A Statement About Beauty: On Public Shaming, Privilege, and the Weaponization of Appearance

By Sally Vazquez-Castellanos

It is deeply troubling—and morally indefensible—that any individual would participate in the public shaming of another person based on beauty, physical features, or perceived attractiveness. To engage in such conduct, particularly through social media or other public channels, reflects a profound abuse of privilege and platform.

As a woman, a mother, and a professional, I reject the normalization of commentary that seeks to degrade or humiliate based on appearance. It is not just offensive—it is harmful. This behavior has long been used to marginalize, control, and erase the voices of women and marginalized groups, and it continues to inflict real emotional and psychological damage on people of all ages and backgrounds.

To anyone who has been harmed by this kind of conduct, I want to express my sincere regret. No person—especially no woman—should have to carry the burden of cruelty disguised as commentary. Those who engage in this behavior from positions of extreme privilege must be held to account for the culture they foster and the harm they cause.

It is particularly outrageous that this form of abuse has been repackaged as entertainment, satire, or even political gamesmanship. When ridicule becomes a public sport, when appearance is weaponized to silence or discredit, we lose not only civility—we risk public safety, mental health, and the integrity of our shared digital spaces.

This conduct places all social media users at risk. It encourages a climate of hostility, fuels online harassment, and emboldens those who seek to use technology to control, diminish, or erase others. It also sends a dangerous message to young people: that your worth can be measured—and publicly judged—based on surface traits alone.

I will continue to speak out against this type of dehumanization and to support efforts that foster dignity, inclusion, and respect. Our society cannot afford to treat human beings as targets or characters in someone else’s spectacle.