If you’ve ever gawked at a Victoria’s Secret model and wondered what it’s like to be that stereotypically, head-turningly gorgeous, you may be surprised to know that bombshell good looks have their downsides.
At least, that’s what a bunch of beautiful women have claimed in a controversial new Reddit thread gathering hundreds of comments online.
In the online thread, started this morning, attractive women share their struggles with begin dismissed as stupid, objectified at work and overlooked by “nice guys” who assume good-looking women are out of their league.
Watch the video above for the most striking comments.
Here are just some of them:
People assume you’re dumb.
“It really irks me that a nice-looking man will never have to worry about women ‘explaining’ things to him condescendingly, offering help where none is needed, or denying him authority because he’s ‘too pretty to be smart.'”
“I often get comments from people saying ‘The only reason you are there now is because of your looks, and not your personal achievements.’ It breaks my heart, since I am an especially hard-working person.”
You’re constantly objectified
“I literally cannot take a walk in my neighborhood without a man rolling down his window and wolf whistling or asking me if I want a ride.”
“It’s hard to know when you’re on a date whether or not the person genuinely appreciates who you are or is too busy appreciating what you look like.”
Men are intimidated
“[I’ve b]een rejected for being out of their league before. Everybody supposes I am stupid, when they find out I am not I become way too intimidating.”
“My friends, and especially men I’ve talked to, have this perception that I could date anyone I want, that guys are always throwing themselves at me, and that I get a lot of free stuff, and none of those things are true.”
Women can assume you’re bitchy
“I have to try ten times harder to appear approachable and not stuck up. So when I am not in a great mood, people who don’t know me just assume I am a b****.”
“I think attractive women are categorized as either dumb, or as intimidating/bitchy.”
“A lot of [attractive women] seemed to yearn to make more friends (unless they were already social butterflies). They had a hard time making friends with girls, because other girls were jealous of their beauty and hated them… I was surprised at how lonely some of them were.”
“Some people have told me that they didn’t go up and say ‘hi’ to me at first because they thought I’d be bitchy or stuck up.”
… But let’s not forget the benefits.
Of course, the thread has attracted criticism from those who point out there are some incredible privileges attached to being attractive.
“I know what it’s like to be an unattractive woman and can say with all honesty that it sucks,” one commenter reflected. “I know that people are nicer to my pretty friends.”
In conclusion? Beauty is a double-edged sword. One woman describes the special treatment she receives like this:
“It’s as wonderfully magical as it is horribly horribly awful.”
Do you think there are disadvantages associated with being an attractive woman?
Top Comments
I have to tell you, I think the benefits far outweigh the downsides.
And as far as 'tons of men' hitting on me, when this happens, I kindly decline any offers from men I'm not attracted to, and if I see someone I am interested in, I tell me friend to ask them if they'd like to meet me.
This keeps me in control most of the time.
I would say I am reasonably attractive but it really depends on the day. Some days I feel very, very unattractive, others I look in the mirror and think I'm very good looking...So I guess that makes me average?
I'm in my forties now and actually feel I'm getting better looking...well, in the over forty category, lol! In my own experience I never really got that level of attention and, have to say, sometimes I wish I did get to experience that. It would be pretty amazing knowing for many guys, you are the only girl in the room! I have to say, I would revel in it a bit. Not to say I couldn't attract guys and there definitely have been many times I've caught someone's eye and interest but hardly ever more than one guy at a time. I actually came here to comment because I actually had a dream about this kind of thing only last nigh!
In the dream I was out with a friend...a newish one who is the mother of one of my kid's friends and she is pretty beautiful in those next level, model looks. I am quite short and she is quite tall and in the dream we were at this cool bar and I was more or less invisible. It was terrible! But as awful as it was for me being ignored, it was as equally awful for her getting this unwanted superficial attention. I did actually wake up feeling quite crap.
I guess at the end of the day, for all these annoyances, I would ADORE being amazing looking!!