In a bold move that lit up comment sections across social media, an Instagram influencer known as @lvernon2000 flipped both middle fingers at a massive American Eagle ad featuring Sydney Sweeney in Times Square, New York.
The ad has already drawn controversy, but the Instagram influencer's callout took things even further, stirring a new wave of online debate about racism, representation and how netizens express dissent.
Highlights
- An Instagram influencer went viral after flipping off Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad in Times Square.
- Her caption claimed that Sydney Sweeney “ain’t the blueprint,” and that Black, queer, Indigenous, d**abled, and womxn have “amazing” genes.
- Backlash followed swiftly, with many calling her post hypocritical and mean-spirited.
She claimed others have good "genes" in direct response to American Eagle's ad
Image credits: lvernon2000
In her Instagram caption, @lvernon2000 didn’t mince words. Alongside her double middle finger photos, she wrote:
“Look what I found in Times Square. A double middle finger to American Eagle’s ‘Good Jeans’ ad. Sydney Sweeney ain’t the blueprint *tongue pop.*"
She then launched into a passionate celebration of diverse identities:
Image credits: lvernon2000
“Let me tell you who has amazing genes. Black people have great genes.
"Indigenous humans have amazing genes. Queer folks have the best genes.
"Humans who have disabilities have boomin’ genes. Womxn have super-de-duper genes!"
Image credits: lvernon2000
Amidst the social media firestorm from her posts, she reportedly also followed up with a comment that stated:
"Black womxn have good genes. We’re the blueprint. Remember that, you ash filled buckets.”
The influencer’s “ash filled buckets” comment caught a lot of attention on social media platform X, with many noting that they don’t even understand what the insult was supposed to mean.
Image credits: lvernon2000
“Ash filled bucket. That's a new one,” one X user wrote.
“Wtf is an ash filled bucket supposed to mean? Need a translator,” another wrote.
“Wtf is an ‘ash filled bucket?’” asked another.
Image credits: lvernon2000
Critics called the influencer’s posts hypocritical and harsh
While some followers cheered her for speaking out, numerous netizens accused the influencer of tearing down another woman to make a point.
"Girl delete this. You are embarrassing yourself. Jesus Christ," one user commented.
Another wrote, "Imagine being so triggered that you put down another woman for being beautiful. Says more about you than anything else."
A third added humor to the mix: "Say what you want, but her confidence walked faster than my cardio ever could."
The backlash quickly spilled across platforms, with critics labeling the message as mean-spirited, unnecessarily personal, and divisive.
Many pointed out the irony in preaching inclusivity while targeting another woman over her looks and perceived privilege.
Sydney Sweeney’s ad was already under fire
In a now-viral promo, Sydney Sweeney, blue-eyed and blonde, talks about traits she inherited from her family, such as her hair color and eye color.
She then ended the video by stating, “My jeans are blue.”
Some viewers accused the campaign of being "coded," with critics claiming it echoed themes of genetic purity and white-centric beauty standards.
Image credits: American Eagle
One TikTok user even called it "N*zi propaganda,” igniting waves of think pieces and stitch reactions across social media.
Sweeney brushed off the backlash with karaoke and confidence
Image credits: American Eagle
Despite the growing noise online, Sweeney hasn’t publicly responded to the influencer’s post or the American Eagle ad’s controversy.
Instead, she was spotted over the weekend having fun at The GasLite karaoke bar in Santa Monica with her Euphoria co-stars Hunter Schafer, Maude Apatow, and Jacob Elordi.
According to a Page Six report, Sweeney, together with her co-stars, belted out 4 Non Blondes’ classic What’s Up like she didn’t have a care in the world.
But the denim drama isn’t the only fire Sweeney’s been walking through.
Voter records that recently surfaced revealed that she registered as a Republican in June 2024, reigniting political tensions that first sparked in 2022 when she threw a red-hat-themed birthday party for her mother.
At the time, photos from the birthday party showed attendees wearing red hats that read “Make Sixty Great Again.”
Image credits: lvernon2000
Sweeney dismissed the controversy at the time, stating that the birthday party was just an “innocent celebration.”
“Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone and Happy Birthday Mom!” she stated then.
Netizens continued to call out @lvernon2000 for her aggressive posts against Sweeney on social media
