Are women judged mainly on looks while men are judged on ability?

Question

I want to see what the people of Gender Studies think about it. I often see most famous women are judged primarily on how they look. Whether these women are artists, wives of famous men, models, etc. But I noticed men are judged on what they can do. 

For example, Adriana Lima is famous because of her face and body. Nothing wrong with it, it's a living. Yet, male models aren't really that famous and a man can't really make a living based on his looks. After all, the porn industry is mostly geared for men. Men are judged by their ability. Look at Eli Manning. Or the countless male politicians. It seems a man's success is based on the fruit of his labor while a woman only needs to have a pretty face. 

Another example is JFK who is famous for being president and assassinated while in office. His wife became famous because she was married to him and because she looked nice in dresses. That's all she ever did. 

Does it seem standards for men are higher than they are for women? Are men to work harder to be seen as winners while if a woman is lucky to be born beautiful she can get attention that way?

What say you?

Jack S · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, it is so. Standards are much higher for men.

Women want a man for what he can give her, in addition to what he is, but no man will refuse sex with a gorgeous woman because she isn't rich enough. Looks alone are nearly always enough for a woman.

But as somebody pointed out, there's a downside to even the scales. Not every woman is a 10, and even those that are will lose their value after a certain age, while many men don't.

Anonymous · Answer

Female artists are judged on their ability to do art. Wives of famous men, female models, actresses, singers are often looked at for their attractiveness. Men such as Brad Pitt are judged on their good looks, but then how do you explain someone such as Frances McDormond or William H Macy or Jack Black or any of those actors? Or for that matter many singers and dancers? Many are not beautiful in a socially acceptable way. 

Yet they all have talent and are good at something. So they are judged on their abilities, not on how they look. 

Women and men who are good-looking can only get so far, after that its their abilities that are looked at, attractive or not attractive. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger made a living on his looks, so has Brad Pitt, David Beckham, Sean Connery and many many more males.  

In actual fact standards are much higher for Women than for Men, all Men have to do is hold down a job, it relatively simple for them. Women do the job and everything else they do, including how they look, how intelligent they are, if they cook, if they do sports, if they have children, if they gain weight, whatever they do is looked at closely and judged by the insecure.

Anonymous · Answer

Adriana Lima’s job is to be a model. Eli Manning’s job is to be a quarterback. She couldn’t be a quarterback and he’s not handsome enough to be a model. That’s apples and oranges.

If you’re talking about the respective ability of each to find a mate of their liking, Adrianna will be judged more on her looks and Eli will be judged more on his wealth and power.

Q · Answer

This is simplistic, but I'm going to *sort of* agree. JFK was popular because he was handsome too, and Jackie was seen as worldly and glamorous, not just pretty.  She was actually a fashion icon.

There are many exceptions to this, and looks and ability/personality matter for both men and women.  But yeah, it's a trend.

JT · Answer

Sadly yes women are not judged the same as men in most society, mainly because of steriotypes.

Geno · Answer

"a woman is lucky to be born beautiful"

As Judge Judy says, "Beauty fades, dumb is forever." That winning genetic lottery ticket that pretty girl holds has an EXPIRATION DATE.

And there will NOT be a lost glass slipper when that clock strikes twelve!

Anonymous · Answer

you hit the nail right on the head. women are known for their looks while men are known for their ability to earn a good living.

Siddharth Sharma · Answer

Depends on person to person, platform to platform, and the trend obviously.

? · Answer

yes they are and men is base on who they know...

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Are women judged mainly on looks while men are judged on ability?

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