Hiroko Togawa: Considering the Future of Lookism from the Perspective of "Appearance Issues"

Lookism (appearance-based discrimination) is, simply put, judging people based solely on their appearance. Even if it is not that extreme, it refers to a situation where beauty or attractiveness holds strong influence in human relationships at school or the workplace, and those with attractive appearances are given preferential treatment. Whether I turn on the TV or look at the internet, I see an abundance of information that makes it seem as if appearance determines one's life, and I feel as though "Japan is a lookism paradise" (while there are synonyms such as physical appearance, features, or countenance, I will use the term "looks" here for clarity). Our NPO operates with the goal of creating a society where people suffering from misunderstandings and prejudice can live vibrantly and play an active role in today's appearance-oriented world.

I myself used to think during my junior high and high school years that "no matter how much you dress up your principles, in the end, people are decided by their looks." However, as the years passed and I met many people and had various experiences, I realized that while "beautiful people often have advantages, the world is not that simple."

To use an analogy, as a child, you might choose a handsome and kind-looking doctor over one who looks grumpy and scary. However, now that I am an adult, if I were to encounter a situation where I had to undergo life-or-death surgery, I would choose based on ability. Would you ask a doctor who is handsome but has a 10% success rate, or a doctor who looks plain but has a 90% success rate? It is an extreme example, but since life is on the line, it is obvious that you would choose the latter.

I believe that as people accumulate many experiences within society, they come to judge things based on various factors rather than just obvious things like appearance. This could be described as acquiring diverse values. And I think that as the values one possesses increase, ways of thinking like lookism naturally begin to fade into the background.

It might be a bit blunt, but I believe the same can be said if we apply that logic to "society," which is a collective of people.

In fact, beauty pageants, which are like symbols of lookism, have been changing significantly lately. Some competitions have stopped the use of wedding dresses or abolished swimsuit rounds.

Society's reaction to so-called "appearance-based teasing," which makes fun of people's looks, is also becoming stricter. It was impressive to hear a comedian say on TV that "teasing people about their looks is gradually becoming less popular." Also, the news of the creative director who resigned after proposing a performance for the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony that mocked a female celebrity's body type is likely still fresh in your memory.

Based on the above, lookism will likely become outdated within the social trend of recognizing diverse values.

By the way, have you ever heard the term "appearance issues"? "Appearance issues" refers to the difficulties faced by people with characteristic symptoms in their appearance—such as birthmarks on the face or body, or scars, deformities, missing parts, or hair loss due to accidents or illness—because of discrimination and prejudice. They are stared at or hurt by heartless words. They easily become targets of bullying and hit major walls at life milestones such as school, employment, romance, and marriage.

For example, a man with a birthmark on his face since birth was reportedly ignored by classmates and told he was "gross." Also, a woman whose one eye does not open properly due to a congenital illness was called "Oiwa-san" or told "don't come near me because it's contagious," and was even subjected to violence.

Others have been verbally abused with words like "monster" or "die," or told things like "how can you live with that face?" or "if I were you, I'd kill myself." Some have even had people pretend to vomit in front of them, saying "Ugh, disgusting." Some are so deeply hurt and isolated that they even take their own lives.

When lookism prevails, it becomes increasingly difficult for those with "appearance issues" to live. This is easy to imagine. No matter how much they deepen their knowledge or hone their skills, if physical beauty is demanded even once, they are robbed of the chance to utilize their strengths.

Just because of a birthmark on the face, or because the face is not symmetrical, it is as if life starts from a disadvantage. Those with "appearance issues" must survive while facing such realities.

I said that "lookism will become outdated," but the reality is that it still holds a lot of sway. Information suggesting that "looks are everything" continues to overflow on TV, in magazines, and on SNS and YouTube.

However, as times progress and diverse values spread, I believe the perfectly reasonable idea that "looks are not everything" will come to represent the majority. I want to continue our activities aiming for a world where people with symptoms in their appearance no longer have to feel small, as soon as possible.