Everyday Lookism

Abstract

Abstract This chapter considers the phenomenon of ‘everyday lookism’, that is, the ordinary practice of commenting upon and judging the appearance of others. It conceptualizes everyday lookism as a discriminatory practice, and then explores the ways in which it can be demeaning, or have unjust consequences, especially by being oppressive. Just as a work ethic can be oppressive in virtue of the combined costs of compliance and non-compliance, so too everyday lookism may be oppressive in virtue of being fuelled by demanding appearance norms the costs of failing to comply with which are high. Even if we exclude costs of compliance that are a product of a person’s reflective endorsement of the relevant norms, and costs of non-compliance that might reasonably be avoided by developing a thicker skin, the acts of discrimination involved in everyday lookism are often wrongful in virtue of contributing to the oppressiveness of the practice.