historically faced criticism for its lack of inclusivity, which led to its cancellation in 2019. It was revitalized in 2024, seemingly with a new intent to right its controversial past. Lee said she wanted to have fun and be true to herself on the runway.

“Honestly, I didn’t have much time to prepare for this, and that was probably for the best,” she said. “It allowed me to show up here exactly as I am. Just me, not trying to be something I’m not.”