‘Being hot is now a job requirement’

In a story with the provocative headline “Being hot is now a job requirement,” Business Insider makes the case that the popularity of GLP-1 drugs, modern skincare routines, high-end gyms and Botox have created workplace cultures that place an even higher emphasis on beauty and attractiveness. Noting that research has long shown that attractive, thin people have advantages, the article says, “Because conventional beauty has never been more accessible, the expectation that the average worker attains it has perhaps never been higher.” It focuses on PR executive Emily Reynolds, who says she feels pressure to look young. “How long will I be quote-unquote publicly perceived as attractive?" Reynolds says. "And when I'm not, what happens to me professionally? That's the thing I think about daily." The mass adoption of AI also makes it easier to manipulate images.