It's unfortunate that you even have to give a disclaimer when the term was originally coined by a woman and has been stretched now to the point it will fit anyone's fancy or definition when they're throwing it at people they don't like or see as inferior (the irony).
I know there are worrisome, vitriolic, and violent factions that use the label, but I also know there are innocent people who merely don't know what else to go by, which would fit their situation.
Looks are everything know one can convince me otherwise and looking like shit will be the reason I exit this world early.
I realize they're not technically
everything, but I agree with what you're getting at, they're a vital part of life-unfortunately, and they affect pretty much
every other aspect of said life, (whether people want to acknowledge that fact or not).
It goes way beyond meeting cruel difficulty and rejection with romantic and sexual relationships. It affects all interactions and pursuits, even our sense of self, people conflate what we look like with our identity, no matter what actions we make or what words come out of our mouth, it's all filtered through our flesh.
Looks are damning when they're not of a beneficial and appealing nature.
Sadly, they matter dearly.
To this degree or that, but they're always there, always influencing other's perceptions of us, often used to devalue a person if their looks are not up to par, there is a universal objective standard at play which platitudes will never abolish.
People deny their participation in treating others as "more" or "less" because of their appearance because they don't want to implicate themselves, nor do some of them want to appreciate their own privileges if they possess them, as all of this leads to uncomfortable conversations and upsetting one's ego or world view.
It's usually only those who had no choice in getting hit with the shit stick, who attempt to speak up about the truth in having to live this way, to be constantly disparaged and ostracized, to be forced into tireless compensation for what you lack-yet one wrong move and you will receive no leniency when you carry an unattractive visage.
It amazes me that in this superficial society we live in, and with the inherent visually judgmental tendencies of human beings, that people don't take this more seriously.
They think it's a fucking joke.
Laughing while they casually contribute to nearly every reason why someone would suffer under the status quo.
Don't be surprised if you get any naysayers coming out of the woodwork when it comes to this topic, it's one of the few where even speaking of it within the confines of a pro-choice suicide website won't earn you any compassion (which infuriates and disgusts me).
It just goes to show how pervasive the issue is, and how the mistreatment of its victims includes gaslighting and denial.
I know there are others here who recognize reality, who will agree with you and have also suffered the consequences of being stuck in a similar predicament, but I've damn near had a stroke with having to fight the opposition off with logic and fucking reason, and I'm tired.
I want to expand on this more, as I have in the past, but this is all I will say for now, I'm just so defeated and exhausted with the whole thing, fighting tooth and nail even on my way to the crematorium.
Pure madness.
