“Yess girl throw women under the bus”: Sydney Sweeney blamed women for her bathwater soap backlash. She’s losing the argument
Back in May, Sydney Sweeney surprised fans by announcing a controversial new product: soap infused with her bathwater. The Euphoria star collaborated with men’s grooming brand Dr. Squatch to release "Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss." In a press release, she pitched it as "every guy’s fantasy," noting that she wanted to make fans rethink "conventional personal care products."At the time, the announcement was met with widespread criticism. Many accused the actress of profiting from misogyny by literally turning herself into the product. Social media quickly lit up with commentary, with one tweet calling the entire concept "so dystopian."The American Eagle "great jeans" ad controversy that followedInitially, Sweeney brushed off the outrage. She even admitted that she pitched the idea herself. Later, when asked about the controversy surrounding the soap at an Apple TV+ premiere, she joked that she thought it was "fun to see everyone else talk about it."But the discourse never really died down. Public perception worsened after her American Eagle jeans campaign drew fresh criticism. That ad highlighted her blonde hair and blue eyes under the tagline "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," playing off the word "genes," sparking accusations of eugenics and glorifying whiteness. The brand doubled down despite outrage, and even the White House stepped in to defend her after The Guardian reported that she registered as a Republican in 2024.Why Sweeney's Jacob Elordi comparison doesn't workSweeney revisited her bathwater soap, aiming the blame for the backlash towards women, in a new interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. "It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting," she said. She then compared the reaction to the reaction around Jacob Elordi’s infamous Saltburn bathwater scene, claiming women embraced that joke far more.https://twitter.com/kendallhosseini/status/1958273445617148027Nevertheless, her comparison quickly fell apart. The so-called Elordi bathwater products were novelty items created without his involvement and also had a negative reaction from fans. Meanwhile, Sweeney actively promoted and profited from her soap. Fans pointed out the major difference, stressing that Elordi never marketed his own body in the same way.Social media reacts to Sweeney blaming womenSweeney’s decision to blame women was instantly called out online. Folks posted their thoughts on X, with one user writing, "capitalising off of patriarchy by making yourself the product is so dystopian.. like i feel bad for her."https://twitter.com/poshlust1941/status/1928125454642237649Another person tweeted about her comparison with co-star Eldori, saying that there is no similarity between the two. "Bcoz Jacob Elordi was not selling his bath water in any way shape or form. It was a part of movie, people had fun with it, fans made bathwater candles, but he didn't go out endorsing it, and making money off of being disgusting. This ain't the feminist gotcha you think it is," they wrote.https://twitter.com/aroshahasan/status/1958265740865523857"yess girl throw women under the bus that’ll really help you beat those allegations," one critic said sarcastically. Others accused her of centering her brand around male approval, particularly among conservative fans.@fcknliisa/X@nofoodnoguilt/Xhttps://twitter.com/jjongspeed/status/1958274940798460163@meowkiiiz pointed out, "trying to play the misogyny card while implying all her critics are horny women who only hate her cuz they're jealous of all the attention she gets from men is definitely...a choice."The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.The post “Yess girl throw women under the bus”: Sydney Sweeney blamed women for her bathwater soap backlash. She’s losing the argument appeared first on The Daily Dot.
The initial announcement was met with widespread condemnation, with many accusing Sweeney of profiting from misogyny by essentially selling herself as a product. The internet erupted with criticism, branding the concept as "dystopian."
While Sweeney initially brushed off the outrage, even admitting she conceived the idea, the controversy has persisted. In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, she reignited the debate by suggesting that women were primarily responsible for the negative reaction. "It was mainly the girls making comments about it, which I thought was really interesting," she said. She then drew a comparison to the reaction surrounding Jacob Elordi's infamous bathwater scene in the film *Saltburn*, arguing that women embraced that joke more readily.
However, Sweeney's attempt to deflect blame has backfired. Social media users were quick to point out the crucial differences between the two situations. While unofficial Elordi bathwater products emerged as novelty items created by fans, Sweeney actively promoted and profited from her own bathwater-infused soap. Critics emphasized that Elordi never marketed his own body in the same way.
The actress's attempt to shift the blame has only intensified the criticism. Social media is buzzing with reactions, with many accusing her of attempting to capitalize on patriarchy and centering her brand around male approval. One X user sarcastically commented, "yess girl throw women under the bus that’ll really help you beat those allegations." Others accused her of playing the victim, with one user stating that Sweeney was "trying to play the misogyny card while implying all her critics are horny women who only hate her cuz they're jealous of all the attention she gets from men is definitely...a choice."
The bathwater soap controversy followed on the heels of other criticisms directed at Sweeney, including her American Eagle "great jeans" ad, which sparked accusations of eugenics and glorifying whiteness. The ongoing debate suggests that Sweeney's attempts to deflect blame and justify her actions are not resonating with the public.