Viral Thread Says Men Prefer Sydney Sweeney While Women Side With Sabrina Carpenter, Dividing Fans

Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney, two of the most popular female celebrities today, have been pitted against each other in the latest online debate to go viral.

The argument, which has ricocheted across X and other platforms, centers on a claim that male and female audiences allegedly sort the two stars into opposing cultural “teams,” with each woman standing for a different kind of beauty and social identity.

“Men hate Sabrina Carpenter and love Sydney Sweeney. Women hate Sydney Sweeney and love Sabrina Carpenter,” one post read, pulling 7.8 million views.

The post followed an even more viral comment with 19.5 million views that showed a Grammys photo of Carpenter in heavy makeup alongside the caption:

“This is the most manufactured person I’ve ever seen.”

A thread comparing Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney went viral as viewers argued over who men and women like most

Side-by-side photos of women in glamorous dresses highlighting viral claim about men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: sydney_sweeney/Instagram / Raph_PH/Flickr

In the hours that followed, the discussion quickly moved past a simple fan argument and turned into a fight about what feels “real” or “fake,” how politics gets projected onto celebrities, how women express their s**uality, and how moral language online is often used to attack other women over their looks.

At the crux of the discourse is a perception that men read Sweeney as “naturally attractive” and culturally unbothered, while Carpenter is framed as curated and calculated.

Woman in a sparkling white gown posing at an event, linked to viral claim about men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: Gilbert Flores/Getty Images

That tension showed up immediately in how people tried to explain the supposed split. “Sabrina looks like a drag queen’s ideal of what a woman should look like,” a user wrote.

“Sabrina Carpenter panders to women, and Sydney Sweeney panders to men,” another replied. “Sydney actually used to be beloved by women and the gay community during her Everything S**ks era.”

Blonde woman in a black satin dress posing at an event related to viral claim men like Sydney Sweeney debate.

Image credits: Earl Gibson III/Getty Images

“Men don’t hate Sabrina. Hate is a big word. Women definitely hate Sydney though, I mean if I was woman I’d hate her too,” a viewer argued.

“I’m a guy and I find Sabrina Carpenter – as long as she doesn’t have drag make up on – more attractive than Sydney Sweeney,” a fourth said.

The actress’ brand leaning into her “natural beauty,” has brought her no small amount of scrutiny, particularly from segments of the internet who interpret that claim as Sweeney declaring her superiority over other women.

Sweeney’s involvement in American Eagle “Good Jeans” campaign put her at the center of a political debate

Tweet discussing viral claim about men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter sparking debate online.

Image credits: citchmook

Alt text: Social media post discussing Sabrina Carpenter's relatable performances and appeal, highlighting viral debate about Sydney Sweeney and Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: animepfponmain

American Eagle’s campaign leaned into the “jeans/genes” wordplay, and critics argued that pairing “good genes” language with a blonde, blue-eyed and well-endowed white actress carried eugenics associations.

Defenders, on the other hand, said it was a stretch and framed the backlash as culture-war hysteria.

The actress later made it clear she wasn’t interested in debating the controversy in interviews, shutting down questions about the ad and keeping the focus on her films.

Side-by-side images of women with blonde hair, related to viral claim about Sydney Sweeney and Sabrina Carpenter debate.

Image credits: Variety / sabrinacarpenter/Instagram

Online, that fight often turned ugly.

Supporters of Sweeney argued that many liberal women lashed out after the campaign because the focus on “genes” made them feel bad about themselves, and that instead of admitting that, they tried to reframe the discomfort by accusing the ad of being racist. 

Detractors, on the other hand, insisted the criticism had nothing to do with insecurity and argued the language used by American Eagle was irresponsible given historical baggage, saying the outrage was about messaging and symbolism rather than personal resentment.

Side-by-side images of Sydney Sweeney and Sabrina Carpenter, highlighting a viral claim sparking massive debate.

Image credits: GQ / Raph_PH/Flickr

At the same time, while Sweeney’s political views have remained largely private, her caution has been interpreted by critics as her holding onto conservative ideals – a position that stands in stark contrast with that of female celebrities known for sharing their political thoughts in public.

Because of this, Sweeney has been branded everything from “right wing” to “MAGA Barbie.”

Carpenter’s reliance on heavy makeup and over-the-top, suggestive choreographies has been criticized by viewers

Tweet discussing the viral claim about men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter sparking debate.

Image credits: GooGwaba

Tweet discussing Sabrina Carpenter as a girl's girl and Sydney Sweeney giving off internalized misogyny in viral claim debate.

Image credits: shesbonky

Carpenter’s end of the claim is messier because even inside the thread, multiple men rejected the idea that they “hate” her. Most replies centered on their dislike for her makeup and what they perceived as an “overdone” appearance.

Blonde woman with curly hair wearing a blue checkered corset dress in dim indoor lighting, viral claim debate context.

Image credits: sabrinacarpenter/Instagram

“Sabrina Carpenter is lovely, but she makes herself look less human,” one argued. “The only problem I see with [her] is that she’s dolled up, which isn’t really attractive,” another added.

“Most men don’t prefer their woman to look like a perfect doll,” a third followed. “An attractive woman with natural looking makeup, thick flowing hair, and fun youthful energy will almost always win.”

Close-up of a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes clapping during a viral claim debate about men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: Recording Academy / GRAMMYs

Carpenter’s defenders argued they liked her look precisely because it doesn’t seek male approval, speaking instead directly to women.

“Sabrina plays up her s**uality in a relatable, fun way, focused on women based experiences, has fun and smart songs and amazing breathtaking performances with a wide array of references,” a fan wrote. “That’s why women love her.”

Mothers have criticized Carpenter’s shows for being considered inappropriate for underage audiences

Tweet discussing a viral claim comparing men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter sparking debate.

Image credits: MoonshinerMonk

Twitter post discussing viral claim about Sydney Sweeney and Sabrina Carpenter sparking massive debate among fans.

Image credits: xgigglypuff

Where the viral claim starts to fall apart is in the assumption that women uniformly “love” Carpenter.

Her persona blends liberation with the lyrical chastising of flaky, emotionally careless men, and many fans view that as a power flip that lets women be honest about desire and disappointment without apologizing.

Young woman with long blonde hair wearing a denim jacket sitting relaxed, highlighting viral claim and massive debate keywords.

Image credits: American Eagle

At the same time, as Bored Panda previously reported, a separate and very loud strain of criticism has come from women, including mothers, who have described parts of her stage choreography as too explicit.

For instance, After the 2025 BRIT Awards on March 1, more than 800 complaints were filed with Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, with the majority targeting Sabrina Carpenter’s opening performance.

Woman resembling Sabrina Carpenter relaxing in a bubble bath with a candle and rubber duck, related to viral claim and debate.

Image credits: sydney_sweeney/Instagram

Viewers, particularly mothers, said her moves and lingerie-style staging were inappropriate for a prime-time broadcast that “used to be a family event,” with many objecting to explicit imagery airing before the 9 pm watershed.

Critics have also questioned Carpenter’s brand of women empowerment for glamorizing the kind of behavior that paradoxically leads to involvement with the exact kind of emotionally careless men her lyrics condemn.

“Perception is everything.” Netizens kept the argument going on social media

Screenshot of a social media post debating men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter’s attractiveness.

Image credits: Vani_Plapaba

Screenshot of a Twitter reply discussing men’s opinions on Sabrina Carpenter amid viral debate on Sydney Sweeney and Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: SoapieMeows

Screenshot of a tweet discussing the viral claim about men liking Sydney Sweeney and women liking Sabrina Carpenter.

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Screenshot of a tweet praising Sabrina Carpenter’s dedication to her music career in a viral debate about Sydney Sweeney.

Image credits: DannyParkIRL

Tweet discussing men's and women's attraction to Sydney Sweeney and Sabrina Carpenter, sparking debate on viral claim.

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Tweet discussing attraction preferences mentioning men, Sabrina Carpenter, Sydney Sweeney, and sparking a viral debate online.

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Screenshot of a tweet discussing viral claim about men liking Sydney Sweeney and women liking Sabrina Carpenter.

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Screenshot of a tweet debating the viral claim about men liking Sydney Sweeney and women liking Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: LanceVader

Screenshot of a tweet debating the viral claim about men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: JamesMuchLesser

Justin Thiel tweet discussing men's preference for natural makeup and youthful energy in women in viral Sydney Sweeney Sabrina Carpenter debate.

Image credits: Justin_Thiel

Tweet discussing the viral claim about men liking Sydney Sweeney and women liking Sabrina Carpenter, sparking debate.

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Tweet discussing makeup inspired by drag culture linked to viral claim about men liking Sydney Sweeney and women liking Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: FavaAnthony

Tweet discussing viral claim about men liking Sydney Sweeney and women liking Sabrina Carpenter sparking debate online.

Image credits: Yawger20

Screenshot of a viral social media comment debating the appeal of men like Sydney Sweeney and women like Sabrina Carpenter.

Image credits: Opus_Rexx

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