😤 Overweight Feminists FUME at Sydney Sweeney’s Sizzling American Eagle Ad! 😤

Sydney Sweeney’s “Great Jeans” campaign is lighting up the internet—but not everyone’s cheering! 🔥 Is it empowering or enraging? The backlash is boiling over with claims of hidden messages…

Overweight Feminists Rage Over Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Advert: A Cultural Firestorm

Sydney Sweeney, the breakout star of Euphoria and The White Lotus, has once again found herself at the epicenter of a social media storm. This time, it’s her role in American Eagle’s fall 2025 denim campaign that’s ignited fury, particularly among body positivity advocates and feminists. The ad, launched on July 23, 2025, with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” plays on a pun between “jeans” and “genes,” but critics argue it goes far beyond clever wordplay. Accusations of promoting eugenics, white supremacy, and sexist tropes have flooded TikTok, X, and Threads, with some framing the backlash as “overweight feminists” raging against Sweeney’s idealized image. As American Eagle stands firm and polls suggest fans are loving it, the controversy highlights deeper divides in beauty standards, feminism, and advertising in 2025. What started as a denim promo has evolved into a battleground for cultural values—let’s break it down.

The Ad That Sparked the Outrage

American Eagle’s campaign is a nostalgic nod to Americana, featuring Sweeney in denim ensembles against classic backdrops like a Ford Mustang and open roads. In one viral clip, Sweeney reclines on a couch, zipping up her jeans while reciting: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color… My jeans are blue.” Another shows her leaning over a car engine, wiping her hands on her pants, with a close-up on her figure. The series culminates in a billboard where “great genes” is crossed out and replaced with “great jeans,” emphasizing the pun.

The ad promotes “The Sydney Jean,” a wide-legged pair with a butterfly motif symbolizing domestic violence awareness, with all proceeds going to Crisis Text Line—a mental health nonprofit. On paper, it’s a feel-good collab blending celebrity appeal with charity. But the execution struck a nerve. Sweeney’s breathy delivery, combined with lingering camera shots on her cleavage and curves, evoked comparisons to Brooke Shields’ controversial 1980 Calvin Klein ad, which was criticized for sexualizing a teen. At 27, Sweeney isn’t a minor, but critics argue the male gaze remains exploitative, reducing her to a sex symbol in a post-#MeToo era.

The “genes” pun amplified the backlash. With Sweeney’s blonde hair and blue eyes front and center, many saw it as glorifying Eurocentric beauty standards. TikTok users accused the ad of “eugenics rage bait,” linking the language to historical pseudoscience promoting racial superiority. Professor Sayantani DasGupta went viral analyzing the ad as “imbued with eugenic messaging,” noting how it reinforces whiteness as “clean” and desirable amid anti-immigrant sentiments. Others called it “Nazi propaganda,” a “dog whistle” for white supremacy in a politically charged 2025.

The Feminist Backlash: Body Positivity and “Overweight Rage”

A significant portion of the outrage comes from feminist circles, particularly those advocating for body positivity and inclusivity. Critics argue the ad perpetuates harmful ideals: thinness, whiteness, and conventional attractiveness as genetic “wins.” Sweeney, often celebrated for her hourglass figure, becomes a lightning rod for frustration over media’s narrow beauty norms. Social media comments decry the ad as “regressive,” harkening back to eras when women were objectified to sell products.

The “overweight feminists rage” narrative emerged from anti-woke commentators on X and YouTube, framing critics as jealous or insecure. Titles like “Overweight feminists RAGE over Sydney Sweeney using SEX to sell jeans! Sorry, but woke is DEAD!” portray the backlash as sour grapes from those who don’t fit the ad’s mold. This derogatory spin ties into broader tropes dismissing feminists as “ugly” or “bitter,” especially when challenging thin, white icons. In reality, the critique is more nuanced: users highlight how the ad ignores diverse body types, focusing solely on Sweeney’s slim, curvaceous frame. One TikToker noted, “This is what happens when no people of color are in the room,” pointing to a lack of representation.

Body positivity influencers have amplified this, arguing the ad undermines progress toward inclusive advertising. In a post-Barbie world, where brands like Dove champion real bodies, American Eagle’s choice feels like a step back. Feminists also slam the male gaze: close-ups on Sweeney’s body while she quips, “Hey, eyes up here!”—intended as playful but landing as dismissive of objectification concerns. The ad’s vintage sexiness, critics say, caters to men while alienating women who seek empowerment over exploitation.

Defenders and the Anti-Woke Pushback

Not everyone’s raging—far from it. On X, supporters hail the ad as a victory against “woke” culture. Posts like “Woke advertising is dead. Sydney Sweeney killed it” celebrate the pun as harmless fun, dismissing critics as overreactive. Right-wing users frame the backlash as liberal hysteria, with one tweeting, “Leftists, feminists, and professional victims are melting down over Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad!” They argue it’s just marketing: attractive celebrity sells jeans, no deeper agenda.

This defense ties into a perceived cultural shift post-2024 election, where brands pivot from inclusivity to traditional appeal. American Eagle’s stock surged 19% after launch, earning Sweeney “meme stock icon” status. Internal polls, per reports, show 70% customer approval, suggesting the controversy boosted visibility without hurting sales. Defenders also praise the charity angle, overlooked in the outrage.

Sweeney’s image fuels this divide. Often labeled a “pick-me girl” for her unapologetic sex appeal, she’s embraced by conservatives as a counter to “woke” stars. Her hobbies (fixing cars) and background (Mountain West) add to her “girl next door” allure, making her a symbol in culture wars.

American Eagle’s Response and Broader Implications

American Eagle broke silence on August 1, 2025: “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.” The brand hasn’t pulled the ad, aligning with insiders claiming they “don’t give a f**k” about backlash. This defiance mirrors Dunkin’ Donuts’ recent “genetics” ad storm, seen as brands testing anti-woke waters.

The controversy reflects advertising’s tightrope in polarized times. Post-#MeToo and BLM, brands faced diversity demands; now, some bet on backlash for buzz. Critics argue this normalizes exclusion, while supporters see it as freeing from over-sensitivity. For feminism, it’s a setback: body positivity gains erode when thin, white ideals dominate.

Sweeney, transparent about maximizing earnings, remains silent—smart amid her rise. But the ad’s legacy? A reminder that puns aren’t neutral in 2025.

Why the Rage Resonates

The “overweight feminists” label, while reductive, taps real insecurities. In a world pushing Ozempic and filters, ads like this can feel exclusionary. Feminists rage not just at Sweeney, but at systemic erasure of diverse bodies. As one X post quipped, “It’s unbelievable, the fact that people are mad at a jeans ad.”

Yet, the outrage cycle benefits all: American Eagle gets publicity, critics amplify voices, and Sweeney stays relevant. In this echo chamber, everyone wins—except nuanced discourse.

Final Thoughts

Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad has unleashed a torrent of rage, particularly from feminists decrying its beauty ideals. Whether “eugenics bait” or harmless pun, it’s sparked vital talks on representation. As polls show fan love and stocks rise, the controversy proves: in 2025, outrage sells as well as jeans.