Actor Sydney Sweeney is talking out in regards to the controversy surrounding her American Eagle denim advert, and now claims to have a distinct perspective on the fallout.
Sweeney, who has blue eyes and blonde hair, appeared in a “great jeans” marketing campaign for the clothes firm in July that included an advert with a play on the phrases “jeans” and “genes.”
In one advert, Sweeney mentioned, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”
Social media customers slammed the advert’s wordplay, arguing that it had white supremacist undertones and may very well be interpreted as a wink to eugenics, the racist and inaccurate principle that human genetics will be improved by selective and managed breeding of populations.
President Donald Trump and different members of his administration praised Sweeney within the wake of the net backlash. Not lengthy after, she was outed as a registered Republican.
In an interview with Individuals, Sweeney mentioned she was “honestly surprised” by the general public’s response to the advert.
“I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand,” she mentioned. “I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.”
“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness,” Sweeney added.
Up to now, Sweeney refused to touch upon unfavorable or constructive press. This time, she felt compelled to reply.
″…Just lately I’ve come to comprehend that my silence concerning this concern has solely widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new 12 months brings extra give attention to what connects us as an alternative of what divides us,” she mentioned.
Over the summer season, American Eagle defended Sweeney’s look within the advert marketing campaign.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the corporate said. “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
