A young journalist has written of her struggles as a beautiful person. The online backlash has not been, well, pretty.
“I’m a girly girl. I’m 5-foot-5 with blonde hair, big hazel eyes, 34DDs, and toned calves. You can typically find me in heels and a dress or a skirt.”
So begins an article that’s prompting a tidal wave of angry online responses this week.
The article, by 20-year-old university student Felicia Czochanski, was published by US Cosmopolitan on Friday.
Since then, it has been shared more than 12,000 times in its original form and picked up by media outlets across the UK, the US, Australia and elsewhere.
Czochanski’s article begins by describing her struggle with constant sleazy ogling and street harassment.
“Imagine how it feels to have heads turn and all eyes on you when you are simply trying to get to where you need to be,” she wrote.
“It doesn’t make me feel beautiful or sexy. It makes me feel like there’s something wrong with me. The scrutiny is never-ending.”
The young blogger, who is also an editorial intern at Good Housekeeping, goes on to describe how her peers sometimes define her only by her looks.
“People seemed to forget or simply ignore my accomplishments. They disregarded the fact that I’m an athlete, I’m intelligent, and I’m incredibly ambitious,” she explains.
At the end of the piece, Czochanski wrote that she’s decided to not respond to catcallers, in an effort to rob them of any power.
“I demand to be respected, both my body and my mind, because believe it or not, there’s more to me than just my looks,” she said.
A fair enough conclusion? You would think so.
But in a cruel irony, the young writer’s complaints about being judged have been met with yet more judgement.
Social media users have posted thousands of scathing, personal attacks in response to the article — with many criticising not just Czochanski’s choice of topic, but her appearance itself.
“Lol narcissism in this is off the charts.. what a joke,” one Facebook user comments.
“This article was just a pity party for someone who does not need pity. It was… a way to boast about her beauty and her accomplishments,” another writes.
Others weigh in: “I think If she was actually pretty, she may have gotten away with this article,” and “not to be mean, but I expected a Heidi Klum or Angelina Jolie lookalike to match this article. Guess not.”
Another adds: “I hope she reads this and does something with those eyebrows.”
The Bro Bible wrote a response piece straight-out describing the 20-year-old as a “stuck-up bitch.”
Other online commenters defended the young writer, pointing out that women should be able to say they’re beautiful without being torn down.
One user wrote: “If she were expressing her experience of being bullied for being unattractive you would all be saying oh poor girl how horrible people are.”
Another added: “I personally like that she believes she is beautiful…why is it up to other people to determine whether somebody is or not?”
“If a woman says she’s ugly, nobody has a problem with that. But the moment she says she’s attractive/smart/good at her job, she’s arrogant. #doublestandards,” wrote another.
“You just can’t win.”
Czochanski, who originally shared the article on Facebook along with the caption saying that getting published was “a dream come true,” has not posted again since the backlash over her article.
What do you think about the responses to Czochanski’s article?
Related:
“She only wants her daughter to be pretty. I almost agree with her.”
Top Comments
How about a duo with Nicole Arbout, she just self-proclaimed herself "the sexiest comedian of America" what a nightmare to have to live like that pfft.. maybe a "Help me stop kissing my mirror" telethon????
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being able to say 'I am pretty'. She is simply saying that she is judged by her looks but she wants people to know that she is more than that. I hear so many teenagers, young women complaining about how they look because that will make people like them more. The sad thing is that many begin to believe it and that is where eating disorders and depression begin. Furthermore, I teach my daughter that everyone is pretty in their own way and that way does not have to be on the same level as Heidi Klum or Jennifer Hawkins. Give this girl a break and just take the article as what it is. If it offends you or you disagree, take the high ground and move on rather than think it is ok to tear a young 20 year old woman apart to make yourself feel better.