Congratulating Samantha Brick

I'd be lying if I tried to say I haven't seen Daily Mail reporter Samantha Brick's "beautiful" face every time I've opened my computer in the past few days. She's on my Facebook feed, she's up in my Twitter, people are talking about her on every forum and social site I visit, in fact.

Because as a devastatingly average-looking woman, she dared to write this: Why Women Hate Me for Being Beautiful: The Downsides to Looking This Pretty.

To her I say, well done.

First, I rolled my eyes, and thought, yes, dear, it must be so awful to be completely ordinary. Then I thought, perhaps people aren't asking you to be their bridesmaid because you sound so self-centered and boring. Then I thought, she's totally delusional, look at her. Then I thought, (and this is where the brilliance comes in on her part), you're a total asshole. Maybe she is gorgeous. Who are you to judge someone else's looks?

The thing is, had an extraordinarily pretty woman written that piece, she'd still have been flamed. Because it's a fake thing to complain about. Can your looks prevent you from getting a promotion or job? Yeah, you know, they could. But that scenario is rarer than rare and cannot compare to other discrimination problems in the workplace. Or maybe you have to dress yourself down, and wear unflattering make up so as not to feed on female jealousy and you don't like having to change who you are?

Or maybe, as women, we can all simmer down. It's not enough to have to fight for our rights in this society daily? We also have to fight each other over who is prettier? And prettier to whom? And for what? Is Brick saying she'd rather be a bridesmaid than get free champagne? Well, I guess as a bridesmaid, you would get free champagne, anyway, right? So there goes that...of course she would.

In my opinion, this article is glorious. Here is a regular woman speaking as if she's never seen a mirror in her life. And the backlash has been even better. She says 'see, these comments only prove my point!' Because motivation is a funny and personal thing, she could have a million people telling her she's an ugly, vain narcissist, and she could turn around and say, 'you're only saying that because you're so jealous that I'm so pretty.'

Amazing win.

On the Today Show this morning, she continued the charade, but did admit that it was "partly tongue and cheek" and that it wasn't about how attractive she was, but about perception.

No kidding. I'm surprised so many people missed that, but that's art for you.

Samantha Brick is a reporter for the Daily Mail. Her beat is "trolling," seriously. She's been doing this for years and years, looking for a hit. Surprisingly, great columns like "I Use my Sex Appeal at Work...and so Does Any Woman Who Has Any Sense," and "Would You Let Your Husband Dress You" only made minor splashes.

Finally, after persistence and time (I mean, I probably would have given up after the Sex Appeal article didn't go viral), she's made it. And she deserves it.

Bravo, Samantha.

Sexism didn't do it. Misogyny didn't work. Objectification of women? Nothing. Subjugation of women? No interest.

It took an average woman calling herself pretty to get the world's attention.

So...forget Brick for a moment. What does that say about us?


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