Sydney Sweeney has spent much of 2025 caught in the middle of a cultural backlash firestorm. From her American Eagle “Great Jeans” campaign to her bizarre “bathwater soap” tie-in with Dr. Squatch, the actress is learning that not all criticism is created equal.
Sydney Sweeney ads in the American Eagle store in Times Square NYC – Photo Credit: That Park Place
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While plenty of men online continue to prop her up as a rising star, it’s often women — and especially female celebrities — who have been the loudest voices pushing back.
From Soap to Jeans: Sydney’s Controversial Year
Earlier this year, Sweeney drew attention and backlash for a marketing stunt involving soap made with her bathwater. She defended the idea in interviews, saying that women in particular seemed captivated by the product’s novelty. Still, much of the online blowback framed the stunt as unserious or distasteful.
“It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting,” she said. “They all loved the idea of Jacob Elordi’s bathwater.”
Sydney Sweeney as Julia Carpenter in Madame Web (2024), Sony Pictures
This comment pointing to Jacob Elordi’s infamous Saltburn bathwater scene, which became a viral pop culture meme. She argued that if audiences could laugh along with Elordi’s bathwater fascination, her own tie-in product wasn’t crossing any new lines. In her words, the idea was playful and tongue-in-cheek.
Then came the American Eagle ad campaign, which declared “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” The wordplay on “genes” quickly turned toxic as critics accused the brand of pushing coded or insensitive messaging. The result was weeks of headlines, hot takes, and internet pile-ons.
Sydney Sweeney American Eagle Ad – YouTube, American Eagle
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans,” American Eagle said in a statement. “Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Female Celebrities Lead the Parodies
What’s most striking about this controversy is who picked up the torch. Instead of male rivals or critics, it has been other women in entertainment taking shots at Sweeney’s image.
(L-R): Plazir-15 Security Detail, the Duchess of Plazir-15 (Lizzo) and Captain Bombardier (Jack Black) in Lucasfilm’s THE MANDALORIAN, season three, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
- Lizzo parodied the American Eagle ad in multiple TikTok videos, strutting in denim and rapping lines like, “B***h, I got good jeans like I’m Sydney.” Her send-ups of the campaign made headlines across pop culture outlets.
- Doja Cat jumped in too, mocking Sweeney’s southern accent delivery from the ad in a satirical video.
- Even Beyoncé was dragged into the discourse. While she didn’t parody the ad herself, her Levi’s campaign was widely cited as a contrast — with some questioning why Sweeney received such heavy scrutiny while Beyoncé’s denim branding was celebrated.
The result is a rare moment where one young star has become a lightning rod for mockery from her own industry peers.
Sydney Speaks Out on Women vs. Women
In the midst of this, Sweeney has openly criticized the way Hollywood handles so-called “female empowerment.” She told Page Six that the slogan of “women supporting women” is largely a façade, claiming that behind the scenes, it’s often the opposite. Her comments now look prophetic, as the loudest backlash to her recent work has come from fellow women rather than men.
Sydney Sweeney ads in the American Eagle store in Times Square NYC – Photo Credit: That Park Place
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Meanwhile, her male fan base seems largely intact. On social media, she continues to trend as a favorite among younger male audiences, and her upcoming film and TV projects remain high-profile.
Why the Divide Matters
The Sydney Sweeney vs female backlash dynamic highlights something deeper than just celebrity gossip. It shows the split between marketing campaigns designed to be edgy and the reality of how audiences — especially female ones — receive them.
Sydney Sweeney American Eagle Ad – YouTube, American Eagle
Sweeney has leaned into a brand built on provocation, sexuality, and playfulness. That may appeal to male fans and help her remain relevant in an industry driven by viral moments. But it also opens the door for fierce criticism, particularly from women who see the campaigns as reductive, tone-deaf, or just hate it for one reason or another…
The Bottom Line
Sydney Sweeney is learning that being a rising star in Hollywood today means navigating gender politics as much as acting roles. Men may idolize her, but it’s the women in the industry — Lizzo, Doja Cat, and others — who are shaping the conversation around her. That irony isn’t lost on Sweeney herself, who has already warned that “women empowering women” isn’t what it seems.
Sydney Sweeney ads in the American Eagle store in Times Square NYC – Photo Credit: That Park Place
In a year where every move is scrutinized, Sydney Sweeney remains caught between admiration and attack — and the sharpest blows, at least for now, are coming from her own side of the aisle.
How do you feel about the backlash against Sydney Sweeney from other women? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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She faces the most backlash from woke women. That’s an important distinction.
Further proof that the liberal brigade has zero interest in the causes they wield like weapons instead of shields. At the end they day, they have exposed themselves as the bitter hags they are. They can’t stand not being recipient of said male gaze, therefore, anyone who does, is personae non grata. “Hell hath no fury, as a woman scorned.”
-Shakespeare.
Chicks are called catty for reason. The evidence is in clear view, for all world to see now, in this time of no reason. Too many examples to list. More than the number of stars in a nighttime sky.
Women shouldn’t be allowed onto the internet. All they do is virtue signal, doing white people down.
Am I the only one that thinks she has a mongoloid face? Like I don’t find her attractive at all. Any thot can have a nice body or a good set of tits, but this one has a busted face. Zoomers have the worst taste in everything.