Sydney Sweeney’s SI Cover Goes Viral For The Wrong Reasons

Sydney Sweeney is at the center of a social media debate again over what some say is her “over sexualized” appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

It comes several months after she was dragged online for her controversial pun about “jeans/genes” in an American Eagle ad campaign.

Sydney Sweeney, who ignored the uproar for a long time, finally admitted that her silence “widened the divide,” and maintained that she is “against hate.”

Sweeney has been dragged into another controversy online with her appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Her latest role in the biopic “Christy” sees the 28-year-old Hollywood actress play the part of real-life boxing champion Christy Martin.

The David Michod-directed movie detailed how Martin attained success in boxing back in the 90s and later her coach-turned-husband’s 2010 attempted murder of her.

It had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival before it was released to theaters a month later.

To promote the film, Sweeney posed alongside the real-life Christy Martin for the latest issue of the magazine.

They both wore white tank tops and white boxing shorts bearing the American flag; however, several noted that Sweeney had on a “push-up bra,” in an attempt to seemingly highlight her famous assets.

Several netizens took to social media to point out how Sweeney’s chest was overly edited to make it more sexualized, with some even going as far as to accuse her of wearing a push-up bra.

A person said, “Why is she wearing a push-up bra while dressed like she’s about to box?? Not everything needs to be made sexual/sexy. Also, this is coming out so late; the movie’s theatrical run is done.”

“Oversized tank with a push-up bra is crazy,” a second person commented.

Another X user penned, “Not that I’m complaining, but why would we see the cl-avage like that? Shouldn’t she be wearing athletic gear that hides the girls and makes it easier to move in her sport?”

“Gracing the cover of SI but not any award nomination announcements,” someone else said, referencing Sweeney being snubbed by the Golden Globes for her “Christy” role.

Despite the criticisms, some users were pleased with the shoot, with one saying Sweeney and Martin’s feature is a “great tribute to the strength of female boxing.”

In July of this year, Sweeney partnered with American Eagle for the “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign, but the ad, which featured the blonde, blue-eyed actress making a pun on “jeans” and “genes,” immediately drew backlash.

“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring. Often, determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My ‘jeans’ are blue,” she said, before another voice added, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

Many online critics and industry experts argued that the wordplay, coupled with the “Euphoria” actress’s looks, promoted eugenics and white supremacy.

American Eagle has since defended the campaign, insisting that the tagline “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.”

Sweeney largely remained silent even after President Donald Trump weighed in on the American Eagle situation.

However, she finally addressed it when she admitted that her silence had seemingly worsened the situation and didn’t help to calm unsettled nerves.