The Beauty and Beast of Being Unattractive

W’ve been told countless times that beauty is only skin deep and that inner beauty is what really counts. Although this is true, we can’t deny the influence of physical appearance in our daily lives. After all, this is what people see first and this is how first impressions are usually based on. We know too well how a beautiful face or body can launch a thousand ships, as in the case of the famous Helen of Troy, or how it can launch a multimedia career, as in the case of the infamous Kim Kardashian. As a result, most of us live in fear of getting old because beauty diminishes with age. The struggles of being on the other side of the beauty spectrum are all too real. Opportunities seem much accessible to attractive people — they are given priorities when it comes to job openings, they get served first in restaurants, and they have better chances of getting attractive partners. People who are labeled as ugly at a young age can develop emotional problems later in life. Social handicaps are common among people who grew up getting teased and bullied because of their supposed ugliness. The health effects of being unattractive are more evident in women, given society’s pressure to maintain the face, body, and clothes that will gain approval of the world at large.

Photo from Steven Guzzardi via Flickr, Creative Commons

This may all seem hopelessly bleak but as unappealing as it sounds like, there ARE advantages of being unattractive. It may not be enough to outweigh the obvious advantages of being good-looking, but it can be enough to enable some to lead normal, satisfying lives. That being said, what are the things that people that are considered “unattractive” can actually look forward to?

• They can afford to be low maintenance

Photo from Sophia Louise via Flickr, Creative Commons

The beautiful ones have everything to lose if they let themselves go. Because others are used to seeing them pretty, the beautiful ones are obligated to be always presentable, especially in public. This is not a problem for the unattractive people, those in which no amount of primping can improve their appearance. They don’t have to worry about putting on make-up, plucking eyebrows, and deal with mental and emotional effects of hair loss. They can do away with time-consuming rituals that being beautiful requires. They can just let it all go and it wouldn’t make a difference to the people around them. When they do make an effort to look nice, others will be quick to compliment them on it. Combing hair and putting on a little lipstick will already have a monumental effect on those around them.

• People are more comfortable around them

There’s something about their homely appearance that encourages other people to open up to them. See, there are people who get too intimidated with a pretty face and they find themselves unable to talk. Without the distraction of a beautiful face, people feel more at ease with themselves and feel more comfortable to open up.

• They can afford to be funny

Photo from Khánh Hmoong via Flickr, Creative Commons

Because of their supposed unattractiveness, they learned how not to take themselves too seriously. As a result, they are able to cultivate the irreplaceable talent of comedy. They have nothing to lose as far as appearances are concerned, so they can loosen up and make fools of themselves without a care in the world. Being funny is an irresistible trait and proof lies in the number of beautiful women who married funny but not so attractive men.

• People appreciate them for their personality

Some people get so caught up with physical appearance that they fail to see the ugly attitude that may lurk behind all that beauty. There are some who put up with a beautiful face just because, well, she’s beautiful. Unattractive people do not have such masks to put on so when others actually listen to them, it’s obviously because of what’s inside. Without the barrier of beauty, their personality shines through, making it easier for others to appreciate their qualities.

• People take them seriously

Photo from Eugene Kim via Flickr, Creative Commons

Do you watch a beauty pageant solely for the Q&A portion? Me neither. As unfair as it may seem to beauty queens, they are usually stereotyped as dumb blondes because their career is dependent on their looks. They often complain about not being taken seriously, a problem that homely-looking people do not have. Without the disconcerting effect of having a supermodel face, people actually listen to them and what they have to say.

• They are more assertive

It’s unfair, but we’ve seen too many people who can get whatever they want just because they are beautiful. Everything’s handed to them in a shining, shimmering platter. Unattractive ones do not have such luxury, thus they have to work twice as hard to get ahead in life. When they get rich and famous, they have twice the bragging rights compared to the pretty ones. Instead of spending hours on their hair and makeup and going out to parties, the plain-looking ones get busy working on the next big invention that can change the world.

• They are not alone

Photo from Naarassusii via Flickr, Creative Commons

Simply put, there are more unattractive people in the world compared to the conventionally pretty ones so they need not be in despair. Every time you start feeling bad about your appearance, you only need to remember that you’re not the only one with such struggles. There’s comfort in numbers and you can reach out to these people if you need someone to talk to. Keep in mind that beauty is still in the eye of the beholder and what may be ugly to you can actually look beautiful to other people.  It helps to remember too that physical beauty eventually fades with age. It may be a strange way of viewing things, but we are all destined to become unattractive at some point. When this happens, it’s the pretty ones who will struggle to hold on to their looks; the plain-looking ones like you and me will just cruise through old age like a boss.