Ever since my adolescent years, I've realized that people around me have been getting treated differently because they're considered conventionally attractive. These people are given special opportunities and rewards because of their looks rather than their personality, skills, or work ethic.
Remember that one scene in Legally Blonde when Elle Woods was given the prestigious internship opportunity by her professor because she was a beautiful young woman? Pretty privilege, also known as "lookism", is precisely that.
I remember feeling infuriated the first time I watched that scene, and I still feel the same way. Imagine being in Elle's shoes – she had worked diligently for weeks on end to receive a significant opportunity, but instead received it for being pretty. It shows that other traits aside from her looks were immediately dismissed and that there probably wouldn't have been a difference if her work ethic wasn't up to par. Believe it or not, this happens on a regular basis – and it needs to come to an end.
Whether it's something as trivial as receiving a free meal or discount or something as serious as a moving ahead with a professional opportunity, lookism is prevalent for both men and women.
Brittany Olson, a senior at the University of Central Florida, provides personal insight into the concept of lookism.
"I mean, I have definitely experienced it. Especially being a woman, too. Guys and even girls are more willing to help me or give me what I need because of my looks. I also think that it's wrong, but it's hard to say because I benefit from it."
When asked why she feels pretty privilege is wrong, Olson states,
"It's wrong because people are giving pretty girls or boys more opportunity for success when they have done nothing different than a person who is less attractive. A person should not be rewarded for their looks, and it is unfair to those that work just as hard but might not get the same advantages."
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According to Jessica Bennett for Newsweek, good-looking men earn 5% more than their lesser counterparts, while attractive women earn 4% more. Why should someone be given more opportunities because of their physical appearance (as if it's an attribute they can control)?
Jasmine Valdes, a 19-year-old college student from Miami, Florida, weighs in on her personal experience with having "pretty privilege."
"I once had a professor* who thought I was cute, so he passed me without grading my homework or exams," Valdes explains. "I was eighteen at the time, and he was married in his forties. I would wear leggings and he would say stuff like 'Jasmine, come bring your toned heinie to the board.' It was so inappropriate!"
When asked about how she received special opportunities because of her looks, Valdes didn't hesitate to share.
"On the day of our final, I went to turn it in and he legitimately grabbed my exam and wrote an 'A' on it. He congratulated me and gave me a wink, and when I walked out, I noticed he was grading everyone else's exam normally."
Just because someone is considered attractive doesn't mean they deserve better opportunities than their counterparts. Everyone – male, female, or nonbinary – should receive the same opportunities for professional success and leisurely events because of the work and effort they put in, not their looks.
*To avoid disclosure, the name of the professor and institution are not named.
