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What is 'Good Genes' sorority rush? Rushtok college trend goes viral amid Sydney Sweeney American Eagle jeans ad row

Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad sparked backlash for purportedly promoting eugenics. Now, the Rushtok videos on X aim to celebrate ‘American beauty’.

Published on: Aug 8, 2025, 11:15:17 IST
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Rushtok season is here, but this time, many are bringing up ‘good genes’ when sharing clips of the college sorority recruitment process.

Rushtok is a trend where PNMs (potential new members) document on social media – primarily TikTok – their experiences at each stage of the sorority recruitment process. (X/@ThePatriotOasis)
Rushtok is a trend where PNMs (potential new members) document on social media – primarily TikTok – their experiences at each stage of the sorority recruitment process. (X/@ThePatriotOasis)

"They have great genes!, one person commented on the video.

Notably, these clips are being shared at a time where there has been a sizeable liberal backlash against Euphoria actor Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad, where the blonde with blue eyes says ‘my jeans are blue’, before the company logline ‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans’ comes up. Many believe this to be a wordplay between jeans and genes, thus promoting Aryan beauty standards – an exclusionary measure as seen in progressive discourse.

Now, the Rushtok videos seem to be hitting back at this outrage.

‘Good genes’ sorority rush videos posted across US? Watch

Several X handles posted videos of the sorority rush, with one profile stating “Great Genes are BACK in still in the Golden Age of America”, and adding, “Sororities around the country are going viral posting videos of 'Good Genes'.”

Another profile stated “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.”

Yet another user remarked “These sorority sisters are real beautiful women with good jeans, rocking the American 🇺🇸 spirit, & fantastic choreography for the YMCA dance number. Bye bye woke and angry liberal women.”

Some more clips have been circulated on social media since then.

“The University of Tennessee’s Kappa Delta Sorority is going going viral after joining the sorority dance trend in American jeans that is sweeping the nation,” a person shared.

“Arizona State University’s Alpha Phi sorority joins the ranks in their JEANS with newest video. Adding to the list of VIRAL nationwide videos of woman celebrating their Beauty once again!,” another added.

Meanwhile, one X user attempted to break down the event, and stated “Across universities from Oklahoma to Alabama, from LSU to Florida State, stunning clips of all-American girls in sundresses and boots, often labeled as showcasing “Good Genes,” are going wildly viral. These videos — shot during recruitment week or “rush” — feature rows of smiling, confident, Southern-accented women greeting newcomers with synchronized chants, claps, and that unmistakable glow of youthful pride and polish.”

Also Read | Sydney Sweeney Baskin Robbins ad resurfaces amid American Eagle row: 'Gonna melt liberal minds'

They continued, “What started as a TikTok trend is now becoming a campus-wide cultural tradition. It’s not just one school anymore — it’s spreading coast to coast. Campuses are now prepping lighting, rehearsing entrances, and curating fashion as if prepping for a Netflix pilot. And the nation is watching.”

“Some call it a return to traditional American beauty. Others see it as a refreshing reminder of charm, unity, and optimism in a world that often feels divided,” they further added.

'Good genes' sorority rush trend: Real or made up?

It appears that the ‘good genes’ sorority rush trend is not quite real. The clips of sorority rush are very real, but Grok noted – at least for one of the videos – that Oklahoma’s Chi Omega made no mention of ‘Good Genes’ in their ‘Head over boots for Chi O’ event, from where this video came.

The video is part of the Rushtok trend on TikTok, however.

What is the Rushtok trend

Rushtok is a trend where PNMs (potential new members) document on social media – primarily TikTok – their experiences at each stage of the sorority recruitment process.

It started as a social media trend, but since then became an online subculture which has even warranted a Max documentary.

  • Shuvrajit Das Biswas
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shuvrajit Das Biswas

    Shuvrajit has over seven years of experience covering US, India, and world news. An English Literature postgraduate from Jadavpur University, Shuvrajit started off covering entertainment, gaming and all things pop culture. There were brief periods away from the media industry, with short stints in content marketing, ed-tech and academic editing. However, the newsroom beckoned and over the last few jobs, Shuvrajit has exceedingly focused on team functioning as well, including tracking news and assigning tasks, working on everyday breaking news, framing detailed coverage plans, and creating immersive and data-driven stories. In his time as a digital journalist, he has covered a Lok Sabha election, multiple state elections, Union Budgets and award ceremonies. He has also helped in planning content for company event panels in the past. For work, Shuvrajit enjoys dabbling with data visualization, editing tools, and AI chatbots and attempts to incorporate AI workflows in everyday tasks. He is deeply interested in geopolitics, sports, films and music. Prompting is a new fascination for Shuvrajit now. Apart from that, he can be found doom-scrolling, sharing memes, or cheering on his favorite football team.Read More