Lookism refers to the prejudice or discrimination based on a person's physical appearance. It encompasses the tendency to judge individuals, grant them preferential treatment, or impose negative stereotypes based on their attractiveness, perceived attractiveness, or other physical characteristics. This bias can manifest in various settings, including hiring practices, social interactions, and legal judgments, often resulting in unfair advantages for those deemed conventionally attractive and disadvantages for those who are not, irrespective of their abilities or character. lookism perpetuates societal pressures to conform to specific beauty standards and can contribute to low self-esteem, anxiety, and mental health issues.
Lookism meaning with examples
- In the job market, companies were accused of lookism when beautiful candidates were favoured over others who were equally or more qualified, demonstrating an inherent bias that violated fair employment principles and causing unrest to the other candidates. This type of discrimination showcases the need for blind recruitment processes to remove this factor from decisions.
- The online dating platform inadvertently fostered lookism, as users often prioritized photos over profiles, with those perceived as conventionally attractive garnering significantly more attention and matches, highlighting the superficiality driving relationships and excluding other users with less than attractive photos.
- The beauty industry is often criticized for promoting lookism through advertising that sets unrealistic beauty standards and encourages the use of products to alter appearances to meet the societal criteria, promoting this unfair standard and making consumers feel less than others.
- A survey revealed that teachers unconsciously displayed lookism by giving more attention to children they deemed attractive and less attention to others, highlighting how discrimination can affect children's education and make them feel less important than their classmates.
- During the legal proceedings, lookism emerged as a factor when the jury expressed that they unconsciously saw a defendant in a more negative light due to their physical appearance, showcasing how biases, particularly those based on attractiveness, can influence judgement and lead to unfair outcomes.