Women Agree That “Pretty Privilege” Is Real, But Bring Up Some Interesting Downsides To Being Judged Based On An Attractive Appearance 

racool_studio - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
racool_studio - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only, not the actual person

The odds are that if you are a woman, you have probably heard the term “pretty privilege” thrown around online in recent years. But, if not, let’s break down the concept.

The idea is that when people are more conventionally attractive– based on societal standards of beauty– then they are supposedly treated with more kindness and respect. They may even be given more opportunities.

So, on the flip side, those who are not considered “pretty” suffer the opposite treatment– sometimes being mistreated, disrespected, and spoken down to.

Now, the emergence of this concept has ruffled some feathers. On the one hand, “pretty” people argue that their romantic endeavors, friendships, work accomplishments, and even just day-to-day social interactions are not a product of their appearance.

On the other hand, though, people who do not benefit from “pretty privilege” claim to be able to see– and experience– what “pretty people” don’t.

Some women online even recently chimed in about this modern debate, and interestingly, the answer to whether or not pretty privilege really exists was a resounding yes.

The most common proof of this has to do with body size. Well, more specifically, when women lose weight, they claim that they are treated inherently better and provided with much more attention.

“At my skinniest and most unhealthy, I was treated really well and complimented all the time.” –Bedhair_123

“I’m five foot three and went from one hundred and eighty pounds to one hundred and twenty-two pounds. Now, people stare at me like I’m a puppy during conversations.” –Geraldbwilsonjr

racool_studio – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person

Aside from weight, though, women pointed out how there are a ton of other smaller factors that influence our appearance and, therefore, treatment.

For instance, whether or not you choose to wear makeup and if you prepare a “nice” outfit.

“I am treated so much differently when I have my hair and makeup done as opposed to when I go natural.” –Fine_inspector_7027 

“If I just throw on a hoodie and jeans, I get treated like s***. But when I wear like a skirt and stockings, suddenly people are extremely nice to me.” –Intelligent-dig3215

“I can swing easily from ‘pretty’ to ‘plain Jane.’ I enjoy life way more when I’m ‘pretty,'” –Rahallahan

Other women also used the selective coverage of missing women in the press, scientific studies, and social media trends to prove their case.

Still, some people pointed out how even though “pretty privilege” might exist, it is not really an end-all-be-all excuse to write off stereotypically attractive people’s problems.

“Of course, it’s real. But, like with all types of privilege, I think people mistake what that means. Having pretty privilege means it’s unlikely your life will be difficult because of your looks.”

“It does NOT mean that your life just won’t be difficult, because while it is naive to say that looks don’t matter at all, it’s definitely not everything.” –Todayistheday1987

“Yes, but it also goes both ways. Being pretty will also lead you to experience horrible things as well, whether it be predatory or manipulative.”

“It’s always hard to know if people are genuine or if things are happening just because you’re pretty.” –Supercauliflower9319

So, with these points in mind, perhaps the question is no longer whether or not “pretty privilege” is real.

Instead, maybe we should start to consider whether the downsides of being perceived as attractive are actually equal to being excluded from “pretty privilege” altogether.

To read the original Reddit thread, visit the link here

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Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing ... More about Katharina Buczek

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