The High Price of “Good Genes”

Last July, the actress Sydney Sweeney appeared in an American Eagle advertisement that caused significant controversy. Essentially, the ad states that Sweeney, a white American woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, has “great jeans.”

The public was quick to identify that “jeans” also refers here to “genes.” Sweeney herself even says, “See what I did there, right?” in one version of the ad. In another version, Sweeney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color… My jeans are blue,” followed by the same slogan “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

I come from a diverse, racially mixed household and am in an interracial relationship. Both my girlfriend and sister have owned American Eagle products and, when I saw this ad, I immediately thought of them and the many other minority groups that this advertisement has negatively affected. I do not want my sister, girlfriend, or any other woman to buy from and support a company that clearly does not give a second thought to women like them.

This ad reinforces the age-old media and advertising standard of using a white woman’s “genes” to incentivize consumers to make a purchase. This pattern of valuing certain women over others devalues and harms historically marginalized groups, distorting their sense of self and self-image by creating a standard of what is “good” that is impossible for them to meet. This type of messaging creates a society where desirability is equated with being white instead of accounting for all forms of beauty, which in turn harms the mental health of women of color, especially young women of color.

But a less-discussed, yet equally sexist, aspect of this ad’s controversy was that, in addition to objectifying Sweeney’s body and public image to sell their product, American Eagle largely let Sweeney take the blame for this harmful messaging. The controversy was mainly attached to Sweeney’s image, and rarely to the company’s choices; this one woman bore the consequences of a company’s marketing strategy.

To be fair, Sweeney had ample time to apologize for the ad, yet for many months she chose not to speak out about it at all, and when she did, she dismissed others’ concern. As a public figure, she should speak out when her actions may have affected many of her followers, or oppressed groups in general. But companies also need to ethically advertise their products and avoid messages that can be misconstrued or that may contain racially loaded messaging. They should take public accountability if their ad offends people and reflect on what they could do better.

Importantly, we must recognize how companies and celebrities are influencing young people’s ideas of beauty norms, and identity. We need to teach younger generations how companies are money-hungry and often care more about profit rather than representation. We must continue to recognize harmful messages embedded in advertisements, and how to use our voice for change when necessary.