When Beauty Overshadows Identity: The Downside Of “Pretty Privilege”

Since the beginning of time, society has been fixated on looks and appearances. This idea has become so widespread that “pretty privilege” describes having certain advantages due to one’s looks. While this privilege is sometimes desirable, it also has a dark side many don’t discuss.

Recently, actress Halle Berry addressed this unspoken occurrence, shedding light on her experience with “pretty privilege.” Internationally admired for her talent and undeniable beauty, Berry opened up in a Fortune Magazine interview about the downside of being a part of an industry that heavily focuses on physical appearance, particularly for women.

“I have always known that I’m more than this shell that I walk around in,” Berry began. “I have longed for someone to say something to me other than, ‘Oh gosh, you’re so pretty.’ I’ve longed to hear other words. I know I’m more than this.”

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Her response hits directly on the often overlooked reality of beauty: when appearances takes over a person’s identity, it results in everything else being overshadowed. For women in the industry, this pressure to achieve unattainable and unsafe looks extends way past public admiration, turning into a career necessity and a race against time. Berry highlighted this notion in her interview, calling out the idea of unrealistic expectations within the industry.

“I think it’s a shame that as women, we’re being told that we have to find a way to stay eternally young forever, as though we’re not allowed to be human and do what we’re naturally born to do. We’re born to age and die, but somehow as women, we have to do the unthinkable,” she added.

This passion on youth and beauty creates a toxic culture, where naturally aging is seen as a flaw rather than a privilege and isn’t limited to celebrities. In fact, social media increases these pressures with users feeling compelled to create the “perfect” life for validation and approval from peers. Another downside to “pretty privilege” is that it can lead to stereotypes of these individuals, where people believe their lives were without challenges, struggles, and insecurities.

Nonetheless, while “pretty privilege” can have significant benefits for some, it can also result in a person being trapped in a cycle of objectification.