Should it be Illegal to Discriminate Against Someone on the Basis of their Physical Appearance?

Abstract This paper explores the conscience debate of appearance-based discrimination or lookism and its potential for legal regulation. Lookism, perpetuated by universal beauty standards, privileges individuals deemed conventionally pretty, neglecting and penalizing those who do not conform. Drawing from perspectives including Andrew Mason, Heather Widdows, and Peter Takáč, this paper examines lookism's moral, psychological, and economic implications. Advocates for government and legal intervention argue that look-based discrimination undermines a person's dignity and has detrimental effects on their holistic health, much like legally protected sectors such as race, gender, and handicap. Conversely, critics argue that legal intervention runs the risk of over-regulation, highlighting difficulties in defining beauty standards and its potential adverse effects on business industries. This paper argues against legal intervention due to the mutability of beauty, the complexity of enforcement, and the predicted harm of labeling people "ugly" by law. It suggests that awareness and reform within society may be more effective in combating the harmful effects of lookism without compromising individual autonomy or economic innovation.