Answer (1 of 568): It’s similar to “white privilege” as I can witness, since I was both white and a rather pretty child and young adult. Regarding prettiness/attractiveness, it is a great deal of fun, and it gives you opportunities and options that...
There are 405 posts on this board but I found this particular one quite interesting:
A lot of good answers and perspectives here. For the most part I find that despite certain distinct drawbacks, being attractive is great. There are lots of perks and people are nicer to you (even if it’s only because they want something from you). Some random things I notice that were definitely not present in my early bland uggo days:
When you walk into a room people will often stop, look up, stare, or do a mental or literal double take.
People are more subconsciously (or consciously) aware of your presence and location in their environment, you're on their "radar."
People take more notice of you in conversation. When someone says something in a group discussion you'll often be among those everyone looks to for reaction.
People will almost certainly remember your face better. You won't have that awkward situation where you recognize someone and they don't recognize you. It's often the other way around.
When you're in a public area you'll often look up to find someone quickly looking away (as I think someone else mentioned in their answer). You get used to people just looking at you for extended periods of time when they think you won't notice.
If you're around someone who especially lacks exposure to young attractive folks (say an older blue-collar worker, or a Walmart bagger or something), and you surprise them with a greeting or conversation, they'll often look at you like you're an alien entity for the moment it takes to take you in (sometimes this lasts for the entire duration of the conversation, which can be very uncomfortable). Their reaction can be any sort of mixture between surprise, suspicion, dislike, generally being taken-aback (pleasantly or unpleasantly), unnecessary humility, and/or even something that looks a bit like personal shame (this always makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable). Just by being attractive you seem to make people feel as if they're being put on the spot, and it can make people edgy, rude, shy, over-appeasing, or defensive.
If you are attractive, and especially if you are an attractive female, you have something everyone wants (either in themselves or in their mate), and some people will treat you like you owe it to them or the world to not be single. Like you're cheating the universe of something if you want to be alone. Whenever I'm between relationships it's a constant barrage of people trying to fill the boyfriend/girlfriend "void." Whether it's guys with their "I'm better than being single aren't I? I can't believe no man has wanted to claim you yet," or friends and relatives with their "Why doesn't a pretty girl like you have a boyfriend? I know so many nice boys..." etc. People can get downright antagonistic, they see attractive people as having the dating world at their fingertips, and are confused by your 'inability' to 'land' a man, or are affronted by your 'wasting all that good fortune.' Unless you're recovering from the last one, everyone wants to be in a relationship all the time right? Sometimes they'll even act like you're a cold bitch for thinking you're "better" than everyone else, or above dating ("Oh, you only date perfect rich assholes, nobody's 'good enough' for you? I see how it is...." Not even kidding.) It's almost to a point where I sometimes wish I had a mate just to get people off my back.
Some (insecure? bitter?) people will occasionally feel the need to 'put you in your place.' This is usually from people you've just met too. They automatically assume you're full of yourself, and act like dicks around you and/or inform you that you're no better than everyone else just because you're pretty, even if your behavior isn't attention-seeking or arrogant in the least. Surprisingly these are usually males.
As an attractive female, people will be inclined to assume you're weak, girly, prissy, and even incompetent. I am none of those things but I've found that being treated as such consistently actually has had the effect of making me act more stereotypically feminine. People constantly trying to take care of your innocent, feeble, ladylike self can get pretty irritating too if you're not that kind of girl.
I always used to pout as a joke whenever I didn't get my way. Now it actually works, there's like a 50:50 chance the person will try to mollify me in some way (and I'm still surprised by it every time, it's a pretty ridiculous way to get what you want.)
And this one pretty comical:
Rather than try to describe my internal experience as an attractive person, I feel it best to list my typical daily activities and habits.
On any given day I may find myself doing the following:
Meeting the gaze of other, less attractive people with a withering stare
Assuming other people are admiring me when I enter a bar, restaurant, or bus.
Laughing at those who are ugly
Summoning would-be suitors with the smallest gesture
Crying at home when I realize how lonely I am
Eating
Vomiting
Searching desperately in the mirror for frown lines
Intimidating the genetically disadvantaged with my haughty bearing
Watching people check me out in the corner of my eye. Viewing them with contempt
Being invited to exclusive clubs and to the front of lines. Often, in places like Monte Carlo and St Tropez
Wondering if this is all there is
Crying
Vomiting
Being whisked away by the handsome sons of wealth
Falling asleep in a puddle of booze, self-pity, tears, and facial cream
I used to be very attractive - but that was a long time ago. Many of those things mentioned in the OP are familiar to my experience. As a hetero male though, attractiveness has more limitations than being a woman or gay male. It was great being attractive as a teenager, young adult - I liked the attention.
But it had lots of drawbacks - being attractive can really paper over other personality deficiencies. At some point these have to be dealt with.
So, ultimately, my opinion is that attractiveness is something that people fuss over more than is practical.
Well, I’ll tell ya. It feels like invisible lines of force are radiating out from my “body”, pulling all who are susceptible in towards my core. I think of those who seem to be inpervious as mere tin despots, writhing in pain in their brass accoutrements, striving mightily (while lacking an iron will) to resist the magnificence, the munificence that is me.
I might find some situations where I would be considered attractive. It is nice when it happens.It doesn’t happen to me often enough to be comfortable with it.
My girlfriend has always had the opposite problem where her attractiveness( sexiness) was overwhelming to some extent. I think as a survival mechanism she learned how to play it. Finding a job was usually one interview so she never took keeping a job too seriously. She is also intelligent and has a great personality but guys hitting on her or comming on strong has taken its toll as it is constant and unrelenting. I think it was her downfall that she used alcohol to live with it.
It’s just one part of me, not even one that I consider too much.