Lookism en artikel 14 EVRM: Schone schijn of schoon genoeg

In the fourth century BC, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that personal beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of reference. Although this quote is centuries old, its content remains highly relevant. Even in today's society, beauty and more generally, appearance, play a prominent role. We are, for instance, all occasionally judged, favoured or even disadvantaged because of our appearance. This unjustified, differential treatment based on appearance is called lookism. The question arises whether article 14 ECHR can provide protection against this time-honoured yet ever-present form of discrimination.