The Pretty Girl Syndrome

As a woman who some may deem attractive I take offense at the world when they try to insinuate that pretty women use their looks and physical attributes to make their way in the world.

I have been dealing with this sort of prejudice my entire life. When going to school and I would kvetch about coming third in my class, most members of my family would down grade my dissatisfaction with “Nothing a pretty dress can’t fix…”

Although they wanted me to be educated, since I had a certain attractive presence about me many of my academic tirades were relegated to “Go play with some pretty colored crayons…”

Growing up in Central America, women were often urged to get a good education. Beauty or attractive looks was just icing on the cake. However, parents expected their daughters to attract quality, educated persons who could afford them the lifestyles they were accustomed to.

Parents educated their daughters to be able to take care of themselves but, they expected a good suitor to come along and do the right thing.

Whilst working in the corporate sector I never traded on my looks to get preferential treatment or to shirk my responsibilities. As a matter of fact, I worked harder than the average woman to prove myself because I was often besieged with this buxom blonde image just because of how I was naturally built.

Many times, even if I was certified and approved by MENSA as a genius I often felt the prejudice of both men and women believing I was just some shiksa looking for “something” or trying to shake up the environment when all I wanted to do was build a career and earn a paycheck.

I was not raised to be suspicious of everyone. Nevertheless, due to my naïve nature and gullible demeanor, even when I was being sexually harassed it took me a long while to decipher what was actually going on.

The neon sign had to be blinking twice as hard for me to say, “Oh! This is what is really behind all the antics and shenanigans…”

Many times because of the way I looked men in business sought to exploit me. For them I was an easy prey because I was naïve and gullible. Not because I was stupid, but because I had been raised to look for the good in people. I never knew charlatans existed until I entered the business world.

Some of my critics may assume I used my feminine wiles to climb the corporate ladder, but those who know me well will know I never paraded my body around to receive favors. As a matter of fact, I would wear turtle necks and jackets even on warm days because I was aware of my physical attributes and I knew that naysayers would always try to flip the script.

The only part of my anatomy I ever showed were my legs and oftentimes it was at the bidding of my female co-workers. When I would wear skirts which were mid-length, they would bring their kits with pins and hike my skirt up a few inches exclaiming, “If you have nice gams, flaunt them!”

I am aware there are some women who believe their fellow sisters suffer from “pretty girl syndrome”. It is a condition where attractive women believe the world revolves around them or owes them everything just because of their appearance.

I was not raised that way. My foundation was based on …Getting a good education…Never taking something for nothing…Giving an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.

I have found in business that no matter how smart I was or how hard I toiled I would forever be decreased to the pretty mascot of the companies I worked for.

I was an employee for a large investment firm who gave me a nice position but at the end of the day they wanted me just to look amazing so they could attract the crème de la crème of brokers.

I became exasperated when I was not given any work to do and my boss would tell me “Just sit an look pretty…” For me that was difficult. I do not like to be idle and staring at the four walls was not enthralling.

Eventually, I ended up leaving because although some women would find being a mascot flattering I did not.

Over the years I have met suitors who wanted to give me the world as long as I conformed to their program and I refused. My critics may have thought, “There she goes again trading on her attributes!”

They probably believed all the attention and trinkets were enough for me. But, for a girl with big dreams, plans and a intricate mind that was never enough. My ideal mate was always the person who recognized my abilities and gave me the platform to run with them. I am the sort of woman who earns her keep in a professional manner.

As I have said many times in my life, I am in my middle ages and I have never met a man professional or otherwise who sought to build me up based on my own merit. On my worst day I am able to be a credit to them.

So, to the naysayers who believe all pretty women are sirens putting men in trances just to get their bidding done….All I have to say to that is “Codswallop!”

This woman knows that if you live your life based on your external attributes you will forever be in a state of anxiety. Men are fickle and pretty women are a dime a dozen. As sure as the sun shines there will always be a vixen prettier than you.

These are the reasons why my parents have often encouraged me to be artistic and to engage in entrepreneurial endeavors. Because the men of today are not promoters of women. The majority seek to tear them down any way they are able to.

They talk about women being gold diggers but they don’t mind leaving your bank account empty in order to help themselves. A good percentage of the men today want to slip into ready made lives. Yet, when women demand to have substantial men they are whores du jours and coal miners.

There are many women who say they are self made yet they run around barely clad showing legs, tits and arse on a daily basis. Yes, they may be peddling some products, but honestly, we all know they are really peddling S-E-X.

No one, who wants to be taken seriously goes around letting it all hang out. It is a scientific fact that men think of sex every sixty seconds, so when women go around showing their nethers what do you suppose happens?

They want to shtup every gal within a 5 inch radius of them. Contrary to what my critics may think of me, I am not on the prowl all the time and I am not in the business to romp where I work.

There are some men who have been enabled to behave badly. As long as there are other women and men cheering them on they will continue to do so until there are dire consequences.