Sydney Sweeney’s sexy persona came out in a recent American Eagle campaign touting her “great jeans” — but the ad sparked controversy and backlash amongst social media users. From claims of over-sexualization to accusations of promoting eugenics,

American Eagle’s new denim campaign featuring actor Sydney Sweeney has sparked backlash over a “genes" pun. Here’s what’s behind the controversy—and why it’s drawing so much attention.

Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle campaign is also drawing comparisons to Brooke Shields' controversial Calvin Klein ad from 1980. Shields' age (she was 15 at the time) ruffled feathers due to the commercial's provocative tagline: "You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing."