Emmy-nominated actress Sydney Sweeney responded on Saturday after photos from her mother’s 60th birthday were deemed political by online leftists.
The star’s mother reportedly had a birthday party that included a man in a pro-police t-shirt, and red hats that reportedly said “Make Sixty Great Again,” a play on former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan. Sweeney, 24, rebuffed the attacks as “wild,” noting that the party was an “innocent celebration” and not a “political statement.”
“You guys this is wild,” she posted to Twitter. “An innocent celebration for my mom’s milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention.”
“Please stop making assumptions,” she urged. “Much love to everyone and Happy Birthday Mom!”
You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone ♥️ and Happy Birthday Mom!
— Sydney Sweeney (@sydney_sweeney) August 27, 2022
The actress over the weekend posted numerous photos of the family party, adding the caption, “no better way to celebrate my momma than a surprise hoedown.”
In one of the pictures, an older man is wearing a t-shirt with an American flag, including a thin blue line. The flags are associated with the pro-police Blue Lives Matter movement, which runs counter to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Other photos showed guests wearing red hats, which reportedly said: “Make Sixty Great Again.”
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Tayte Hanson, a gay porn star, called Sweeney’s family “racist” over the photos.
“‘Assumptions’? Your family are wearing MAGA hats and blue lives matter shirts, they’re racist. Time to face reality sweets, just because [you’re] white and famous doesn’t mean you get to have it all,” he wrote.
“Assumptions”? Your family are wearing MAGA hats and blue lives matter shirts, they’re racist. Time to face reality sweets, just because your white and famous doesn’t mean you get to have it all.
— Tayte Hanson — they/them (@TAYTEEHANSON) August 27, 2022
“If you post a photo of yourself wearing a Swastika is it wrong to assume you’re a Nazi?” another Twitter user said. “You’re not responsible for your family’s bigoted beliefs but it’s ridiculous for you to claim people are ‘making assumptions’ when the shirt literally is a political statement.”
If you post a photo of yourself wearing a Swastika is it wrong to assume you're a Nazi?
You're not responsible for your family's bigoted beliefs but it's ridiculous for you to claim people are "making assumptions" when the shirt literally is a political statement.
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) August 28, 2022
Though, some online mocked the absurdity of the backlash.
“Unless Sydney Sweeney forces her parents to vote for Joe Biden at gunpoint I can no longer in good conscience ‘stan’ her tv show about high schoolers snorting heroin out of each others mouths,” one Twitter user wrote, referencing the show “Euphoria.”
unless sydney sweeney forces her parents to vote for joe biden at gunpoint i can no longer in good conscience "stan" her tv show about high schoolers snorting heroin out of each others mouths
— notarious T.I.G (@bobo_circus) August 27, 2022
Sweeney has faced a rather absurd backlash in the past, too. In June, the actress was a target of the “body positivity” movement for being attractive and wearing a miniskirt at the MTV Movie and TV Awards.
“Why Sydney Sweeney’s micromini outfit feels like a threat to body positivity: ‘So coveted yet unachievable,’” Kerry Justich headlined a piece, which cited numerous upset social media users and “body acceptance advocates.”
“Sydney Sweeney had her toned midriff on full display at the MTV Movie and TV awards where she wore a micro-miniskirt paired with a super-cropped collared top by Miu Miu,” she wrote. “While the low-rise trend has already been seeing a resurgence, the red carpet moment is triggering a response from people who’d like to leave it in the past.”
Justich said Sweeney pulled off the throwback look “beautifully,” but said apparent reluctance to praise the outfit from onlookers “has less to do with the styling than it does the messaging about beauty and body standards.”
“No shade to beautiful Sydney… but I’m sad we’re seeing more of this ULTRA low rise waist and ULTRA flat tummy look again,” said one social media commenter, cited by Justich. “So coveted yet unachievable for so many of us with different builds.”
Other comments cited included, “Watch body positivity go down the drain once the low rise fashion takes over again,” and “Low rise NEVER AGAIIIN! Young generations: learn from the pst!! Don’t ruin your body!!!”