‘Pretty’ people (a subjective adjective, but in society this word is associated stereotypically with those thin, able-bodied and white) have an advantage over others in society. Pretty people are smiled at more by strangers, offered more jobs, offered seats on the bus and are perceived as smarter and healthier than less attractive members of society. A PHD study conducted by a student at the University of Malta concluded people with attractive physical traits were judged better by strangers at first sight.[1] This is hard to deny, even if unintentional our mind is constantly making judgements on strangers as we pass them, often regarding those who look well put together and attractive on the eyes as happier and more successful, even if we know nothing about them. It is inevitably easier for attractive people to find happiness in relationships, as its rare in today’s superficial society to find people who search for a partner based on their persona as opposed to their looks. For instance, dating apps such as Tinder are a popular way for the singles of the 21st century to look for love. This app is based on appearance via a few photos alone, demonstrating how much easier it is for attractive people to find love in the modern day. Dating shows such as naked attraction also demonstrates the ease at which attractive people can find love, with the show aiming to find partners for singles based on their naked body- in which those with unattractive features seeming to be removed from the game first (however that is only based on the episodes personally watched). Such theory is reinforced by a study from Chapman University. 92% of male participants claimed they wanted their potential partner to be ‘good looking.’[2] It is not exclusively in the dating field where attractive people experience privilege. The University of Wisconsin uncovered that job success can be influenced by how attractive you are, as they found companies with attractive CEOs had a higher revenue following a TV appearance. Equally, researchers Udry and Eckland found -based on a study of 601 males- attractive males had a higher income than those without attractive features. [3] [1] Tabone, Yanika, The Relationship Between Attraction and Social Privilege, University of Malta (2016) https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/14657 [2] Mitrokostas, Sophia, Insider, 'Benefits of Being Attractive According to Science' (2018) https://www.insider.com/benefits-of-being-attractive-science-2018-12 [3] J. R. Urdy & B. K. Eckland, Benefits of Being Attractive, University of North Carolina (1984) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2466/pr0.1984.54.1.47

This is a really interesting argument, and to a large extent, I completely agree with you; life can be easier for you if you're deemed 'pretty' (e.g like you said, with job offers, being perceived as smarter, etc). However, sometimes being 'pretty' comes with difficulties and uncomfortable social scenarios, rather than privileges. As Rachel Lewis states, 'we all know of the infamous cat callers and drink spikers’ whom tend to prey on 'pretty' people more [1], and this is just one example of the negatives outweighing the positives. Superficial 'attractiveness' can also be a disadvantage rather than a privilege in the world of online dating, and dating in general, due to people prioritising looks when searching for a relationship. This may seem like an advantage at first, but relationships based off being attracted mainly to each other's looks rather than personalities are generally not healthy ones, surely finding love which is mostly based off personality attractions would be more lasting and healthy. There's also the argument that being 'pretty' can undermine one's hard-work, and this is something prominent in society that is not addressed enough. For example actresses are often bombarded with questions about their appearance in interviews rather than their actual acting talent and experiences, such as Scarlett Johansson, who was asked by *American Idol* host, Ryan Seacrest if she was going to wear the same shoes she wore on the red carpet to the award show [2]. This is something that happens frequently, especially if you're considered 'pretty' as society expects you to keep up these appearances. Finally, there is an idea rooted in modern society that 'pretty' equals unintelligent, as people are labelled 'bimbos' (however, this term is being reclaimed in a more positive light). Nevertheless, the 'pretty' = unintelligent stereotype is still a common assumption both in media and in real life. So, even though 'pretty privilege' exists to an extent, there are also many downsides, which arguably outweigh the advantages. [1] Rachel Lewis in *The Perils of Pretty Privilege*, December 4, 2020 [2] Brittany Sims in *The Things*, October 15, 2020

A pretty person may get preferential treatment. But they also might not be taken seriously. There's advantages and disadvantages to both. I suppose I'd still want to be pretty (as opposed to not pretty), but the word "privilege" almost implies that there's no substantive disadvantages. EVERYONE has disadvantages depending on their demographic. It doesn't mean privilege doesn't exist, rather, that the issue is complicated.