Studies have shown that people who wear glasses are discriminated against. Despite being expected to be of higher intelligence than those who do not wear glasses, eyeglass wearers are more likely to be bullied and called names in school; to be given less attention and customer service in stores; and less likely to be selected as attractive on dating websites (scientists speculate its a subconscious mating selection- as a visible disability, this implies the glasses-wearer is less healthy and thus unsuitable gene-contributor in the mating process). Studies have shown teachers have graded more harshly towards students with glasses, expecting higher grades. Men with glasses have been reported in self-surveys as being less threatening to the observer and perceived as less likely to defend themselves in fights in school bully studies. As someone whose worn glasses and contacts for years I can say Ive found it to be true. Today a coworker who had not seen me without glasses made the comment, You look better. You look attractive, and dont look old. She meant no harm but it was offensive. Even the day I renewed my contacts I observed a lot of strange coincidences: * I went in after many people at the eye doctor who were wearing glasses. I was processed and out the door before several had even been called back to see the doctor. One woman was upset with the receptionist because she felt she was being ignored. * I went in a restaurant and was in line to order behind two people wearing glasses. I (and the lady behind me, who wasnt wearing glasses) got our food before the two glasses-wearers, despite the fact that my order was slightly more complicated. We also were thanked and given a smile, but while getting condiments, I noticed the clerk just slapped the food down on the counter and walked away afterwards with the young man in glasses who had ordered before me. I used to notice when I wore glasses that restaurants were apt to ignore me or brutally mess up a simple order while everyone else at the table had no issues. There was one year at our company holiday party that I, as the only person wearing glasses in a large group of coworkers, was the only person that the server just forgot to get an order from - TWICE! Then she was slow about finally getting my meal to me, and got it wrong twice as well. This same scenario played out again the following year at the holiday party, but the third year it did not. (The third year I was wearing contacts ironically.)
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 03:21:36 +0000