The internet can build you up in one moment — and tear you down in the next.
That’s the painful lesson Angel Reese, Chicago Sky forward and rising WNBA superstar, confronted this week after a viral post comparing her to the animated character Sid the Sloth from Ice Age exploded across social media, overshadowing what should have been one of the biggest moments of her off-court career: her Victoria’s Secret runway debut.
The meme — which juxtaposed Reese’s photos from the catwalk with stills of Sid in exaggerated poses — was intended, according to its creator, as “light humor.” But the reaction was anything but funny.
Within hours, the post racked up millions of views and thousands of cruel comments, many mocking Reese’s facial expressions and body language on the runway. Others questioned her legitimacy as a model, comparing her to “real” fashion figures — including Sid, a 21-year-old rising model who recently walked for Balenciaga and Versace.
And Angel Reese wasn’t having it.
“It’s Not a Joke — It’s Disrespect.”
Reese took to X (formerly Twitter) late Sunday night to respond directly to the viral comparison, breaking her silence in a post that quickly went viral on its own.
“I’ve worked my whole life to get here — on and off the court,” she wrote.
“I’ve modeled, trained, and sacrificed to represent women like me on the runway. Comparing me to a cartoon or to anyone just to tear me down is not funny. It’s disrespectful.”
Her words struck a chord, especially among fans and fellow athletes who have long admired her confidence and unapologetic self-expression.
Within minutes, hashtags like #StandWithAngel and #BlackBeautyDeservesRespect began trending. Fans rallied around her, calling out the double standard faced by women athletes — particularly women of color — when they enter industries traditionally dominated by different beauty norms.
From Basketball Court to Runway Lights
Angel Reese’s appearance on the Victoria’s Secret runway was a defining milestone in her expanding career. Known to millions as “The Bayou Barbie,” Reese has become a cultural phenomenon — balancing her athletic excellence with growing influence in fashion, beauty, and pop culture.
Her catwalk debut was part of Victoria’s Secret’s Icons showcase in New York, where she walked alongside global stars like Naomi Campbell, Gigi Hadid, and Paloma Elsesser.
Her look — a shimmering lavender two-piece paired with towering heels — drew praise from stylists and photographers alike. Vogue described her performance as “confident, fresh, and full of energy — a symbol of the new generation of American icons.”
But the moment was quickly derailed when the memes started.
The Viral Storm
The controversial post that triggered the backlash originated on TikTok, where a user posted a side-by-side collage of Angel Reese mid-stride on the runway and Sid the Sloth smiling awkwardly, with the caption: “Angel Reese giving Sid energy 😭😭😭.”
Within hours, the clip had over 4.7 million views and nearly 200,000 comments — most mocking her expressions, her walk, and even her body type.
Some commenters went further, comparing Reese to Sid the model, a white runway star with a very different aesthetic, claiming that “the real Sid looks more runway-ready.”
Reese’s defenders were quick to push back, calling the memes “a thinly disguised form of misogynoir” — the intersection of racism and sexism that often targets successful Black women in public life.
Support From Across Sports and Fashion
After Reese’s post, a wave of support poured in from celebrities, athletes, and fellow models.
WNBA players like Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, and Breanna Stewart publicly backed Reese, emphasizing how female athletes are often policed for how they look rather than celebrated for how they perform.
“Angel’s been nothing but class,” Wilson tweeted. “She’s earned every step she takes — court or runway.”
Supermodel Naomi Campbell reposted Reese’s message to her 15 million Instagram followers with the caption:
“Keep shining, @angelreese10. Grace always wins.”
Even Victoria’s Secret issued a statement defending their new model, saying:
“Angel embodies confidence, strength, and authenticity — everything our brand stands for. We are proud to have her in our family.”
“They Love You Until You Step Out of Line.”
In a later Instagram Live session, Reese expanded on her comments, speaking candidly about the double standard she faces.
“When I’m playing basketball, they call me too emotional or too cocky,” she said. “Now I’m modeling, and suddenly it’s, ‘She doesn’t belong there.’ It’s like people love you until you stop fitting the box they built for you.”
She added that she has no interest in apologizing for her confidence or her success.
“I represent young women who come from places like Baltimore and Baton Rouge — girls who are told they’re too loud, too tall, too bold.
I’m not going to shrink for anybody. Not for a meme. Not for social media.”
Her message resonated far beyond sports. Commentators noted that the incident highlights the way public women — especially Black women — are often reduced to caricatures the moment they gain visibility outside their expected roles.
The Broader Conversation
Cultural critics and journalists have framed Reese’s experience as a microcosm of the wider struggles women face in balancing power, beauty, and perception.
Dr. Maya Coleman, a professor of media studies at Howard University, explained:
“When a young Black woman enters a traditionally white, elite space — like high fashion — her presence is often read as disruption. The memes are not just jokes; they’re a way of policing who gets to be celebrated.”
Many pointed out that Reese’s situation mirrors what Serena Williams, Lizzo, and Megan Thee Stallion have all endured — moments where their physicality or self-expression was weaponized against them.
“Angel Reese isn’t being dragged for how she walked,” wrote columnist Zito Madu. “She’s being dragged because she walked like she belonged.”
Standing Tall
Despite the online negativity, Reese remains undeterred.
On Monday morning, she posted a new photo on Instagram — wearing the same lavender outfit from her runway debut, standing tall and proud under the caption:
“Still shining. Still smiling. Still me. 💅🏽💜 #BayouBarbie #Unapologetic”
The post received over 1.3 million likes in just 12 hours and a flood of supportive comments from fans calling her “a queen” and “the real definition of elegance under pressure.”
A Moment That Defines More Than Fashion
What started as a meme meant to humiliate has now turned into a moment of empowerment.
Angel Reese has once again done what she does best — turned criticism into conversation, and hate into motivation.
As one fan wrote on X:
“They compared her to a cartoon, and she turned it into a movement. That’s power.”
And maybe that’s the real story here — not about a meme, but about a woman who refuses to be minimized by it.
In a world that too often tells women like her to sit down or smile less, Angel Reese keeps walking — head high, heart steady, and heels clicking down the runway of her own making.
Because the Bayou Barbie doesn’t need approval. She is the standard. 💅🏽
