Column Sexualising Sadie Sink Branded 'Gross' and 'Weird' After Writer Says His 'Loins' Prefer Younger Women

A column in The Spectator about Sadie Sink's new Calvin Klein campaign has been branded 'gross' and 'weird' after its author used the 24-year-old actress to explain why he remains sexually attracted to younger women.

British journalist and author Sean Thomas, who was born in 1963, published the column, titled 'Lust can't be lectured', on 7 September. Thomas begins by discussing advice from a female acquaintance who thinks he should date women closer to his own age.

He says he wishes he could follow it, but that his 'loins, when they are functional, have different ideas'. He then turns to Sink, describing the former Stranger Things child star in highly sexualised terms after watching her latest denim advert.

Critics directed fierce anger not only at his explicit descriptions of the young actress but also at his sweeping assertions regarding race, body diversity, and evolutionary mating preferences.

As digital platforms continue to amplify widespread outrage, the explosive controversy has reignited fierce debates regarding editorial standards in mainstream British media and the ethical boundaries of public commentary concerning young female performers.

Sadie Sink Comments Spark Backlash

Thomas focuses on Sink's age, slim figure, red hair and pale complexion before describing household appliances reacting suggestively to her in the Calvin Klein film.

'I empathise with the fixtures,' he writes. That passage quickly circulated on X, where users reacted with disbelief.

'The Spectator boldly asks: can you talk like a paedophile about a 24-year-old?' one user wrote in response to the publication promoting the article. The post attracted millions of views.

Another critic called the column 'gross and creepy', while a separate user asked: 'This is so gross and weird who approved this.'

Others took issue not simply with Thomas expressing attraction to an adult woman, but with his decision to introduce Sink as a former child star while using her as an example in a broader discussion of his preference for significantly younger women.

Column Expands Into Race and Body Size

Thomas's argument goes considerably beyond Sink. He claims the advertising industry spent years trying to reshape sexual preferences by featuring older and larger women, Black and brown models and gender-diverse people.

He argues that such attempts at 're-education' have failed because male sexual preferences are largely hard-wired, before claiming that youth and slimness remain powerful markers of attractiveness.

Thomas also devotes part of the column to Sink's fair skin, arguing that preferences for paler women have appeared in cultures throughout history.

The column therefore goes well beyond Sink, making sweeping claims about race, women's bodies and evolutionary attraction as part of Thomas's broader argument about sexual preference.

Calvin Klein Campaign Was About 'Confidence'

The controversy stems from Calvin Klein's Fall 2026 'Feel the Fit' denim campaign, rather than anything Sink herself said about beauty standards.

The campaign's second chapter launched on 1 September, and Aidan Zamiri directed it. It shows Sink moving through playful everyday scenes after putting on different Calvin Klein jeans, with a bursting tap and a malfunctioning toaster around her.

Calvin Klein said the campaign was designed around the confidence that comes from finding the right fit, highlighting its '90s Straight, Low Rise Baggy and High Rise Loose jeans.

'Denim has always been a staple in my wardrobe,' Sink said of the campaign, describing the partnership as a natural fit for her personal style.

Thomas, however, interpreted the advert very differently. His column concludes by returning to his inability to will himself into finding women his own age attractive—leaving critics to question why a Calvin Klein campaign starring a 24-year-old actress became the vehicle for such a personal meditation in the first place.

The Spectator has not released an official statement defending or retracting the published essay. As digital discussions persist, the incident highlights the fragile intersection between personal expression and modern public accountability.