Judging the sexes based on appearance?

Question

I'm asking this again in the hope I'll get at least one intelligent response.

Why is it considered socially acceptable for men to be judged by to opposite sex based on baldness and/or lack of height (both of which are unpreventable), but one is not allowed to judge a woman based on her weight (which it TOTALLY preventable)?

I teach physiology courses and actually had a student offended when I stated "the amount of fat you have". She started on about how women are judged based on "something they can't help", which she further elaborated as their weight. I disagreed totally and explained how weight is 100% controllable, and then asked her if she would date a man 4-5 inches shorter than her (NO), or a man with male pattern baldness (NO). When presented with these scenarios, she quickly silenced up.

I see that most of you still fail to see the question and instead choose to judge me as shallow. I will ask again: why do you feel it is SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE to tease or judge a man based on his height or baldness--both fully genetic--yet it is considered cruel or evil if a woman is judged based on her weight (which I will concede is 99.9 percent preventable, instead of the earlier mentioned 100%).

Answer 1

People judge on appearance because that is what every sight-dominant animal does to their prospective mate. Someone who is fat, bald, short etc is not as fit a mate as one who is tall, strong and physically appealing, and would thereby give potential offspring stronger genes.

It'd be nice to think people would never judge on appearance, but then it'd also be nice to think people wouldn't murder each other. It ain't ever going to happen.

Answer 2

Most men are into sports magazines, guns and ammo, track and field, etc. Throw a few Playboys on the pile while your at it. The women read fashion magazines, makeup, hair, Cosmopolitan, etc, stocked full of women whose ideas of a big lunch is a stick of gum. Guys turn on the TV and low and behold, the fat guy has a nice looking girlfriend/wife. And those Playboy magazines don't have any + size 6 women in the bunch either. I believe most of the pressure women feel has been self induced by the garbage they were and the peer pressure they put each other through regarding fashion. They can blame the male all they want, but that stopped buy that garbage, the publishers would change the advertising to something more realistic, if is sold magazines and products. Most guys are not that fashion conscious. Of course the new gender of metrosexuals don't fit in this group. What is the Hollywood screen kiss? Someone who is slightly taller than the woman so that they feel the frame on a closeup and not be awkward to look at. Women have been brainwashed from day one to want what fashion industry tells them to want from teen idols to mini skirts and beyond. Why are they such a target for marketing ploys? Because they spend a greater amount of their money on cosmetics and fashion... I'm a slave to fashion and it is Prada's fault. Yeah right.

Answer 3

Firslt, weight is not 100% controllable, there are many medial conditions such as thyroid disorders, or even just gentics that can make it very difficult for a person to maintain a healthy weight. Secondly, women are very much judged on their appearance, more so than men, I would say, as it is men who make disparaging remarks about a woman's appearance in the street, never the other way around. Look at Hollywood. Look at anyone on tv, all women have to stand up to a certain standard of beauty before they will be accpeted by that industry, which means those standards, though diluted are passed onto the rest of society.

A lot of women would go out with a short/bald man, we're not all shallow. You, however, clearly are.

Answer 4

This is not as hard as you make it. Each of us has our own "eye for beauty" what I find attractive you may not. Is weight controllable of course it is no one wakes up one morning weighing at 300 lbs! However some have conditions or even genes that make keeping think more difficult. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder its that simple. We choose our mates based on physical attraction first off in most cases so there has to be some attraction. That being said back to beauty in eye of beholder. Julia Roberts is a very attractive girl yet she married Lyle Lovitt!! Not attractive by most peoples standards! There are sites for BBW's (Big Beautiful Women) these sites are visited by those who are and admire women with curves!!! What is true beauty? That's up to each person them-self our problem is we let TV, Movies etc tell us whats beautiful an we accept it!! That's wrong!! Listen I am happily married and find my partner the most attractive person I know but others will not but who cares not I When we accept beauty is up to each of us to decide and not mainstream media we will stop with the prejudice you describe. I hope that helps

Answer 5

Science is proving you wrong. Our genetic make up determines our eye color, height AND weight. If fat runs in your family it will probably run in you. I personally know of several women who had to eat less than 600 calories a day to loose weight. If you look into UN WHO standards you will find that is considered a starvation diet unable to maintain vitamins and minerals for proper health. But all that aside, why aren't you teaching the truth about assessment by appearance?

It is the most primative of sexual need. Animals assess the genetic value of a mate by it's appearance and physical strength. A large mane and the ability to intimidate all comers makes the male lion a desirable mate. Appearance alludes to good genes and strong health offspring while physical strength alludes to protection if the male of a species helps in the rearing of those offspring. Perpetuation of the species is the objective.

Similarly, physical appearance can also tell of good genes as social statis can allude to protection for the future of the offspring. However, our society has lost the basic values it once had. A women with big hips and ample breasts was valued as a good breeder. A woman who would be more likely to survive child birth and could breast feed that child was highly prized because one of the major causes of death in women was childbirth and with no mother to feed it the baby died anyway. (Many poor women of that time made good money as wetnurses, meaning they were paid to breastfeed other women's babies.)

Men of that day had to be strong to earn a living and baldness can be an indicator of a weak heart just as a thin frame can indictate malnutrition or illness. Men needed to be of good social standing and have good employment to ensure that the family wouldn't starve to death and would have the protection of the community in times of conflict.

Unfortunately, as I said, we have lost those basic values. Looks are viewed as the most important and the institution of marriage and the responibilities of a family are viewed as disposable if they become inconvenient.

If men wish to be viewed beyond their appearance they need to show women that they are also willing to look beyond appearance. The dating game isn't a game, it's an opportunity to show and to see what kind of marriage mate a person will be. Showing your personal values and being a responsible person will bring love and security for many decades to come.

Answer 6

Okay, so I'm a chunky chick myself. Am I happy about it? No. Am I genetically predisposed to it? Yes. Could I get my stomach stapled to help me? Probably. Will I? Probably not.

Would I date a guy 5 inches shorter than me who was bald? Sure, I believe it is what's inside that counts.

Do women get judged by appearance? HELL YES!!!
I have met men who have flat out said they liked me, but would never go out with me due to my weight. Is that a problem? Sometimes.

I think this is a two-way street.

I don't know who well you are teaching your student either. Yes, I agree that she needs to have her own discrimination shown to her, but this type of thing will close her off to you and it will be difficult to reach her again in any meaningful way. Of course people aren't all at the "Looks don't matter" level of maturity. Not even to the "I am aware of my own preconceived notions" level. Hopefully, that is why some of them are IN school. I know that it is frustrating, but you should be trying to show her that not only is her thinking flawed, but that there are other, more productive ways to approach things. I don't think simply pointing out someones deficiencies is adequate. We are all imperfect.

Answer 7

Deep down, we all know that women are unbelievably shallow. I'm considered short and have been told countless times that I'm too short to date under the guise of "preference." Ignorance is more like it. Women believe that it's perfectly OK to have this abominable double standard. Height and baldness are immutable traits. Weight is not. There position is completely indefensible. These are the same women who claim that intelligence and personality is more important than looks. Then they go for looks every time.

Answer 8

we are aware that we, as people, look in physical appearance because it's in our nature to look for the handsome and beautiful ones for reproduction. now what is considered handsome and beautiful depends on the person that's looking. i think we judge on the height and baldness because they are genetic characteristics that cannot be prevented. instincts will say "i don't want my kids to be short or bald when they grow up." but we really think (because of how our society thinks) "short and bald people (or balding people) are unpleasing to look at."

as for weight, it is indeed judged on because of the way of our society is. i agree, weight can change...thus makes it harder to judge if the person's current size and weight is their recessive or dominant gene (even harder with liposuction and other technologies).

i hope my answer helped out, even just a bit. ;)

Answer 9

I don't think strangers judge appearances harshly to be mean - its just a normal biological or psychological reaction to treat better looking peoples nicer. Yeah, I do think women are very harsh on appearances. However, people care so much and value your beauty so what are you to do.

Answer 10

you have a wonderful point. our social status issues are completely prejudging & full of double standards....

I am a woman....& I have problems with double standards. I blam alot of women's issues & problems on the "feminist movement" It may have helped in some ways...but also created problems in other ways.

But also the media has caused Sex to be a major issue. & Looks are overly consumed.

I'm the complete opposite....I'm not over weight...I'm under weight....& people call me skinny, & assume I have a disorder....without knowing me as a person.