Whether or not you’re her intended audience, you have most definitely heard of Sydney Sweeney in one way or another. Book lovers saw her in the movie adaptation of The Housemaid; during quarantine, we watched her in the hit HBO series Euphoria; and rom-com fans most definitely saw her in Anyone but You. Sydney Sweeney has had a variety of controversies throughout her career, mostly centered on the sexualization of her body. Audiences may remember her American Eagle jeans ad that claimed she had the “perfect jeans” – which was a play on words for “perfect genes.” As a blonde, blue-eyed white woman, Sweeney received lots of backlash, as the ad gave an unsettling vibe to many viewers. Most recently, she has been criticized for her recent appearance in an ad for Novig, a popular sports betting app. But was it really about sports this time?
The male domination of athletics
When I was a senior in high school, we did an activity where we had to name a professional athlete – any athlete. My classmates before me said the usual: LeBron James, Michael Phelps, Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, etc. When it got to me, I said the first athlete that came to mind: Simone Biles. My teacher, a woman, pointed out that I had been the only one to say a female athlete. As unfortunate as it is, when we think of athletes, it’s likely we think of men. Sports are absolutely a male-dominated field, and it under-credits the amount of discipline and hard work that women put into athletics, just the same as men.
sexualization we often overlook
In Sweeney’s ad, she is naked and shown in a variety of settings, with an assortment of equipment covering her body, asking the audience if they’re thinking of “just sports.” People across the internet were outraged and frustrated by this, as they felt it took away from the true meaning of sports – specifically female athletics. This ad proved that female athletes have always been subject to sexualization, even in the uniforms they are expected to wear. Take, for instance, female track outfits vs. male track outfits: men are completely covered with full tank tops and shorts to their knees, while women are expected to wear sports bras and shorts that are practically underwear while running. The sports world shines a light on how quickly our society accepts the unfair sexualization of women in a variety of professions, just because it is deemed “normal.” Our blind acceptance of women being expected to show skin to simply have an audience is reflected in athletic atmospheres, especially in modern society.
Women deserve respect in their athletics
So why did Sydney Sweeney and the company behind Novig choose to represent women in sports like this? Instead of adding unnecessary elements to the ad, creators could have done exactly what Sydney says in it: just sports. Showing tennis legend Serena Williams winning a match, Simone Biles completing a trick only she can do on the gymnastics mat, Caitlin Clark making basket after basket in the WNBA, and all of the female athletes out there who work hard every day. Little girls watching these women play the sports that they are just getting into are inspired every day to work hard and strive for their goals, just so they can play like their favorites. Sydney’s ad draws attention away from all the determination and dedication found within female athletes, and instead shifts the focus to something completely off-topic. Women have been fighting for respect in sports for years, and to many, this felt like a slap in the face. Unlike women, male athletes are simply viewed for their sport – not their bodies, their physical appearance, or their personal lives. Women are not just their bodies, and their sports should not be about that.
All around the world, so many young female athletes are putting in effort every day to someday make their dreams come true. Instead of showing them that their bodies are more profitable than their abilities, sports leagues, fans, and companies should uplift women for all their determination and success within their respective sports. When we think of female athletes, we should think of their athletics, not their bodies.