Suni Lee made history at the 2025 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show as the first Hmong woman and the first U.S. Gymnast (and Olympic gymnast) to grace the Victoria's Secret runway. While the moment should have given the athlete a sense of pride for her heritage and sport, she was met with harsh criticism and comments about her Victoria's Secret Fashion Show debut.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist took to TikTok to tell haters to leave her alone. In the video, Lee wore a black sleeveless turtleneck, medium-washed jeans, and black boots with Ariana Grande's "Success" soundtracking the video. While the song has a catchy pop melody on the theme of success and confidence, Lee's caption tells a different story.
"Can u guys stop bullying me," Lee's caption read.
Fans immediately flocked to the comments with support for the six-time Olympic medalist.
"Who's bullying you? I won't allow it," Ming Lee Simmons, daughter of supermodel Kimora Lee Simmons wrote in the comment section.
"Who do I have to argue with?" A fan asked.
"Were any of the haters on the runway? Didn't think so," another fan wrote.
@sunisalee_ can u guys stop bullying me
♬ original sound - lyrical matcha
What was Suni Lee criticized for?
Lee stands at a proud 5ft, and online users were bashing the gymnast for her height. A fan in the comment section defended her, to which the Olympic athlete reacted,
“Girl I got your back. Why are people bullying you because of your height, like u can’t control that bro,” the fan wrote.
Lee replied, “Like, literally.”
Prior to the backlash, Lee shared her excitement for walking in the show, sharing that it was "a dream come true" on her Instagram Story the day of the show.
What other athlete did Suni Lee walk with?
Another athlete who made a splash at the award show was WNBA star Angel Reese. It was Reese's debut as well, and she made history as the first professional athlete to grace the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway.
"Stepping into a dream: From Angel to a Victoria Secret ANGEL. I’m finally getting my wings. I’ll be walking the Victoria’s Secret 2025 runway show for the first time, and it feels like destiny. Wings on, heels ready…Catch me on the runway," Reese wrote in the caption on Instagram alongside photos of her in her angel wings.
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