Why Looks Are the Last Bastion of Discrimination - 1735 Words

Why looks are the last bastion of discrimination In the 19th century, many American cities banned public appearances by unsightly individuals. A Chicago ordinance was typical: Any person who is diseased, maimed, mutilated, or in any way deformed, so as to be an unsightly or disgusting subject . . . shall not . . . expose himself to public view, under the penalty of a fine of $1 for each offense. Although the government is no longer in the business of enforcing such discrimination, it still allows businesses, schools and other organizations to indulge their own prejudices. Over the past half-century, the United States has expanded protections against discrimination to include race, religion, sex, age, disability and, in a growing†¦show more content†¦(In one study, economists Jeff Biddle and Daniel Hamermesh estimated that for lawyers, such prejudice can translate to a pay cut of as much as 12 percent.) When researchers ask people to evaluate written essays, the same material receives lower ratings for ideas, style and crea tivity when an accompanying photograph shows a less attractive author. Good-looking professors get better course evaluations from students; teachers in turn rate good-looking students as more intelligent. Not even justice is blind. In studies that simulate legal proceedings, unattractive plaintiffs receive lower damage awards. And in a study released this month, Stephen Ceci and Justin Gunnell, two researchers at Cornell University, gave students case studies involving real criminal defendants and asked them to come to a verdict and a punishment for each. The students gave unattractive defendants prison sentences that were, on average, 22 months longer than those they gave to attractive defendants. Just like racial or gender discrimination, discrimination based on irrelevant physical characteristics reinforces invidious stereotypes and undermines equal-opportunity principles based on merit and performance. And when grooming choices come into play, such bias can also restrict personal freedom. Consider Nikki Youngblood, a lesbian who in 2001 was denied a photo in her Tampa high school yearbook because she would not pose in a scoop-necked dress. Youngblood was not a rebelliousShow MoreRelatedA Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun by Linda Hasselstrom1553 Words   |  6 Pagesarticle I read is called â€Å"A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun.† The author of this article is Linda M. Hasselst rom, a talented and highly respected poet, writing teacher and essayist. As a daughter growing up in a rural cattle ranch, she received a master’s degree in journalism and now ran her own ranch in South Dakota. As a freelance female author, she travels alone a lot. 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