(Photo courtesy of TikTok.com) Wesley Glouchkov’s TikTok page.

Jesse Nguyen
Connector Staff

The concept of pretty privilege, or more scientifically known as “the halo effect,” has always interested me. There are a lot of things a person can do to improve their reputation and others’ perception of them. A person can work harder, become smarter, more well-mannered, etc. There is nothing, however, that guarantees more positive perception than being physically attractive.

This is proven, in a study called “The Effects of Attractiveness and Status on Personality Evaluation” by Stefano Tartaglia and Chiara Rollero, it was shown that attractive individuals were perceived with positive characteristics based solely on the fact that they were attractive. They were seen as kinder, more altruistic, etc. On a macro scale, I see this most often with problematic Tik Tok influencers and celebrities like Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp. Despite proven accusations, they still retain fanfare.

I think pretty privilege has always existed, but with the rise of “looksmaxxing” and blackpill culture (the claim that men’s romantic and sexual success is predetermined by genetics and physical appearance, and that self-improvement is futile) on social media, I think pretty privilege is more prevalent than ever. It’s why the beauty and cosmetic industry is so huge, they prey on people’s insecurities and the belief that becoming attractive will fix their lives.

Blackpill is an inherently misogynistic belief, since it views society as a sexual marketplace. There is unfortunately some truth in their beliefs, humans are just naturally drawn to pretty things. On the other hand, it is also filled with racist pseudo-science beliefs and advice thinly veiled over eugenics. Blackpill culture ultimately fails to see the bigger picture of the human condition, completely ignoring aspects about humans such as their personalities, hobbies, etc.

So, I don’t agree with blackpill culture at all. However, I do observe how some of their beliefs are brought to life. I mentioned Tik Tok fitness influencers earlier because when I saw MAGA gym influencer Wesley Glouchkov invited to Versace fashion week in Milan, I felt a little uneasy. He is seen wearing a white shirt with the back cut out exposing his back muscles. Keep in mind, Versace was founded by a gay man, Gianni Versace.

The whole thing honestly reads as a straight man exploiting queerness as a rebrand. The comments on his post are filled with gay men thirsting over him and women assuming he turned gay because of the outfit he wore, which in of itself is kind of weird, but I have an issue with how gay men seem to turn a blind eye to the fact that he doesn’t have an ounce of respect for them, yet Glouchkov wouldn’t even have a platform without them.

I think this is a fact that a lot of straight, homophobic fitness influencers need to accept. The majority of their following is going to be gay men. Their sense of fashion, physique and overall appearance appeals to gay men more than it does to women. They are pretty much the ideal beauty standard in the gay community, muscular, white, strong jaw, tall, etc. I’ve seen it time and time again, a straight man gains fame and status from showing off his body online, and he then shows discontent and anger that he’s not attracting women and its gay men flocking to his page instead.

Or they love to co-opt gay pop culture because the disillusioned gays and girls love it. These influencers then turn around and proceed to vote for people and policies that directly harm their supporters in every way possible. It’s all performative, they love the money they bring in through gays, but they also want them erased from society. I understand how a gender they’re not attracted to constantly flirting with them could make them uncomfortable. At the same time, I’m not sure what they’re expecting, and the boldness to disregard the people that made them relevant is an extreme abuse of privilege.

The only reason Glouchkov still has gay men in his grip is because he is so hot, but is that all it takes nowadays to be doted on? A sense of hopelessness enveloped me when I saw this all unfold earlier last week. A historically gay brand inviting a homophobic man to their event, giving him success and flowers, just… feels wrong. In my opinion, if you say “people who accept money from OnlyFans are whores,” yet you spend all your time half naked on the internet showing off your abs, also making money, that’s just pure hypocrisy. Nobody bats at an eye at your hypocrisy however, since they’re too busy looking at your abs.