Lovelyish

Are you pretty? Are you smart? Why defending if you already are?

What about the stereotype that ugly girls are nerdy and smart? When people notice I’m smart it ends up just making me feel ugly. I think both types of people should be recognized for both aspects of themselves. Brains and Beauty don’t really correlate. You can have both, neither, or a combination.

i think they meant as a  joke… or maybe there are many of those pretty girls arent as smart as you. maybe thats why, they fink u might not be as smart.

is just like stereotyping asians, asians can be dumb LOL.

and yes, pretty girls can be smart.

@sassypenguin@xanga - Agreed.

If anyone answers that they are a pretty girl that’s smart, that’s just kind of conceited, no?

I think I’m one of those.

Though I don’t act smart. Teehee.

I think it exists because people who put time into their looks have less time to concentrate on learning and filling their minds with knowledge and using their minds for critical thinking. Knowing the calories of everything you put in your mouth seems like it would hardly exercise your brain as much as participating in a heated debate about, say, the biochemical bases of nutrition, health and cardiovascular disease.

(Though the addition of said calories could be a good mental math workout?)

Oh, and I agree. I hate this stereotype though I haven’t really encountered it, being at competitive university with so many people of a similar educational background and intelligence level.

I’d rather make an impact with my mind than my looks anyway. Stereotypes suck but when people get a rise out of you by talking about it, it gives them more ammo to throw at you. Dont play into it. Go at them with your brain! =D

It’s a rubbish stereotype.

If somebody was actually smart I doubt they’d spend more than 5 seconds on this topic.

the only way these jerks can get attractive women to talk to them is to put them down like the mean bullies on the playground, who taunts the girl that he has a crush on. then attractive and smart women will get riled up and give him attention to prove him wrong. I’m too much of an elitist snob to give these types of jerks the time of day

@sassypenguin@xanga - Agreed

this stereotype exists because someee of us got fucked over in the gene pool and are only average looking with average smarts and we think it isn’t fair that some people get to be pretty AND smart. it’s like a double smack in the face.

so there

but seriously, that’s how almost everyone feels. i’m pretty, but i’m fat. so they basically just counter the other out. and i’m not motivated in school and i get average grades. i’ve stayed at a 3.0 basically my whole life. so when we see someone who’s gorgeous and intelligent, we just feel kinda fucked.

i mean, just to be totally honest.

I personally like the stereotype. It makes it a bonus if you are a pretty girl AND you’re smart. Even if there are many girls who are smart and pretty, it’s sort of nice to deliver something unexpected. “Oh, you’re pretty and you’re smart?” implies the person is now impressed. Hell yeah with the stereotype that causes delightful shock to men everywhere. 

There are plenty of girls I know that are pretty and smart…extremely smart actually. =]

I think the stereotype derives from many different things. Some people think cheerleaders are really pretty but not very smart. Models can be very pretty but not smart because they only care about their looks…that kinda stuff?

While I don’t really care or even agree with those things, I just go with what I experience.

Meh. I don’t know if I’m pretty, I feel like it’s hard for one to judge oneself objectively that way. But I am smart. And frankly, I don’t care if people think I’m too pretty to be smart (rofl, that would never happen to me, I think I answered my question) or too smart to be pretty. I’ll do both if I want to, and fuck the rest. End of story, really. 

I would assume that if you’re pretty you don’t “need” to be smart. That you’d have to make up for the lack of beauty by an excess of knowledge and intellect.

Which is horse shit but unfortunately true.
But women do that to men too. It’s not just for women.

It’s an old idea, really. But now that we’ve reached the unfortunate era of the “superwoman ideal”, it shouldn’t come as such a surprise. Some people lash out at it because they find the package intimidating, some people do it out of jealousy, and others are in complete shock because of the old idea. There are many stereotypes that you have to get used to.

I’m large, yet still considered pretty (I have no idea why that’s a collective thought) and I’ve met people who are quite shocked by that. I guess fat people can’t be pretty. Supposedly fat people can’t be considered smart either. Add large, pretty, and smart and some people believe it’s an absolute paradox.

The comment above about calories is absolutely ridiculous. A smart person knows how to feed themselves. Calories = math? No, only for the brainless oafs, really. In anyway, it’s not like they’ll come up with a good combination that’s healthy if it’s all about calories. Their health will decline as they age and it will show. A smart person who is seriously committed to their health knows the entire breakdown and knows what ingredients have negative effects on her skin/hair/biological makeup. It’s a good combination to have under your intellectual belt. An unexamined diet isn’t worth eating.

Honestly, anyone can be beautiful, you just have to be true to yourself and know what works for you. Also, wear it well. They’re the looks you were born with and you’re stuck with them. If you hold yourself with confidence, people will overlook the multiple flaws you think you have and consider you to be beautiful, just by the way you hold yourself.

I don’t know if I’m pretty and smart or smart and pretty.  I’m inclined to think it’s the latter because it’s always been “Oh, she’s smart,” never, “She’s pretty.”

So I’m pretty for a nerd girl.  Or so I’ve been told.

as a girl, i hate the idea of a pretty girl being smart. it’s not fair that those bitches get to have everything. when it comes to guys, they will say shit either if you’re pretty or ugly when it comes to intelligence competition- ugly girls for trying too hard to make up for the look they lack and pretty girls for being smarter than expected. 

It’s difficult… because Smart is a definite. Whereas pretty is more abstract and subjective. 

I like being smart and beautiful, it gets you much farther than just being beautiful =]

I’m not pretty or smart.
I just do my best. Sure I’m doing all these “smart” thing and taking all these “smart” classes but no. I’m not.
Not as smart as the true smart people.

I mean, stereotypes are always half true. They dont just pop out of no where, it’s always based on a real life example

It’s true most of the time. 

I’ll let people decide on whether or not I’m pretty, but I’m majoring in computer engineering at a pretty well known university. Sooo.. at least I know some things. lol

I’m so tired of all the pretty girl stereotypes. Pretty girls can’t be smart, pretty girls can’t be gamers, pretty girls aren’t funny, pretty girls aren’t nerdy. Bottom line is there are pretty girls in every category and more. There are all kinds of pretty girls, just like their are all kinds of girls. “Dumb” pretty girls, or pretty girls that act “dumb” for attention, make me cringe because they are building that stereotype.

stereotypes are ridiculous. im considered pretty or attractive or whatever (read my blog and you’ll know im not conceited) and im currently taking the ib diploma, getting pretty high grades in all my classes and called a ‘nerd’.
so yeah. pretty girls or whatever can be smart, and honestly, i think people are looking the wrong places when they make these stereotypes. what about not looking at public high school mean girl cliques? also the bitchiest and unfortunately prettiest girl i know is predicted 40/45 points.

I’d consider myself to be both. However, I don’t invest enough time in my appearance to be considered beautiful. My time is spent hitting the books.

@TequilaKisses@xanga - exactly! if you feel like you have to prove how pretty and smart you are, this “stereotype” wouldn’t make you so angry. obviously insecure and trying to compensate. not cute.
besides, most sociologists agree that as a society, we think attractive people are more competent and smart. you learn that in any sociology 101 course.. derp

Ugh, that’s probably my least-favorite stereotype (and the one that bites me in the ass the hardest). I’m “pretty” and have done a bit of modeling, but I’ve also done a lot of advanced reading, made a lot of art, and scored in the top percentiles on just about every IQ test out there.

People need to accept that it’s possible.

@Jamesmuse@xanga - amen! I agree- If you’re confident in yourself (not cocky, but confident) and wear what you wear proudly, you will be seen as beautiful! It’s more about how you carry yourself than anything else.  

Hey I have a question, how did you start modeling? like, what were the steps you took to become a model? I know most people say that you should call up an agency, but is that the first thing I should do? Like, is there a process I should go through (i.e-call agency, send pictures, set up appointment, etc?)?
Thank you!

Brains and semi-beauty right here. I’m proud of it. It’s just a stereotype. Be the one to prove it wrong.

I kind of like it, because once people figure out you are pretty AND smart, they appreciate you more.

Reading this, I felt as though you were explaining my life. Really, ya lose weight and everyone is like ZOMG. And then suddenly you were supposed to lose IQ points. smh.

@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - lmao, agreed.

Most of the smart girls I know are really pretty

The stereotype will never go away. There’s too many dumb pretty girls.

…This title is grammatically incorrect. Fail. 

I’m a pretty girl double-majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, with double minors in Math and Computer Science, and I work in a robotics lab. I have to say the stereotype is largely true. And not because pretty women aren’t endowed with just as much natural intelligence as average ones! Most don’t develop that intelligence because they don’t have to, and most who try to develop their intelligence are almost discouraged from continuing to do so.

In my major, I’m afraid of calling up someone I know and studying with them because it will be understood as a date, even if I bluntly say that it isn’t. Sometimes I’m even afraid of being too friendly with my professors and assistant professors because I don’t want them to think I’m attracted to them, either.

I appreciate the post though!

Wow… This is almost my story exactly. I’m not model looking or anything now, but I have lost a lot of weight since high school. And I was the white/Asian girl with the black butt. Lol. And of course I had to be smart…

I don’t think I’m pretty, but I agree with what you’re saying. I know a lot of people who think pretty girls are dingy and empty headed. Not true at all…

@sassypenguin@xanga - I knew plenty of ugly chicks who were also bitches. That combo just gets you a sad, lonely life.

Because smart girls know that modeling is a short lived career and they put time into a job that utilizes their long-term intelligence instead of their pretty short-term appearance.

Well I’m tired of the stereotype that smart girls aren’t pretty.

you shouldn’t complain about the stereotype. why should you care? you get the best of both worlds; intelligence and beauty.

-an ugly, dumb girl.

i feel like you need to eat a slice of humble pie, ma’am.

@Daniella_Aalyiah_Li@xanga - i’m glad i’m not the only one who feels that way. <3 im not smart and i am so sick of my mother saying it…because she has too. im worse than average. i don’t try, i don’t care, i’m nothing.

Funnily enough, I know what you mean. I used to want to model and I know what it’s like to have my beauty taken away from me. Great thing is, I still have my brain. My friend’s always wanting me to model for her because she’s an artist. Yeah, okay, I’m flattered. But, I think my brain is much more precious than my looks. However, I’m vain. So sue me.

blah blah blah

I’m soo smart.. I’m soo pretty… feel bad for me

don’t worry about them.  Besides 75% of people are ugly/average and 75% of people are dumb/ average.  So since over 75% of girls here say they are both prety AND smart, just assume they are lieing

@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - Pretty sure you spent more than 5 seconds on this subject..

I’ve always been regarded as well rounded; pretty/ cute/ hot/ smart/ funny

it helps that I love and believe in myself. I come across as attractive to other people. I’ve never gotten “wow you’re pretty AND smart” because I tend to give off that vibe within 5 minutes of meeting me, people know how down to earth I am.

it’s not that hard to not come across as a floozy… I don’t understand your stereotype here because I’ve never experienced it. I know what you mean, I’ve heard this before… that pretty girls can’t be smart. I’ve just never been stereotyped that way. who knows why?

Very well written post. I really enjoy your posts; they’re always very insightful. I’m no model, but people are always surprised when they see me. I was the ugly, awkward (well, I’m still awkward, haha), geeky Asian girl that everybody depended on for class notes like you too! But now that I’ve gotten older, I put in a little more effort into my appearance (well, only on special occasions haha!), and people are always surprised when they see me because now I’m cute/pretty, whatever. Eh… it’s both a good and a bad. Not a big fan of the attention, and the stereotypes that pretty Asian girls put more effort into their appearance than studying. Okay, I’m rambling. Nice post! 

@martaa143@xanga - and apparently so did you.

the stereotype exist because people are afraid of intelligent women so they immediately label intelligent women ugly.  i happen to think i’m a smart girl and attractive also.

I too am a model. Last night I was on a date with a guy (who works on a farm I used to live by) and mid conversation after awesome grease filled pizza just stops me mid sentance with like a look of awe on his face and he said “Wow you actually have a brain.” Like it was a news headline or something. I was definitely put off, as I’m used to people thinking I’m dumb, which is not helped by the fact that I really don’t talk vocally all that much. (Silence is my friend).
I’m always put off when guys think I’m all looks(or care just for my looks) and (that I’m not some dark haired barbie) no brain.

I have a fat ass. 

This makes me happy. I was the same as you in highschool, I just left it though. I’m working on losing weight. *sigh* and yeah, people still get shocked when I start talking to them about things with substance. It’s rather annoying, though it can be used to your advantage. 

Hey I am coming to this discussion a year later, and I know that is an eternity in Internet time, but I completely connect with this post! I have been looking for a post that discusses this issue as an issue and that does not reduce it to ego-driven drivel. Though I believe it is connected to the development of a young woman’s self-esteem. I am definitely not a model, but people have told me that I am very pretty. However, growing up, when I would be at the top of my class in high school (we had grades posted in classes by student number), people would never assume that the top grade was mine. When I was asked about a particular grade by a classmate, they would be shocked that I got high As. I was told the whole gamut of excuses for my grades: that I wasn’t really that smart, that I just worked hard at studying (most of these complaints were from my male classmates); that my comments were long and unwieldy (haha); that I wasn’t really that smart, I just used big words. I was even asked by a high school English teacher to write a whole paragraph on Hamlet in front of her after class because she didn’t believe that I could write the first essay on my own, without outside help. And then as I got into university, I was told that my male professors just had a preference for me (again, mostly by my male classmates), etc. All of this was kind of needless and unnecessary. I understood that their feelings about my grades had a lot more to do with their feelings about themselves than about me, but it has definitely affected my confidence level a little about myself. I realize you just have to keep on following your goals and to take this kind of criticism not too seriously. No one escapes criticism, not even pretty, smart girls.