I found your article very interesting. Thinking about it, there was never any time at which I rated people’s attractiveness with numbers, but I always have been aware of it in terms of a hierarchy.
I was kind of an ugly duckling growing up and I was always a little bit chubby. And I was in high school during the grunge era when fashion was not an ally.
Now, in my late thirties, living in California, I am more attractive than I have ever been in my life. I started wearing subtle makeup and more jewelry. I refined my style to looks that suit me and express my archetypal goddess within. I receive loads of attention from men and many compliments throughout the day. Ironically I am still overweight, yet now it has become fashionable to be curvy and everyone loves my banging body.
Yet inside I still think of myself as not very attractive, despite all the privilege associated with beauty that I benefit from throughout the course of my day.
Our society has a Beauty Industrial Complex which keeps us all comparing ourselves and doubting our worth. Like you said, there is a wealth and status component to the beauty rankings. There is also a racial component.
To me, I feel that no matter how pretty I am I can never approach the attractiveness level of a skinny blonde. I do not have sharp features, straight hair, tanned skin, that classic Northern European look that is venerated in our Eurocentric society.
