Pretty Privilege: Let's Talk About It
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
The concept of “pretty privilege” is one that is less talked about than male privilege or white privilege; however, it is just as real. This one is harder to grasp because the idea of being “pretty” is subjective, but societally we have certain norms that are considered to be the standard of beauty. This standard includes (but is not limited to) being thin, white, cis-gender, blonde haired, blue-eyed; and how close you are to checking these boxes is how much you benefit from this privilege. To turn a blind eye and gloss over America’s look at society with phrases like “looks don't matter” would be an inaccurate reflection of our current culture’s values.
Pretty privilege crosses gender lines and affects different genders in different ways, including and especially trans people. Beauty Beyond Binaries is a biweekly beauty column in Allure magazine, about the intersection Pretty privilege crosses gender lines and affects different genders in different ways, including and especially trans people. Beauty Beyond Binaries is a biweekly beauty column in Allure magazine, about the intersection of beauty and identity and it is written by Janet Mock, a trans Black and native Hawaiian woman. Mock describes recognizing pretty privilege from a very young age and understanding that she wasn't going to be benefiting from it. When she turned 15 and embarked on her transition from male to female, she saw things differently. She writes “They no longer stared at my body in confusion. They no longer questioned my gender because I began to present more clearly as a girl — specifically, a cis girl. Suddenly, I was successful at “passing,” blending in with the pretty cis girls in class I had once watched in fascination.”
For trans women, the difference between “passing” or “not passing” is the main pillar of pretty privilege. When Mock had become a part of this elite group of girls, “pretty girls”, her life had taken a drastic change. She would be stopped on the street to be reminded of her beauty, doors were suddenly held open, people would look up and smile from the street, quite literally it was like she was living in a completely different world; and the privileges she was receiving are only a fraction of those privileges her cis, white, thin counterparts receive.
Think about that, for trans women just the ability to be seen as your true gender the one you identify with is the main pillar of pretty privilege, just to be seen as you are. For many trans women the consequence can be life or death. The “trans panic defense” is a defense tactic applied to defend violence against a trans person after both parties engaged in a sexual encounter, claiming they didn't know the person was trans. Meaning if your transness goes unquestioned, your likelihood of survival goes up. Mock writes “Being able to blend in is a gateway to survival, but many trans women do not benefit from my passing privilege or my pretty privilege.”
Valentina Sampaio, first Victoria’s Secret transgender model.
Emerging of genderless brands.
Meet Braina Laviena, the model and photographer with a background in Caribbean politics.
There has been a lot of research around beauty studies, there’s a scientific field dedicated to it called pulchronomics, or the study of economic physical attractiveness. On average pretty people make more money and are more likely to be hired, while this isn’t true in every single case it is true in enough cases to show a broader, systematic trend. Attractive people are automatically considered to be smarter, more capable, healthier, more trustworthy, and, in legal cases, you are more likely to be found innocent when you're considered attractive.
When I think about my own experience with pretty privilege, while I am a cis female, I relate deeply with Mock’s experiences. While my transformative period was not medical or gender based, I also felt a shift in my perception of pretty privilege and my relationship with it during my teenage years. When I was 18 years old and had graduated from high school I moved to Los Angeles, California, from a small rural town in Pennsylvania. While there were the obvious differences about moving from a small, rural town on the Eastern side of the country to the second biggest city almost as far West as I could go, I was being treated differently.
As a biracial African and American Irish female in rural Pennsylvania, I wasn't exactly seen as the standard of beauty. I wasn't homecoming queen or class president or the girl that boy’s wanted to take to prom, but, since I am mixed race, I was “closer to being white”, therefore a little closer to the beauty standard then my black counterparts with two black parents. During my time there I benefited from that privilege, my “half-white” privilege. This was a common theme throughout my time in Pennsylvania, not only because of my mixed race, but because of my family’s economic status and my peers viewed the way I presented myself as being “white”. “You’re barely black” “I would put you more in the ‘white’ category”, or “C’mon Grace you’re not really black”, phrases like this my classmates would say so casually, the same sentiment as “its warm outside” or “have a good weekend.” Mock writes “It has been a common experience to either be completely overlooked in favor of white women who are considered the beauty standard, or to have white folks or nonblack POCs point me out as an “exception” with comments like “You are pretty for a black girl” or “You don't look fully black.” The message: blackness does not equate to attractiveness, and therefore my mixed-ness puts me higher on the white cis beauty hierarchy than a black woman with parents who are both black”
When I moved to Los Angeles these beauty standards did not evaporate, not at all, but being in a place with a much wider umbrella of what “beauty” is and a much more culturally accepting, diverse, liberal place, I was now receiving the benefits of pretty privilege in a way I had not before, and it was a part of the conversation like I had never experienced. My friends and I would go to a club and never even notice there was a bar, or ever have to pay for a drink, never have to pay for anything, we were invited to events, when I would walk on the street people would smile at me, more men would approach me, I was receiving more attention for my physical appearance, I was being told by girl’s in my class things like “aren’t you glad that you’re pretty enough to marry rich?” “oh you're pretty you’re going to be fine”, it was like I was finally a part of that group of girls who just had it easy, and my life would be easy like theirs, and what did I do to earn these newfound privileges?
Photo by Gabriel Silvério on Unsplash
An image of Roshumba II by Bettina Rheims
Sandali Jayasinghe (Sri Lankan)
Two Transgender Models from H&M’s Sister Brand: & Other Stories
Acknowledging the fact that pretty privilege exists is important, but it does not mean that attractive people don't have problems or face adversity. No one’s worth should be defined on her or his attractiveness, and when it comes to women, in particular, being attractive can be the opposite in cases of sexual assault, stalking, and domestic abuse. As a woman who works in fashion, being attractive can also sometimes translate to people not listening to what you have to say or taking what you have to say as something with no substance. “A girl who is pretty cannot be a hard worker,” and other phrases that interviewers tell hopeful young female prospects entering the workforce highlight this double-edged sword. People find it uncomfortable to stare their privilege in the face and confront it; white privilege, male privilege, pretty privilege, these things exist and without the voices of those who wield these privileges we cannot find solutions.
Written by Grace O’Connell-Joshua, Contributing Editor, PhotoBook Magazine.
Instagram: @gracejoshua13
"Society,” which shows the driving forces behind the artists such as agents, producers who handle the grueling logistics to make things happen, and managers. “Society” puts a face to a name. And, “Society” keeps us informed of today’s news.
Grace O’Connell-Joshua, who is a Visual Communications graduate from The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, is pursuing a BS in Fashion Media at LIM College in New York City. Grace is currently a fashion stylist for Nordstrom and has styled freelance for magazines and other retailers. As a student, she did a public relations internship with NSA Agency, and she is a first generation American. Grace is passionate about social justice, politics, journalism and luxury fashion. She’s from Chicago and she plans to have a career in fashion journalism, creative direction and fashion styling.
