Re: A female friend called me a pervert today :(

"Pervert?" I don't think so. But look-ist, yes.

A gratuity is a reward for behaviour; it is designed to reinforce, or punish someone for something they can change. To tip for cuteness rewards the genetically fortunate for their accidental fortune in a society which already rewards beauty and punishes "ugliness."

I don't think that its atypical or sexist insofar as most women are demonstrably guilty of favoring the handsome over the shlumpy. But it doesn't do much to redress the social ills caused by favoritism based upon appearance.

Imagine if someone had said that they tip more for someone who appears "Whiter?" As an aesthetic preference, that's neither here nor there. As a reward reinforcement, that's another thing entirely.

There's nothing wrong with admiring physical beauty, nor with tipping higher in forgiveness of a newbie's mistakes. But rewarding looks alone seems to guarantee that those who look like most of us do will miss-out on the "handsomeness gratuity."

Dante