Megan Rapinoe has been named as one of seven trailblazing women to be part of the Victoria's Secret campaign turnaround.The lingerie company, known for showcasing their products on their trademark 'Angels', has done away with the winged models and have replaced them with a whole new approach to what sex appeal really is.Victoria's Secret has called upon a group of empowered women, famous for their individual achievements. Rapinoe joins 17-year-old freestyle skier Eileen Gu, inclusivity advocate Paloma Elesser, and actress Priyanka Chopra Jones.The rebrand is simple: redefining how the world sees 'sexy'. However, the brand turnaround has received more backlash than anticipated, with the majority of the online abuse aimed towards the USA international.The post picking up the most traction is a tweet from @heckyessica, who has lambasted the campaign, claiming "no one wants to look like Megan Rapinoe."More than 300 people have quote tweeted the post with their take, and many have jumped to the defence of the football and equal rights icon.Victoria's Secret is willing to take on a potentially huge risk by channeling body positivity and female empowerment. In the lingerie industry, idyllic figures and attractive models are what sells the brand. By stepping away from this approach and completely flipping the selling point on its head, VS is making one of the biggest brand restructures in history, all for the greater good of feminism.A big problem is the fact that not all women support each other, which is evident in some of these vile responses to Rapinoe's involvement in the rebrand. But the 35-year-old is undoubtedly model material. In a stunning shoot for Sports Illustrated in 2019, Rapinoe shows off her sculpted figure in a white bikini on a beach in St Lucia.As a professional athlete of the highest quality, the Ballon d'Or winner is the epitome of athleticism and her actions off the pitch make her one of the world's leading role models for women. So why is she receiving so much hate?Rapinoe's outspoken nature and constant rallying for equal rights have divided the football world. Despite being an advocate for equality and fair treatment, the OL Reign star is a controversial figure amongst fans. But supporters of the pink-haired trailblazer have been quick to jump to her defence.One Twitter user wrote: "Megan Rapinoe is mega sexy, how are people mad she's a VS model?" While another said: "Kudos to Victoria’s Secret. Megan Rapinoe slander will not be tolerated. No one wants to look like her? PLEASE, look at her. Everyone loves Megan Rapinoe."

It seems as though the people abusing Rapinoe for her involvement in this campaign are mostly those just looking for another reason to smear her. 

Victoria's Secret is pushing the narrative that all women are beautiful and sexy in their own right, and who better to have on board than the queen of female empowerment? Having one of the biggest football stars on the planet supporting your rebrand is a PR masterclass from the lingerie company.

The women trying to bring Rapinoe down and sneering at the fact she doesn't fit the 'Angel' stereotype should be ashamed. In a world where online hate is rife right now, all that can be said is it's lucky Rapinoe never lets these kinds of comments affect her.