This week I read an article on the popular website Total Frat Move. The article outlined the basic evolution of women on a 1 to 10 scale of hotness. Women who qualified as "ones" were labeled as "trolls" while women who qualified as "10’s" were said to be "legends."
Now I’m not ignorant to the fact that this website is meant to be humorous, provocative and even satirical. However, for some reason, this article really struck a chord with me. In fact, it completely disgusted me, and for that reason, I wanted to cover a few things that are mentioned in the article. While the article is four years old, the very fact that it showed up on my Facebook timeline is evidence to the fact that people are still reading and being affected by it.
A woman’s beauty is not quantifiable on some kind of intangible scale that is dictated by men. Whether she is tall, thin, short, muscular, etc. … she is not limited or defined by a number. I know men have jokingly labeled women on this scale for years, but it doesn't make it OK. The article says that women who are labeled as a five can be qualified as “hottest girl you personally know,” while only Victoria’s Secret models are allowed to be nines or 10’s.
Sorry, but the women I know are not models, and yet I would say their beauty is through the roof. If we’re adhering to this ridiculous number scale, my friends, family and even the people I see walking around campus are all 10's. Their grace, poise, and inner beauty make them far more beautiful than the women who prance around in lingerie. I don’t care if their thighs touch, stomachs jiggle, or if their abs aren’t perfectly sculpted, they are all the epitome of beauty in my eyes.
A woman’s worth is absolutely not determined by her “bangability,” to which the article refers. Her value as a human being cannot be quantified on this mysterious and ridiculous hotness scale, nor can it be determined by the number of guys who hypothetically want to have sex with her. Her value is based on who she is as a person, even if she doesn't look like the hottest celebrity. To demean a woman by categorizing her as an object simply to "bang" is utterly disgusting and shameful.
When faced with a “five” the article instructs men to “publicly demean her and expose her true inner ugliness and she will be begging you to bang her just to verify her own false pretenses.”
I hope that any young woman who reads that sentence realizes how demeaning and disgusting its content is. No woman is begging to be banged and no man should demean a woman to earn her affection. A woman should be confident in who she is no matter how she looks. She should value herself based on her accomplishments, relationships and her personality. Imperfections make us unique and beautiful in our own way. They should be celebrated, not hidden away by a fear of judgment and humiliation.
Think of your daughter, sister, cousin, mother or best friend; would you really want an article to call her a "troll" simply because she isn't a Victoria's Secret model? Would you really want someone to demean her and publicly humiliate her? Is her value determined by the number of men who want to have sex with her?
I hope your answer is no.
This article is perpetuating the low standards of respect that already permeate our society. I don't care if it is meant to be funny or satirical; this article is demeaning and should not be celebrated or shared. If we as a society accept these kinds of articles and promote them, we are only hurting ourselves and the women we love. Our world is filled with powerful, smart and strong women. They are the ones who should be getting praise and positive recognition, not the porn stars, celebrities and "legends."
