The Backlash to Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Ad Proves We’ve Lost the Plot

Sydney Sweeney’s latest denim campaign with American Eagle — cheekily titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” — has ruffled feathers, not because it’s ineffective (it’s very effective), but because apparently, we’ve reached a point where even a self-aware joke about objectification is... objectified.

The ad features Sweeney confidently modelling “The Sydney Jean,” a limited-edition piece with all proceeds going to the Crisis Text Line, a charity supporting victims of domestic violence. The now-viral campaign includes a tongue-in-cheek video where Sweeney, facing the camera as it pans toward her chest, calls out “Hey! Eyes up here!” — a classic deflection of the male gaze, said with a wink, not a whimper.

Critics have accused the ad of being “tone-deaf” and “objectifying,” missing the glaringly obvious: it’s satire. It plays with the trope, subverts it, and sells jeans — really, really well. In fact, it’s reportedly boosted American Eagle’s stock by as much as 22%. And we’re mad... why, exactly?

Let’s be clear. Sweeney, one of the most self-aware young stars in Hollywood, isn’t being exploited — she’s in on the joke. She’s used her image to raise funds for a real cause. She’s poking fun at the way her body is often discussed without her. This isn’t exploitation; it’s reclamation. And if you can’t tell the difference, maybe you’re not as progressive as you think.

The outrage says more about us than about the ad. We claim to support women expressing autonomy over their image — but when they do, especially in a way that plays with humor, sex appeal, and charity all at once, the Puritan alarms go off. Sydney can’t win. Either she’s “too sexy” or “too self-aware” or “not feminist enough.”

Here’s a wild idea: maybe we let women make money, make jokes, and make a difference — all at the same time — without clutching our pearls.