(no subject)

[randomness]

Occasionally, I get really angry on behalf of some of my friends because of appearance privilege.

Here's what I mean: I have a number of friends who are really sweet, wonderful people. They often get treated badly, however, in part because they don't fit the societal definition of what people (women, particularly--most of them are women) should look like.

On the other hand, there are a few acquaintances who get away with truly obnoxious behavior because they're conventionally attractive. (I can't think of anyone who fits that description who is actually a friend, for the obvious reason that sufficiently obnoxious behavior tends to drive me away, even when I haven't been directly affected by it.)

There's not much I can do about it except try to be a good friend, but it still rankles.

Comments

[ratushebarl.livejournal.com]

> and they're tiny cute Asian women, and had never given a thought to the
> advantages that gives them presenting to a roomful of men.)

I'd question that -- I think quite a few more people don't like to admit they're working what they've got, than don't know it.

For myself, I can't imagine not knowing. My line of work has taken me into many nearly-all-male enclaves, and of course I've used that when it was an advantage. We work what we have. But I've never had to look in the mirror to know when I was the only woman present, and that it mattered.