Sydney Sweeney's nude sports advertisement has been criticised for normalising the sexual objectification of women among young boys. The Novig – a self-described sports prediction market – campaign features Sweeney nearly nude, with sports equipment covering parts of her body.
Female athletes have spoken out against the ad, while psychologists and counsellors worry about how it affects children. Sweeney lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers during the backlash.
'What Is This Teaching?'
Psychotherapist Julie Sweet told NewsWire that the concern centres on the ad's setting and purpose. 'My concern is not Sydney Sweeney choosing to express her sexuality–women absolutely have agency over their own bodies,' she said.
'It's the context. We have a sports-related company using a highly sexualised female body to capture attention and ultimately promote a product connected to gambling.' Sweet stated that the campaign supports the idea that women's bodies are just part of the entertainment associated with men's sports.
'It's telling young boys that women's bodies are part of the entertainment surrounding men's sport, rather than women being athletes, professionals and competitors in their own right,' she said.
She also highlighted the impact of repeated exposure on children's understanding of gender roles. 'When boys repeatedly see women positioned as decorative or sexual objects while men are more commonly positioned as the competitors, commentators or consumers, those associations can begin to feel normal.'
Novig has said the platform is restricted to users aged 21 and over. However, we all know age restrictions offer little protection when images and clips spread across social media. Some are asking if more focus should be put on Novig and the broader normalisation of gambling in society.
More Push Back
Female athletes have long sought recognition for their achievements rather than their appearance, and this campaign has renewed those concerns.
Ariarne Titmus, Australian Olympic swimming champion, was among those questioning the campaign's impact on young people.
'I can't describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this. How do we live in a world where monetising a woman's body and sexualising women's sport is still a thing?' she said.
'What is this teaching young men and women of today? Sydney Sweeney, do better.' The campaign's use of sports equipment has also drawn criticism.
Rachel Rodgers, a professor at Northeastern University, questioned the use of sports equipment to cover Sweeney's body, noting that these items serve no functional sporting purpose in the advertisement.
'The suggestion is very much that she's got hold of the boys' plaything in order to conceal herself,' she said. Stephen Warren, a Northeastern communication studies professor, similarly argued that the campaign reinforces traditional sexual stereotypes associated with sport.
A Bigger Conversation
One social media user responded to Sweeney's defence, quoting her words, 'They don't like me because of my tits,' before adding, 'Girl, that's the only thing to like about you at this current juncture'.
Counsellor Jacintha Field says the advertisement allows parents to talk with children about how advertising works. She suggests asking children why the advertiser chose a particular image, what the company is selling and why the advertisement attracted attention.
'Those questions teach children to recognise intent and understand that advertising is designed to influence them,' she said.
But how do you explain to children and young men that women's sexual attractiveness is being used to sell products? It raises a bigger question about what this teaches the next generation about how women should be perceived, treated and shown.
