Let's face it - we're all pretty superficial, no matter how much we deny it. It's no secret that attractive people get special treatment in society. They're more likely to get hired for jobs, and it's a lot easier for them to find dates. In general, they're perceived as healthier, wealthier and more trustworthy.
It seems like beautiful people have very easy lives. But in a story published by The Cut, a woman in her late 50's says that being attractive has its pitfalls. She claims that in her youth, she was so pretty, she was intimidating. "My looks definitely opened doors for me," confesses the author. "I never interviewed for a job I didn’t get." But on the downside, her gorgeous looks drew ire from other women, making it difficult to make female friends. In fact, she believes her only pure friendship was with a gay man.
"One of the worst things about being beautiful is that other women absolutely despise you. Women have made me cry my whole life. When I try to make friends with a woman, I feel like I’m a guy trying to woo her. Women don’t trust me. They don’t want me around their husbands. I’m often excluded from parties, with no explanation...It’s kind of like being born rich, people don’t believe that you feel the same pain. It’s a bias that people can’t shake."
When it comes to dating, the woman admits, "I never had any trouble getting guys, but I got bored easily and moved on. I should have taken the good ones more seriously." As she pursued these fleeting relationships, time flew by, and she realized her biological clock was ticking. "Of course all those great guys I didn’t take seriously when I was in my 20s were gone," writes the author. At the age of 35, she finally got married, considering him to be the "last decent man standing." But she still looks back at her old flames, wondering, "what if?"
In reaction to this woman's story, people were conflicted. When beautiful people complain about hardships, it's hard not to roll your eyes.
This Twitter user is skeptical that other women conspired against the author, plotting acts of sabotage to get her fired from her job.
Meanwhile, this Twitter user defended the author, recommending that we practice empathy.
Writer Jessica Wakeman provided the best defense of the article, explaining how tricky it is to discuss beauty privilege. When attractive people try to do it, they're accused of navel-gazing, and skeptical hordes demand photos to prove the alleged hotness. Wakeman argues this does not advance the conversation in a positive direction. Claims of jealousy should not be scoffed at and dismissed.
No matter what you look like, life isn't easy. But at the same time, most 'regular' people would trade places with a 'beautiful' person in a heartbeat.