Lets Talk: Pretty Privilege, White Privilege and Cancel Culture

According to Allure 'pretty privilege' is defined as the benefits that people who are perceived as pretty by society receive. Someone who is seen as pretty might be more likely to get a job, to gain followers on social media, or to attract friends. However, someone who doesn't have features that society views as conventionally attractive might have more trouble gaining traction on social media or making friends in real life. 

The idea of being conventionally attractive stems from eurocentric beauty ideals, and the idea that the more caucasian someone looks, the more attractive they are. There is a link between white privilege and pretty privilege here because being pretty and being white have become almost synonymous in our society. Look at who you see on billboards and the runway. 

Recently, pretty and white privilege can be seen in real-time on Tik Tok. Tik Tok's algorithm makes it so when a user follows an account they are going to be recommended with other accounts that are run by creators that look similar to the account the user just followed, according to Buzzfeed News. For example, if a Tik Tok user follows a Black creator, it is more than likely that then, the user will get recommended with three more Black creators to follow. 

There are two main Tik Tok creator houses, The Sway House and The Hype House. The members of these houses are some of the most popular creators on the app, and the majority of the members of these houses, are white and have a combination of features that makes them conventionally attractive. So, when people click to follow these creators they will be lead to more accounts run by white creators. This leads to the majority of popular creators on the app being white. 

Pretty privilege and cancel culture can also be linked through Tik Tok. A creator will get called out for pedophilia, racism, or homophobia. All three of which are common for creators on the app to be caught currently doing or having pasts in. It would be one thing if the creators getting caught apologized, took time off social media, or did anything to address the allegations that have been made against them, but instead, these creators usually stay silent and continue to post their regular content. 

Pretty Privilege, cancel culture, and white privilege all intersect when someone accepts an apology that isn't theirs to accept. What this means is, if a cishet (cisgender and heterosexual) creator gets exposed for saying homophobic or transphobic things, and a crowd of cishet supporters accept their apology, then, the creator gets to move on and be “uncancelled” without ever really making amends for their actions.

Essentially, what I am saying is making people famous, solely for their attractiveness is not flawed at its core, because why not support them? However, when said attractive person does something that they shouldn't, that doesn't make their actions okay and doesn't mean that you can forgive them just because you like their face.