Being Pretty Is a Privilege. So, What Happens If I’m Not?

I learned early on that I did not fall into the traditional description of “pretty.” It wasn't the go-to adjective people used to describe me. I wasn't that popular girl in class who effortlessly turned heads and won favors nor the winner of Miss This or Most That. 

Kids and adults alike would casually remark, often unwittingly, about my features, my stubborn acne, or my body. Unsurprisingly, like many teens, I struggled with my appearance well past high school.