OK to admit looks matter

Being attracted to beauty is natural.

There once was a young man named Narcissus who thought he looked so good he compared himself to the gods.

As a result, he fell in love with his own image and wasted away gazing at his own reflection by the bank of a river.

Though this may be the extreme end of the situation, when it comes to beauty I can’t help but wonder, “How important are looks when it comes to first impressions and choosing a mate?”

Yes, everyone wants to believe that looks don’t matter, but when you first see someone do you say, “Wow, look at the personality on him or her?”

No.

The only thing you initially know about a person before you actually give him or her your number or your time is his or her physical appearance.

Just think about it.

Remember that time you turned down that guy or girl because they were unattractive to you? Or that time when you brushed off that new person because they were just “not your type” and placed them in the “friends-only” category?

Don’t feel bad. Most of us are guilty of it. But did you ever wonder if that person would have had everything else you were looking for in a mate but was just, for lack of a better term, “beauty-challenged?”

Don’t get me wrong, looks are not everything. And only when you continue to get to know someone will his or her personality be revealed.

So, the question then recycles itself, “What initially attracted you to them?”

An article written by Anthony Cape on www.askmen.com, a Web site specifically designed for men, states, ” The bottom line is that even though we (men) may sometimes notice the body first, the face is the determining factor in taking that crucial next step, approaching a women to get to know her.”

The article goes on to say, “Whether you’re at work, in a restaurant or in a bar, the first thing that grabs your attention is usually the hair, eyes and lips.

“A woman may be all that elsewhere, but if the face doesn’t please you, you’re not likely going to approach her for her number.”

Though people try to say men and women value different things during first impressions, one thing is held in the top five, and that is physical attractiveness.

Now, whether physical attractiveness is No. 1 or No. 5 on your list of priorities for a mate, you must admit that looks do play some part in your decision process.

Just make sure you are not putting too much emphasis on looks. Don’t substitute looks for personality because, after all, looks do fade.

Keep in mind that even the most beautiful face and body can’t make up for a nasty personality, so make sure a person’s physical attributes aren’t your only deciding factors.

Katrelle Simmons is a junior English education student from Orlando. She can be reached at famuanopinions@hotmail.com.