These Are The Social Powers Of Being Skinny
Like it or not, being skinny gives you special privileges – here's what the studies have to say about it.
Being skinny isn’t just about looking good; thinness is a legitimate social currency that opens doors, lands jobs, and boosts paychecks. Is the world unfair? Yes, it is – and it sucks.
However, as someone who used to fall into the victim mentality, I decided enough was enough, and to use these things to my advantage. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether to let society’s rules hold you back or play the game.
Thinness and the Halo Effect
Being slim carries a type of power that most people don't want to talk about out loud, but they definitely notice it. Fluffy_c4ls broke this down perfectly in her viral thread, Thinness as an Investment. She highlights how thinness taps into what is psychologically known as the "halo effect." Simply put, it’s when people assume attractive individuals are smarter, more disciplined, and overall better than others. Attractive people are assumed to have better personalities, stronger work ethics, and even leadership potential.
Waist-to-hip ratio plays a big role in being seen as pretty or thin. A lower ratio (below 0.85, for the stats nerds) is heavily tied to perceived attractiveness.
Thinness Equals More Career Wins
Employers often (consciously or not) link thinness with self-discipline and control. Studies show that overweight women are less likely to land managerial roles and more likely to be stuck in physically demanding, lower-paying jobs.
In fact, research from Vanderbilt University found that overweight women earn significantly less than their thinner counterparts. Kendall Park, a sociology professor at Vanderbilt University, brought this truth to her audience on TikTok.
"Let's talk about the horrifying economics of thinness," Dr. Park says. "There's an inverse relationship between BMI and income in the United States. That is, the richer people are, the thinner they are." She says that women who are 25 lbs overweight earn $16,000 less a year than average-sized women. Men also experience a correlation between weight and income; however, the relationship is different: Men 25 lbs overweight earn $8,000 more than their average-sized counterparts.
These income gaps might even be understated because size bias can prevent some women from even getting their foot in the door. Hiring managers may subconsciously associate thinness with professionalism and overweight with laziness – regardless of actual qualifications.
Marriage, Mates, and Body Politics
Research shows that thinner women are more likely to marry wealthier, more educated partners. This dynamic gets even more competitive in communities with more women than men.
Studies back this up: thinner women tend to secure relationships with men who are taller, richer, and more educated. These findings align with evolutionary theories suggesting physical appearance plays a role in mate selection, with slimness signaling health and fertility.
Men married to thinner women also report greater marital satisfaction.
Looks and Health
There’s also a surprising link between attractiveness and health. A study using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health found that people rated more attractive had lower cardiometabolic risk, a marker of better overall health. While this could reflect evolutionary cues, modern medicine, and lifestyle factors complicate this relationship.
Another study even suggested that attractiveness correlates with immune strength in men. Researchers found that men with stronger immune systems were rated as more attractive. While this wasn’t observed in women, it adds another layer to the conversation about how looks and health intertwine.
Thinness and the Bigger Picture
Thinness comes with social and financial advantages, from better paychecks to higher social status and even stronger romantic prospects. The numbers don’t lie – thin people are often treated differently in ways that shape their opportunities and outcomes.
But it’s not just about genes or luck. Fluffy_c4ls wraps it up best: “Obviously, it's not fair that women are held to a different start and their professional success isn't merit-based. But that's life. You either get right or get left. You should try and maximize your chances of success instead of being sat around waiting for things to change."