Sydney Sweeney Breaks Social Media Silence Amid American Eagle Ad Controversy
Earlier this week American Eagles debuted a new commercial featuring actress Sydney Sweeney with a tagline that has stirred up a significant amount of controversy. The ad has been slammed by some online as Nazi-like pro-eugenics racist propaganda guised in a "jeans" ad.
What Is the Controversy Around the Sydney Sweeney Ad?
The American Eagle ad uses a play on words suggesting Sweeney won the genetic lottery, which led some to believe the apparel company was glorifying whiteness. "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My genes are blue," Sweeney says in one video.
The "genes" aspect of the commercial caused a stir with some likening it to the thoughts of the Nazi party which used the pseudoscience of eugenics, a suggestion that some genetic features as better than others, to justify the killing of Jews and countless other minority groups during the Holocaust.
Another version of the commercial, the only version published to American Eagles' YouTube channel, has over three million views - but doesn't explicitly mention "genes" like the other commercial.
Has Sydney Sweeney Responded to the Controversy?
Neither Sweeney nor American Eagle have publicly commented on the controversial ad just yet, but the Anyone But You actress did finally break her social media silence on Friday, Aug. 1.
Sweeney hadn't posted on social media in several days before taking to her Instagram story with a photo of white roses she received.
Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney added a white heart on the post, but still hasn't issued a statement regarding the ad.
Sweeney previously professed her love for a white tee and jeans, but never mentioned American Eagle as a favorite.
"I'm very much a white, plain T-shirt kind of girl. I jump around from a bunch of different brands and that kind of depends on what vibe I want to go for," she said. "I have my Levi's white T-shirts and my Cotton On white T-shirts that are just paired with casual jeans. Jean wise: I mean, I love Levi's, Frame, Agolde," she said.
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