WHY DO WE STILL LINK
ABILITY WITH LOOKS?
By Rosemary French OBE 12
It is extraordinary that society still links one’s ability, skills, intelligence and even sociability with how we look. Our work culture has failed to eradicate this ‘lookism’. Indeed, it is showing little will to alter this ‘conscious’ bias. I could be talking here about the appalling discrimination towards the disabled, and men and women of colour, where some small steps have been made in terms of racial
and disability legislation. But no, I am talking about the women who are perceived to be less attractive (whatever that means) than our photo edited view of the ideal woman shown in the glossies and most effectively across social media. We have read stories where women have been instructed to wear high heels and avoid trousers at work. We grimaced when Hilary Clinton was
