• Home
  • News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Tech
    • Web Stories
    • Spotlight
    • Press Release
What's On

Pharmacists ‘using personal savings to stay open’ as a 4 in 10 can’t pay bills

27 August 2025

‘Mystery girlfriend’ may be helping dad who’s hid in wild with kids for years

27 August 2025

Donald Trump’s bruising mystery deepens as another shock photo emerges

27 August 2025

Regions where cancer cases set to soar as over 6m diagnoses expected by 2040

27 August 2025

Dark spot cream that ‘improves skin after one use’ gets reduced to £10 for 24hours

27 August 2025

Jorgen Strand Larsen gives defiant response to £50m Newcastle transfer bid

27 August 2025

Terry Wogan’s son furiously hits out as family home has ‘no interest’ on market

27 August 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Trending
  • Pharmacists ‘using personal savings to stay open’ as a 4 in 10 can’t pay bills
  • ‘Mystery girlfriend’ may be helping dad who’s hid in wild with kids for years
  • Donald Trump’s bruising mystery deepens as another shock photo emerges
  • Regions where cancer cases set to soar as over 6m diagnoses expected by 2040
  • Dark spot cream that ‘improves skin after one use’ gets reduced to £10 for 24hours
  • Jorgen Strand Larsen gives defiant response to £50m Newcastle transfer bid
  • Terry Wogan’s son furiously hits out as family home has ‘no interest’ on market
  • Perishers – 27th August 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
England TimesEngland Times
Demo
  • Home
  • News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Tech
    • Web Stories
    • Spotlight
    • Press Release
England TimesEngland Times
Home » ‘Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad isn’t the problem – our obsession with tearing down women is’
World

‘Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad isn’t the problem – our obsession with tearing down women is’

By staff4 August 2025No Comments4 Mins Read

Actress Sydney Sweeney’s latest campaign with clothing brand American Eagle has faced backlash, sparking a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and “woke” culture

11:26, 04 Aug 2025Updated 12:40, 04 Aug 2025

Cally Brooks is a Features Writer at The Mirror, contributing to the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Mirror Online. An experienced journalist, she previously worked as a News Reporter at the Daily Express before joining the features team. Cally specialises in lifestyle content, health, beauty, fashion, food and drink, as well as compelling real-life and celebrity exclusives.

Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Sweeney starred in American Eagle’s latest campaign(Image: INSTAGRAM)

This week’s internet outrage cycle landed squarely on Sydney Sweeney’s shoulders – again. The 27-year-old actress, best known for her roles in The White Lotus, Euphoria and Anyone But You, is facing backlash over her latest collaboration with American Eagle.

The campaign – since removed from the brand’s social media – features Sweeney whispering into the camera: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring… My jeans are blue.” The narrator then concludes: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

Cue the uproar. Critics have called the ad everything from “tone-deaf” to “eugenics-adjacent.” Some claim it’s sexualising women under the guise of supporting domestic violence awareness; a cause Sweeney has publicly championed.

READ MORE: Taylor Swift sparks engagement rumours as fans spot Travis Kelce’s lock screenREAD MORE: Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad sparks backlash over ‘eugenics-coded’ messaging

Sydney Sweeney
The actress has worked with numerous brands in recent months(Image: American Eagle)

Others are saying the reaction itself is overblown – a symptom of a hyper-critical, “triggered” internet culture.

But here’s the thing: it’s not that deep. The play on words – “genes” vs “jeans” – is just a clever marketing tactic. For years, Sweeney has been subjected to fans commenting on her appearance, from creepy Reddit forums to body shaming for her role as boxer Christy Martin in an upcoming film.

We’ve officially hit a point where every creative choice by a public woman – especially one who dares to be successful and in-demand – becomes subject to outrage.

And while I don’t deny that advertising deserves critique (especially when it’s connected to social causes), I can’t help but wonder if this isn’t about the ad at all. I think this is about Sydney Sweeney.

People have been increasingly vocal about how many campaigns she’s done recently – from Miu Miu to Armani Beauty, Ford to American Eagle.

But in interviews, Sweeney has been open about growing up with financial insecurity, and the reality that even successful actors in Hollywood often struggle to sustain a lifestyle without steady work. Not every role pays millions.

Sydney Sweeney
The Euphoria actress has spoken about financial hardship before(Image: INSTAGRAM)

Let’s also address the elephant in the room – her body. Many critiques have focused not just on the language of the ad, but on the way the camera lingers on her figure.

This is not a new conversation – it’s the age-old question of who gets to be sexual, and who gets punished for it. It feels like society still hasn’t figured out how to let women own their image without accusing them of inviting objectification – even when the proceeds of the campaign go entirely to a mental health crisis line.

Should brands think more carefully about how they align social causes with marketing? Of course. Should we have discussions about how women are portrayed in media? Always.

But we should also know when a discourse is being driven less by principle and more by the public’s appetite for tearing down someone who is succeeding.

The real issue here isn’t a pun about “jeans”. It’s our cultural obsession with picking apart every move made by women in the spotlight, made worse by “cancel culture” on TikTok.

And the truly sad part is, it’s largely other women tearing her down. Somewhere along the line, feminism became fractured by competitiveness.

Instead of celebrating a woman’s success, we dissect it. Question her motives. Assume she’s complicit in her own objectification. It’s discouraging to see women help reinforce the same scrutiny and double standards we claim to be fighting.

READ MORE: Dunelm shoppers say ‘it’s easy to fall asleep’ in £50 garden chair set

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email

Related News

‘Mystery girlfriend’ may be helping dad who’s hid in wild with kids for years

27 August 2025

Horror moment top Portuguese bullfighter killed as animal rams him against wall

26 August 2025

Tourist faces 5 years in Turkish prison after filming dance video for Instagram

26 August 2025

Rescuer devastated at scene of horror car crash after realising who victim was

26 August 2025

Holidaymakers stunned as giant jellyfish washes up on popular Lanzarote beach

26 August 2025

Son of climber stuck 22,000ft up Victory Peak with broken leg claims mum ‘alive’

26 August 2025
Latest News

‘Mystery girlfriend’ may be helping dad who’s hid in wild with kids for years

27 August 2025

Donald Trump’s bruising mystery deepens as another shock photo emerges

27 August 2025

Regions where cancer cases set to soar as over 6m diagnoses expected by 2040

27 August 2025

Dark spot cream that ‘improves skin after one use’ gets reduced to £10 for 24hours

27 August 2025
Stay In Touch
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
Don't Miss
Sports

Jorgen Strand Larsen gives defiant response to £50m Newcastle transfer bid

By staff27 August 20250

WOLVES 3-2 WEST HAM: Jorgen Strand Larsen scored twice when coming off the bench to…

Terry Wogan’s son furiously hits out as family home has ‘no interest’ on market

27 August 2025

Perishers – 27th August 2025

27 August 2025

Teen girl who died at Emerge Belfast festival pictured as family pay tribute

26 August 2025
England Times
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
© 2025 England Times. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Go to mobile version