A woman has started a debate online about “ugly privilege” after she revealed how it benefits her.
The internet has been buzzing with chats about “pretty privilege”, which is the idea that the beautiful ones often get more chances in life because of their looks.
However, one woman on TikTok has gone viral with her talk of “ugly privilege”, claiming that it’s beneficial to not be the most attractive person in the room.
She doesn’t see herself as “ugly”, but believes most men don’t find her attractive, which she sees as a win.
In a viral video, Sarah explained what the phrase means after some commenters insisted she is “pretty”.
While she thanked her followers for their kind words, she said “ugly privilege” isn’t meant to be a negative thing.
She shared: “When I say I have ‘ugly privilege’ it’s not necessarily that I think I’m an ugly individual, that’s not what I mean. I’ve been told plenty of times throughout my life that I’m pretty. But when I say I have ugly privilege, what I mean by that is men, in general, don’t find me attractive.
“For the most part, men think I’m ugly, and they leave me alone. And to me, that’s a privilege. How do I know men aren’t attracted to me? Because they’re not flirting with me, they’re not hitting on me, they’re not trying to get my phone number, they’re not asking me out. Men in real life mostly leave me alone, it’s very rare that I get male attention in real life.
“That’s what I mean when I say I have ugly privilege. It’s a privilege to be left alone by men because they find me ugly.”
The video sparked comments as viewers jumped on the “ugly privilege” bandwagon, many confessing that they often feel overlooked by men, which they consider a positive.
Some also highlighted the sense of safety they feel when travelling solo, knowing they’re less likely to be approached by strangers.
One viewer said: “I gained weight and actually really liked no longer having that attention. I never thought about it as ‘ugly privilege’, but I love this!”
Another commented: “We are just invisible. Men take no notice and, while it does hurt the ego a bit, it leaves us feeling comfortable and relatively safe in most situations!”
A third shared their experience: “I used to crave male attention when I was younger but as I approached 30 I started to realise how nice it was to be basically ignored. I like being left alone.”