Many women across the world have pretty privilege. When talking about the kindness that people show women or even free things that they can get with a nice smile and a pretty face, this privilege can come with perks. However, is it always sunshine and rainbows when people look at you and already have expectations?

As a woman, being called or considered attractive always seems like a compliment, but when talking to many women across campus, it seems it doesn’t always feel that way. Many noted that when people comment on your looks it feels like people don’t see anything else.

Pretty privilege comes with benefits, but it also comes with negative consequences. When people only see women as just a pretty face, most of the time, they don’t expect much from them.

I have been told more times than I can count that “if all fails, you can always marry rich” or “you’re pretty, so you’ll be fine.” Most women want to be more than what they look like on the outside. They want to be known for their kindness or their achievements.

After asking women on campus their perspectives on pretty privilege and if they felt it affected their college careers in any way — such as when telling people about their majors or the goals that they wanted to achieve soon — many had similar responses.

These women expressed that they had gotten many comments from both female and male family members. These family members would make remarks such as: “Why would you want to go into a career field that takes so much time and effort when you are so pretty and young? You can just find a husband who has a good job.”

Many women get comments like these every day, and because of this, many get discouraged from fighting for their dreams or competing for their career ambitions.

“The assumptions made about others based on their looks can be extremely damaging not only to someone’s career but also their emotional and mental health,” according to Nicole W. in her article “Pretty Privilege, Discrimination & the Workplace.”

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, is pretty privilege always the best thing to have when in pursuit of a career? Can it benefit you throughout your career, or does it just build more obstacles that will beat you down?

Mariah Jordon is a sophomore English major from Dallas, Texas. You can reach her at [email protected].