By Kulsum Shabbir
Over the past few years, the internet has coined the term ‘pretty privilege’ to refer to people – usually women – who gain perks in society from being conventionally attractive. These benefits span many areas, from increased employment rates to getting free drinks at a bar. The consensus is that pretty people have it better. At least, at first glance.
Upon further examination, the very idea of “pretty privilege” within the context of our patriarchal society seems like just another way for women to be objectified and harassed by men. When a woman is described as “conventionally attractive,” what is often implied is that she is a woman who meets Eurocentric beauty standards – someone who has features such as blonde hair, a small nose, and fair skin. In her book Women Don’t Owe You Pretty, Florence Given refers to pretty privilege as an amalgamation of racism, sexism, and fatphobia.
Even when women do meet these standards, they are still subjected to harassment, fetishization, and misogyny, regardless of their so-called ‘pretty privilege’.
Mulvey’s film theory of the male gaze has evolved into a popular feminist theory beyond the screen. In her essay, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, she looks at the objectification of women, and the notion that women are essentially “rewarded” for appealing to the male gaze.
If many of the so-called ‘perks’ that come with being conventionally attractive are awarded by men who often expect something in return, then is it really such a privilege? In our patriarchal society, the power still lies in the hands of men, and the women who ‘benefit’ from pretty privilege could have their access to this ‘perfect’ world revoked at the click of those fingers.
Straight men’s fetishization of lesbians is an interesting example of the male gaze linking to pretty privilege. An article by The-F-Word describes it best: “If we frame instances of women kissing each other on physical stages in a fetishistic way, we suggest that lesbian affection belongs on a metaphorical stage. It exists for, and is continually fuelled by, the straight male gaze. It is to be performed in public and is dependent upon spectatorship for its very existence.”
Often, conventionally attractive lesbians will be harassed and fetishized in public by men who are eager to ogle at their relationship or ask invasive, personal questions. The voyeuristic nature of “pretty privilege” – how even when women are supposedly benefiting from their good looks, their relationships are invalidated and seen as something that only exists to be perceived by men – essentially strips women of their power. This extra attention is unwanted, although some would still call it a benefit of ‘pretty privilege,’ as this interest from men is heteronormatively assumed to be desirable to women.
While there certainly are some benefits that come with being a conventionally attractive woman, it seems fairly clear that having ‘pretty privilege’ is not as much of a privilege as it seems. Instead, it is just another tool used to further convolute the patriarchal society we live in and give men the ability to control and harass women under the guise of being complementary.
Creative Editor