• ThelsimM
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    1 year ago

    You raise a thoughtful point and it definitely has made me think, thank you for that.

    I guess when you think about it. Of course it’s discrimination to treat people differently based on their physical appearance, especially those attributes they are born with or unable to change. And calling someone “ugly” because of their appearance is hurtful and dehumanizes them.
    But I still feel someone can be ugly because of who they are, how they behave towards others and the way it reflects on them. Someone who’s ugly on the inside, mean spirited, petty, vindictive, etc. should be able to be called as such. I know it’s not what you meant, but I just wanted to clarify that.

    So yes, I agree, it’s discriminating to call someone ugly based on their physical appearance. It’s also the reason why I felt so disturbed with what I shared. I’m not going into details for those who didn’t see, but I felt it was a hurtful depiction of seniors. I should’ve listened to my heart sooner.

    • ricecake
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      1 year ago

      I don’t know that it’s discriminating so much as it’s unkind. Discriminating would be if you treated them unkindly because they were ugly.

      It’s not that everyone is beautiful, it’s that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their appearance.

      The reason it sits wrong with me to say it’s discrimination is because the perception of beauty is a subjective thing closely related to perception of attractiveness, and is largely beyond an individuals control.

      OPs image, for example, bears a striking resemblance to what my father looked like, except angry and with bags under his eyes. I wouldn’t have called him ugly, because that would be a cruel thing to say to such a kind warm person, but he was not an aesthetically appealing man.
      It’s just a fact of life that 80 year olds are rarely beautiful in the conventional aesthetic sense. Doesn’t mean they don’t deserve respect, kindness and care.