Leggings, a t-shirt and running shoes are my go-to when heading to class, along with no makeup and messy hair to complete the look. Around me, other women also seem to be in the same outfits bustling about campus with a Dutch Bros drink in hand.
Then Friday night arrives and I bust out a different ensemble. My hair is perfectly curled, my makeup is perfectly painted on and my outfit is picked out to highlight my best assets.
Personally, and possibly for other college women, I dress for myself because it makes me feel good to look good. However, there is that one phrase buried deep in ASU women's minds that may drive us to not leave the house if one curl is out of place or — God forbid — we forgot our highlight.
ASU has the hottest girls.
These types of lists can have harmful effects on college-aged women by creating certain beauty standards while attending ASU.
These lists that float around the internet are hard to ignore. The stereotypical women that are promoted by these lists do not represent the entire ASU population.
This can make some who don't think that they fit into into this category feel they are less than they are. Especially considering the diversity at ASU, not every person may fall into these stereotypes.
With a simple Google search, one can find trivial sites, like Ranker, that are voted on by the public and have decided ASU has the hottest college women.
It isn’t only sites like Ranker that further this problem. In previous years, Maxim posted an article titled "Top Ten Colleges With The Hottest Student Bodies, Ranked" that stated ASU was ranked number three overall. According to an article from Phoenix New Times, the "saucy Sun Devils" were ranked number one on a compiled list of colleges with the most attractive women.
With ASU being dubbed this title, it can push college women to become insecure about different aspects that they previously didn't have an issue with.
According to International OCD Foundation, “Body Dysmorphic Disorder affects 1.7 percent to 2.9 percent of the general population. This means that more than 5 million people to nearly 10 million people in the United States alone have BDD.”
By perpetuating certain beauty standards, it creates more body negativity and increases insecurities for simply attending a college like ASU.
Isabella Richey, an ASU sophomore majoring in elementary education, said the discussion surrounding the issue with these lists are something her and her friends have constantly brought up.
“Skinny, blonde and tan — labels like these can definitely make you think twice about yourself and wonder if you’re pretty enough or good enough to go to a school where we’re all supposed to be extremely hot and look a certain way,” Richey said. “I think girls need to realize that looking different is one hundred percent not a bad thing at all."
Instead of changing oneself to conform to certain beauty standards, it is key to channel that energy into becoming comfortable with the bodies we have, no matter where a school ranks on a list.
Reach the columnist at psaso@asu.edu and follow @paytonsaso on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the authors’ and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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