OP-ED: Being Pretty is Skilled Labor
Photo by The Daily Pennsylvanian
March 3, 2020 at 12:00 am
Listen up fives – a ten is speaking.
Penn has a problem with how it treats its pretty students. And as someone who is very pretty, I can’t stand by a watch the ignorance the general body of this university holds towards the beautiful.
Being pretty is hard work. Not the process of being pretty – that comes easy. You’re either pretty or you’re not. A common misconception is that becoming pretty is a result of hard work, but no amount of time in the gym is going to give you a pretty face.
For me, it was effortless. I just happened to be born with impeccable bone structure, at a statuesque 6’4", and gorgeous green eyes many have found themselves lost in. The process was easy – but the mental and emotional toll of being pretty is filled with emotional labor.
The added attention of being pretty in a place filled with uglies is no easy cross to bear. Many think being pretty is a privilege – and it does have its perks – but the labor of being pretty in ugly spaces is often ignored.
Being the sole beautiful person in a space – as I often am – brings a pressure few could understand. Penn already is a place filled with dread and despair and being the only person good-looking enough to bring people out of their misery is not an easy job.
Being pretty is also incredibly time-consuming. You try walking by a mirror without staring at yourself for five minutes looking like me! It is not an easy task. Being complimented on my appearance ten to twenty times every 100 feet I walk also takes huge chunks out of my day. I’m even often late to events because of this.
With all of this in mind, it is clear the Penn community needs to honor the service pretty people bring to this campus and acknowledge their labor for what it is – skilled labor. Being able to handle everyday life as a pretty person cannot be done without a certain set of skills and it’s time we recognize this fact.
To my fellow gorgeous students, it’s time we demand recognition for our hard work. And to the uglies – know your place.