What Working Women Can Learn from Ashley Judd’s Experience

If you have watched television at all this week, it would have been hard to miss the Ashley Judd story. For those who haven’t heard, the actress found herself at the center of a media firestorm when some outlets decided that her face suddenly seemed to look fuller, which they decided was a sign that she had plastic surgery (which the actress denies).

Judd then fought back, calling her “puffy faced moment” a sign of how the media has objectified women. She says this is an issue that affects all women—even if you aren’t in the entertainment industry, you are still being judged by your looks, Judd says.

Research seems to support her statements. A new study showed that women are less likely to hire an attractive woman (perhaps fearing competition for attention), but there have been lots of other research showing beautiful people can often skate by on their looks, at least for a little while.

This can be discouraging for women who have fought for many years to be taken seriously in the workplace for their intelligence and professional skills.

So what can working women—those who aren’t famous—do about this? First, recognize the problem and address it. Judd hopes a silver lining to her experience will be that it will force discussions about the issue. You can also do your part by refusing to contribute or join in these appearance-focused attitudes or judgments.

Lastly, devote yourself to helping efforts that empower and strengthen other women by focusing on their professional development and intellectual growth, so they can work their way up to positions where they can hopefully help change the business culture.

What are your thoughts on the Ashley Judd story? Share thoughts in the comments.  

Image courtesy of AshleyJudd.com