Beauty bias: The racism no one is talking about

If you watched the Deepika Padukone starrer Chhapaak, chances are you found yourself sympathising with acid attack victims, cringing at how society treats them. I’m short, too, which invited more unkind remarks.” Attractive advantages In his book Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful, Daniel S. Hamermesh, considered the father of pulchronomics, wrote that attractive people are more likely to be employed, work more productively and profitably, receive more substantial pay, better promotions, obtain loan approvals, negotiate loans with better terms and have more attractive and highly educated spouses. “It’s so in hospitality, banking, finance industries etc., where people prefer those who’re not very dark or unattractive,” he says, adding, however, that during an interview, one’s body language, how one conducts oneself and dressing appropriately for the role also help add to the impression created. But Hamermesh believes the bias towards attractive people is the remnants of primitive days when beauty signified health and was therefore ‘attractive’ for reproductive purposes. “Beauty bias isn’t often talked of as a problem that needs addressing, so sensitisation through workshops and campaigns can help people discuss this topic more openly and become aware of the biases they carry,” offers Kavitha.