It's Okay to be Sexy

Victoria's Secret has made some waves recently with their store displays.

An article in the Washington Post (registration required to read it online) quoted at least two women comparing the lingerie store to a house of ill repute:

"Little Shop of Whores," huffed one woman standing outside the new Victoria's Secret in Tysons Corner Center. "Slut wear," declared the father of a teenage girl, looking at a feathery-thong-clad mannequin bent over as if she were adjusting her spike heels.
...
"Well," said Steina Rubin of Bethesda, "I find it just totally disgusting." And, no, she would not be shopping there. "I'm not entering a whorehouse," she said. "I come to the mall with my daughter. It's disgusting. And I'm from Europe !"

Here's one picture of the store display (stolen shamelessly from the Washington Post's website for use without permission):



This isn't the first time that VS has been challenged by consumers for their racy store displays. Christian groups have been angered by the Angel ads; a 12 yr. old Alabama girl expressed displeasure over store displays; there is even an online petition to remove racy store displays.

So what's the big deal? Are people so insecure about sexuality these days that mannequins dressed in lingerie are somehow threatening? I'd really like to see a lingerie store which uses live models... perhaps even modeling specific items at customers' requests, maybe for tips or something. But that's just me (and most of the straight American male population, I'd wager).