Mirror, Mirror

Here's The Boston Phoenix on the creep of the 'sexy sells' notion into publishing.

I heard Zadie Smith respond to this issue at a reading when she was asked if her own beauty gave her an advantage in the book world. We, the audience, were incensed at the guy who brought up the topic and collectively disowned him in our heads as a jerk. Unfortunately, his question was both uncouth and timely. Essentially, Smith replied that if she was a man she'd probably never have been asked the question and that whatever role attractiveness plays in publishing, the writing is most important.

I think Smith's right that female writers (female anybodies, really) are more likely to have to deal with this kind of attack, but as the Phoenix article points out, good-looking, young male writers are starting to attract the same doubters. I also agree that writing will still triumph over glamour, but concede that sun-kissed skin and a searing gaze can't hurt your chances in the visual culture of today.

It's terrible that anyone's work is judged against the gifts or shortcomings of their appearance but it's a standard so out of place in the publishing world as to be absurd. In the case of actors, for example, it's unfair to equate good looks with talent, but the comparison at least has a logical origin. Humans generally prefer beauty to ugliness. We have to see actors because of the medium they work in. Therefore, we will want to look at beautiful actors most often and they will likely become more successful. That's not an admirable stance, but it's a rational one in the context of our ingrained views. On the other hand, writing is among the few celebrity-type professions that can create hugely successful, exalted stars but provide enough anonymity for those stars to wander the streets relatively unbothered. No one has to look at anything beyond an author's words unless they choose to. If we can't keep 'sexy sells' out of a form that's based on text not images, it doesn't bode well for the future of any industry. Postal workers, you better start getting your headshots in order.