Good Genes Sorority Trend Inspired By Sydney Sweeney’s Recent Ad Comes Under Massive Scrutiny

The controversial trend has ignited from Sweeney's jeans ad.

TikTok’s annual ‘Rushtok’ trend is back, and this year it is raising some eyebrows. The trend that is usually made during the new college year to celebrate college excitement has stirred up quite a controversy. Amid the ongoing debate of traditional Eurocentric beauty standards rising again in America, a so-called ‘Good Genes’ trend has started to go viral, made by sororities. Read here to know more.

What Is Rushtok And The Good Genes Trend

The term refers to a TikTok video trend that is usually made during rush week in American colleges. Rush is the sorority recruitment period. Potential new members of the sorority document their experiences, outfits and behind-the-scenes for this rigorous recruitment process. The Rushtok trend over the past few years has transformed into a full-blown online subculture, which was even covered in a documentary produced by HBO Max.

But this year, Rushtok has gone viral along with the slogan “good genes.” Many viewers thought the phrase and wordplay prompts exclusionary beauty standards, which were popularised by Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney’s recent American Eagle jeans ad. The tagline of the campaign was, ‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.’ The idea that “great jeans” sounded like “great genes” was criticised for implying an outdated, Aryan-coded definition of appearance.

Sorority sisters with good genes at the University of Oklahoma are getting geared up for rush with some cute and fun country dancing.

They’re happy, wholesome, and classic America.

Nothing is more triggering to leftists.

(ouchiomega on TT) pic.twitter.com/IybXOBhPbH

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) August 6, 2025

Reactions To The Trend

Many right-leaning users on X (formerly Twitter) then began sharing sorority rush videos with captions like “Great genes are BACK” and “Wholesome American beauty is triggering the left.” These clips typically feature blonde, blue-eyed Southern girls in coordinated outfits, clapping and dancing in front of their houses with synchronised chants. Some posts praise them for being “classic American” and “anti-woke,” while others question whether this entire “good genes” label is even real.

Also Read: Sydney Sweeney Spotted Filming For Devil Wears Prada 2 Amid Jeans Ad Backlash

In truth, the phrase seems to have been edited onto otherwise standard Rushtok videos. For example, a viral clip from the University of Oklahoma’s Chi Omega did not originally reference “good genes.” Instead, the video’s theme was “Head Over Boots.” So is the “good genes” sorority trend real? Not officially. But it’s an example of how a lighthearted campus tradition like Rushtok can quickly become a viral talking point by getting manipulated or being adopted with conservative propaganda.

Also Read: Donald Trump Praises Sydney Sweeney’s New Ad, Calls Taylor Swift ‘No Longer Hot’!

First Published: August 08, 2025 2:19 PM