Um, tell me what I haven’t already personally experienced.
The American Psychological Association has published a new study (via Vice) that suggests that “attractive” people are “discriminated against” for “relatively less desirable jobs.” Lead author, Margaret Lee, writes that the study directly contradicts the vast majority of research on how being fine as hell aids people in the workplace, and everywhere else:
“This stands in contrast to a large body of research that concluded that attractiveness, by and large, helps candidates in the selection process.”
How was this mind-expanding research conducted? Photos vetted for levels of hotness were shown to participants, who were then asked if they’d hire the people pictured based on their image and work profiles for jobs considered “less-than-desirable.” Like, warehouse worker, housekeeper, or customer service representative, etc.
They then asked if they’d hired the hotties for jobs in management or “project director.” Good jobs. It turns out the majority of people wouldn’t make a hot person clean their toilet, but mostly because they think it would make the hot person unhappy:
“We found that participants perceived attractive individuals to feel more entitled to good outcomes than unattractive individuals, and that attractive individuals were predicted to be less satisfied with an undesirable job than an unattractive person,” said Lee. “In the selection decision for an undesirable job, decision makers were more likely to choose the unattractive individual over the attractive individual. We found this effect to occur even with hiring managers.”
Lee says that the most interesting part of the study is what is presumed about other people’s aspirations based on their looks, and how that might be holding some people back from getting a job they need (whether or not they want it). This reverses the standard discrimination practice of hiring really sexy people for all the sweetest gigs.
It’s true that before I became a blogger, the only work I could find was as an Instagram model champagne taster, but I found a way around my debilitating hotness by working from home. I am able to blog as well as a less attractive person can without danger of starting a sex riot at the office. And though, at times, I look in the mirror and scream, “You’re too good for this!!” I haven’t quit yet. Take it from a hot person: we’re fine.