Uglyism Worse than Racism

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In my next life, I'm coming back as a male or female fitness model :D

'Uglyism' more common than racism: study

Misty Harris
Canwest News Service

Monday, November 10, 2008

A new study sheds light on "our most invisible prejudice" as a society: uglyism.

Coined by a Canadian sociologist, "uglyism" describes the subtle but widespread discrimination experienced by people whose appearances lie south of the beauty equator mapped out by art, literature and film.

"We don't realize the level of discrimination that we exercise against people who are less attractive than the norm," says Anthony Synnott, a professor at Concordia University in Montreal.

"In a sense, it's very visible; we're judging people by their appearance all the time. But the prejudice about it is invisible because we aren't aware we're doing it."

Those affected, however, can be devastatingly conscious of the negative bias. Indeed, growing up with a facial deformity caused by Crouzon's Syndrome, Barry Strader says people's ill-ease with him had a "glaring clarity."

"The reality is that because I look different, too often decisions have been made [about] me with finger-snap finality in the initial moment of meeting," says Strader, who has had 11 operations in order to get to a place where he feels "normal."

While the Toronto man recognizes that his worth isn't tied up in "the jagged facial bones, the uneven eyes or the underdeveloped jaw," showing people his inner beauty requires that they first give him that chance.

"I have to work harder to make people see who I am," says Strader, whose quick wit and depth of character are regrettably "not apparent in the first quick glance or a passing stare."

There have been countless sociology studies on beauty, but Synnott says those on the flip side of the genetic lottery are just starting to get their academic due. His paper on uglyism, published this month in the interdisciplinary journal Glimpse, is one of a growing number that examine the causes and consequences of discrimination based on physical appearance -- a form of prejudice he suggests is more pervasive today than either sexism or racism.

"You get that halo effect kicking in where people imbue positive values to you if you're attractive, and the horns effect -- which imbues negative values -- if you're not attractive," says Synnott. "This affects your chances, both personal and professional, throughout your life."

In casting the title role of Ugly Betty, for instance, TV executives didn't hire an eyesore but rather attached bushy eyebrows and braces to America Ferrera, an actress named one of the "100 most beautiful" celebrities in the world by People magazine.

This casting decision would make viewers comfortable since, as Synnott observes in his paper, popular culture has taught people to link physical aberrations with villainy -- think Frankenstein, the Bond villains, Beowulf, the Iliad's Thersites, Lord Voldemort and so forth.

Synnott believes this "fear of ugliness" is what's helped propel the cosmetic surgery industry, which has seen the number of procedures performed annually climb nearly 60 per cent since 2000.

It's also part of the reason researchers have identified such social phenomena as the "plainness penalty," which finds that unattractive people in the labour market earn five to 10 per cent less than their attractive counterparts.

But to condemn what may be a largely hardwired reaction, says a Canadian pop culture expert, is the equivalent of shaking a finger at someone for being drawn to a fragrant bouquet over a wilted one.

"Beauty arouses in us positive feelings of happiness, well-being, satisfaction, joy," says Rebecca Sullivan, an associate professor at the University of Calgary.
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That's so sad, but we all know we all do it. We can't help it, it's human nature to be drawn to those who are beautiful. But, it doesn't make it right to pay people less or treat them poorly because they're ugly.

I also think some of our definitions of ugly are skewed. I know some absolutely beautiful people who would be deemed ugly by the mass media just because they don't fit the standard image.
 
I'd rather be around goofy ass looking people who can laugh and have fun then be around hot people who are total stiffs.

But then again I'm a goofy looking mother ****er. LOL
 
Kraken said:
I'd rather be around goofy ass looking people who can laugh and have fun then be around hot people who are total stiffs.

But then again I'm a goofy looking mother ****er. LOL
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Couldn't have said it better myself. I pretty much always sat with the weirdos in high school, etc, they are much more fun to be with! :D
 
As sad as it is, its trueeee :)

Youll always notice that theres a general trend that ugly people hang together and vice versa. Iv noticed this.

Obviously its just a general trend, im not saying it always happens because obviously it doesnt.
 
I only check out hot chicks...but sometimes I stare a little long at a fatty and wonder...what if.

As for dudes, I don't care if you have a goiter the size of a football sticking off your head, if you're cool, we're cool. I hate pricks.
 
I also agree. I hate waking up next to an ugly girl and then having to scrub my penis.

Seriously though it makes me feel dirty and low. :)
 
BigTomW said:
I also agree. I hate waking up next to an ugly girl and then having to scrub my penis.

Seriously though it makes me feel dirty and low. :)
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LMFAO!

As far as the waitress thing goes I'm paying for food and service. If she's hot and ****s up my order I'm still going to pissy. I'll tip nicely on good service and good food. Not on looks and **** service.

I don't tolerate stupidity very well.
 
Kraken said:
LMFAO!

As far as the waitress thing goes I'm paying for food and service. If she's hot and ****s up my order I'm still going to pissy. I'll tip nicely on good service and good food. Not on looks and **** service.

I don't tolerate stupidity very well.
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I tip based on breast size. Sue me. :D So men never get tips, unless they have moobs.
 
Guys, I think this was suppose to be a serious thread. Go have E-sex somewhere else :p

This post won't make sense if you didn't read the convo before I deleted the posts, but yeah, you know who you (always) are :p

Carry on!
 
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Karky said:
Guys, I think this was suppose to be a serious thread. Go have E-sex somewhere else :p

This post won't make sense if you didn't read the convo before I deleted the posts, but yeah, you know who you (always) are :p

Carry on!
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but you still love us all. Keeps your job here interesting.;)
 
We are attracted to beautiful things/people only because of the way we promote and encourage these looks via TV and such methods. We are raised with the idea that being beautiful is awesome/required or needed to be successful human beings so others can make money off people who beleive in this. We are all like this, we want to look better just to please others and to feel like we have some sort of place in the world or to have recognition. As long as everyone keeps going forward with such an attitude, we will never change and prejudice, stereotypes and uglysim will always exist. Sad to say that this day is most likely, IMO, non existent or in the very far future...and I'm not talking about decades here.

Young kids have it pretty ****ing hard IMO, and they are not taught the things they should know. Things like personality and attitude is what makes you beautiful, I, personally, think good looking people with bitchy and stupid attitudes are the ugliest people on the planet. I am seriously repulsed by people like this.

Money - if the economy would not exist and we had some other way to encourage people to work for things like improvement, achievements and contribution...things would change, the human race would actually evolve for the better.

Sometimes, I question my faith in the human race. :sad2:
 
Karky said:
Guys, I think this was suppose to be a serious thread. Go have E-sex somewhere else :p

This post won't make sense if you didn't read the convo before I deleted the posts, but yeah, you know who you (always) are :p

Carry on!
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But isn't it fun when the discussion finally degenerates and degrades down to the nitty gritty :D

When you're talking about ugly, pretty always comes into play. Therefore, sex will come into play. It doesn't take much ... we're all slaves to beautiful flesh.

I always thought most of my friends were better looking than me. But I seemed to always have more guys hanging around me when I went out, probably because I'm more fun and more approachable. And I'm always laughing ... but I'm a total goofball so maybe guys hang around me because I laugh at their jokes (I really do think they're funny!) :D

Which proves you don't have to be beautiful to get dates. Just a goofball ;)
 
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