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ABSTRACT
This article focuses on appearance and attractiveness discrimination in the American workplace. As such, this article discusses issues related to "lookism " and "lookphobia " as a real challenge for managers who are recruiting, attracting, interviewing, hiring, appraising, and promoting employees. The article provides a discussion of societal norms concerning "attractiveness, " the existence of appearance discrimination in employment, the presence of "preferring the pretty ", and then the authors examine important civil rights laws that relate to such fonns of discrimination. Finally, recommendations for employers and managers are provided for fair and non-discriminatory hiring and promotional practices.
Keywords: Appearance Discrimination in the Workplace; Lookism; Lookphobia
INTRODUCTION
It has been said that "A fair exterior is a silent recommendation" (Publilius Syrus, circa 42 B.C.). Furthermore, "Beauty itself doth of itself persuade the eyes of men without an orator" Said William Shakespeare (1564-1616). As the preceding quotations indicate, appearance is part of a person's nonverbal communication; and appearance is tied directly to "attractiveness." And physical attractiveness, one readily must admit is a "prized possession" as well as an esteemed one, in U.S. society today. James (2008, p. 637) states that "several positive qualities such as happiness and success are associated with attractiveness." Corbe« (20 1 1 , p. 629) declares that "contemporary American society celebrates and embraces physical beauty with an inexhaustible force." Corbe« (2007, p. 153) also underscores that "at the beginning of the twenty-first century, American society was obsessed with physical appearance.... Moreover, the curvaceous became loquacious, and presumptively and presumptuously sagacious." Similarly, James (2008, pp. 629-30) points out that when two equally qualified women apply for a position: "You would rather hire the applicant that you find more attractive because society taught you to associate beauty with other favorable characteristics." These appearance norms, and especially attractiveness, "good looks," and beauty, are based on and shaped by culture, cultural norms, and society and community standards (Mahajan, 2007; Steinle, 2006). However, Mahajan (2007, p. 1 82) warns that "relying on culture-bound judgments for appearance may reinforce existing prejudices and stereotypes. Such judgments have less to do with the importance of... appearance to individuals or employers and more to do with society's. ..appearance expectations." Nevertheless, Corbe« (2011, p. 625) states that "society's affinity for...