Sydney Sweeney, known for her roles in Euphoria and Anyone But You, has achieved remarkable success in Hollywood. Yet, even with two Emmy nominations and a flourishing career, the 27-year-old actress remains a target of public scrutiny—this time over her body. Recent paparazzi photos sparked cruel comments online, shedding light on the impossible beauty standards women face.
Earlier this week, candid photos of Sweeney outside her Florida home surfaced online. The images, showing her physique after intense training for her role as boxer Christy Martin, triggered harsh criticism. One social media user shared the photos with the caption, “All women are catfish. The question is, to what degree.” Others called her “frumpy,” “mid,” and “chunky.”
In response, Sweeney posted a video on Instagram juxtaposing these hateful comments with footage of her training for the role. She proudly showcased her preparation to portray Martin, a resilient athlete who survived domestic violence. This isn’t the first time Sweeney has addressed body-shaming. In 2021, she tearfully responded to being called “ugly” on Twitter, and earlier this year, her representatives spoke out against a producer’s disparaging remarks about her acting and looks.
A Double Standard for Women in the Spotlight
The backlash against Sweeney highlights a troubling double standard. Zeynab Mohamed, writing in her Substack Face Value, pointed out that women can’t win. “When [Sweeney] looks polished on Instagram, she’s accused of being fake. When caught candidly, she’s criticized for being too real,” Mohamed wrote. Male celebrities rarely face such scrutiny. As Mohamed noted, Chris Hemsworth’s unpolished moments don’t ignite the same vitriol.
Journalist Helen Coffey echoed this sentiment, observing how commenters relish seeing women fall short of perfection. “It really doesn’t matter what you look like,” she wrote, adding, “None of us will ever be good enough to appease men who hate women—because they want us to fail.”
Impossible Beauty Standards
Even women who align with traditional Western beauty ideals aren’t immune to criticism. Salon writer Nardos Hailey noted that figures like Margot Robbie have faced similar backlash, despite embodying the same narrow standards. Hailey argued that such attacks aim to control women’s bodies, rejecting any deviation from rigid expectations.
Hayley Maitland of Vogue suggested that praising Sweeney’s beauty as a defense against misogyny is misguided. “To embody a patriarchal fantasy is its own special hell,” Maitland wrote, explaining how women are simultaneously objectified and criticized for defying those objectifications.
The Role of Social Media
Writer Liz Plank explored the cultural forces behind such comments, linking them to social media algorithms and incel culture. Plank argued that these factors radicalize some men to view women as adversaries. “Instead of love and acceptance, they’re left tweeting about how Sydney Sweeney is ‘mid,’” she wrote. Plank concluded that this behavior reflects a broader societal failure to foster meaningful connections and empathy.
TikToker @ida_que highlighted how unrealistic social media portrayals fuel these toxic expectations. “We’ve forgotten what real people look like,” she said, pointing to the filtered, curated images that dominate online platforms. Another TikToker, Amelia Montooth, expressed concern that society is regressing to the fatphobic attitudes of the early 2000s, exacerbated by “tradwife” content and a renewed fixation on appearance.
A Call for Change
As Sweeney’s experience shows, beauty standards remain unattainable and disproportionately affect women. While Sweeney will likely continue to thrive, the attacks on her appearance underscore the persistent objectification women face. Until society shifts its focus from judging women’s bodies to valuing them as individuals, these harmful patterns will persist.
Sweeney’s response—a proud display of her hard work and resilience—serves as a reminder that no one should have to conform to arbitrary ideals. Instead of tearing women down, we should challenge the voices perpetuating these impossible expectations.
