Blog #1: This semester I will be doing an inquiry project.
Does pretty privilege exist, if so how does it affect life opportunities and eventual outcomes?
For years many have contemplated the phenomenon that is pretty privilege, whether it exists, and how it is becoming more and more prevalent in the age of technology. Pretty privilege can be defined as the direct association of beauty with health, social status, intelligence, and overall talent. Over the course of the semester, I want to pinpoint and compare the context of pretty privilege and whether or not it gives a thorough insight into the loopholes of the mistreating actions that society normalizes. This project will help me gather information as to the dangers and inequalities that many may face, and whether the unrealistic standards tie into inter-generational trauma, the male gaze, and even factors pertaining to race.
Hi Ava,
This is a subject that to me is really interesting and yet not very talked about, so I am looking forward to reading your future posts. I have heard that there are cases where conditions that make people “ugly” such as acne have lowered people’s self-esteem and have, on rare occasions, driven them to suicide. I also read that sexual harassment is reacted to differently depending on the attractiveness of the offender, and I am curious to see the other facets of the pretty privilege. I have a few questions on this topic: What are the origins of modern and ancient beauty standards? How can we make it fair for those who don’t have the pretty privilege?
I look forward to reading your next few posts!
-Amy
Hi Ava,
This sounds like such a fascinating research project! I think lots of people joke about pretty privilege but it definitely isn’t talked about enough as a real issue. Is there a specific example of pretty privilege that inspired you to research this topic? I’d be interested to learn more about real world examples of it that can help to hopefully change the norm.
There’s definitely lots we can learn about it to help build up other people instead of tearing them down.
I found this article that might be helpful for your further research: https://www.myimperfectlife.com/features/pretty-privilege
I can’t wait to read your next few posts and to reading what you learn next!
-Aniela
Hi Ava,
I really enjoyed reading your blog post and found your topic really interesting since I believe that it is something greatly discussed, especially among girls and in high school because physical appearence is something that greatly impacts peoples lives. I’ve never read about it before so I look forward to seeing what else you have to say in your future blog posts.
Do you often find that pretty privledge being used socially (like in school, social media or publicly) or is it used more in the “corporate” or “economic” sense (like at a workplace or to get a job or even maybe a raise)? Also, does being more physically attractive or pretty makes life easier?
I found a source that may be helpful in yor future reasearch: https://www.vice.com/en/article/epz8pk/psychology-pretty-privilege-attractive-people
Thank you for sharing and I look forward to reading your future blog posts. Enjoy the rest of your Spring Break!
Perla
Hi Ava,
I really enjoyed reading your creative post! I love how you picked a topic that affects us all. I find this topic useful because I have noticed pretty privilege in picking cast members for movies, advertisement and at school. I hope to learn more about pretty privilege affects us, how we can avoid it and what the pretty standard means.
Some questions I have for you are: why does pretty privilege exist? Can there be multiple beauty standards? Do pretty privileges positively and negatively affect us?
1)https://www.newsweek.com/pretty-privilege-problems-meaning-1760008
2)https://bond.edu.au/news/whats-price-of-pretty-privilege
3)https://scholarworks.smith.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1822&context=theses
Hope you have a great spring break and I can’t wait to learn more through your posts!
Hello Sarah,
I appreciate your enthusiasm on this topic. You are absolutely correct in your observation of seeing pretty privilege as extremely prevalent at school and in the media today. My answer to your question about why pretty privilege exists has a lot to do with the fundamental biology of humans, and the fact that we are more cognitively inclined to believe that certain features are superior to others. This causes society to not only treat those deemed attractive much better, but major corporations and the media have capitalized on the depiction of these features across the board. However, beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, meaning that multiple beauty standards do exist, especially those that reside with cultural stereotypes. For the most part, someone experiencing the “positive effects” of pretty privilege may see this as more of a curse as it opens plenty of doors for sexual, physical, and verbal abuse. Thank you for your questions, I hope that you learned something meaningful!
-Ava
Hi Ava,
Your inquiry question was familiar to me as I experienced this. I feel that pretty privilege is not talked about enough so I am very glad someone has decided to research this topic. Not going too deep into my personal story. However, over a period time, I have gained a lot weight. The way my classmates treated me was so low and disgusting. To treat someone lowly because of the way someone looks. If I had made a joke during that time, people would have come after me. This affected me deeply and I lost all the weight. The way I am treated now is very different than how I was treated in the past. Nobody treats me lowly and treats me as an equal. If I was to make a mean joke or critique someone, people would laugh and agree. The difference between the treatment I received when I was heavy, and now is very big. It infuriates me how someone can be treated so differently only because of their appearance. I have many other friends who have gone through a glow-up and said how the way others treated them was so different that before. I like how you added that you will be researching inter-generational trauma. I often wonder whether I would set some health standards for my future kids for them to not get disrespected. I am looking forward to that part of the research because I wish for my future kids so they do not worry about how they look, but I am afraid if they get too heavy, they may get judged. I suggest you read some blogs about people who had a beauty transformation. Their perspectives would be the most accurate. Here are some resources: https://www.healthshots.com/she-slays/body-shaming-once-a-victim-this-woman-fought-size-with-style-literally/
https://dailyfreepress.com/2022/03/02/pretty-privilege-is-real/