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Dear Papi, I'm 25, just moved back to my hometown, and on three dating apps with no years of relationship experience under my belt. Papi, the truth is I'm beginning to think I'm I feel I have a lot to give, but when it comes to getting a boyfriend, I'm scared I don't look the part.
I know it might sound shallow, but it's all I can think about right now. What should I do, and will I ever find love? Yours, Ugly Duckling. I'm glad you came to me with this, because I've been clinically ugly for the past couple decades or so. I know it might sound hard to believe, given my luxurious, beautiful, intimidating exterior, but it's true.
As a person with dysmorphia, a condition that distorts my perception of my body, not a day goes by that I don't feel "ugly. That's sort of what "ugly" is, isn't it? A feeling? For me, it's an uncomfortable hunch that everyone is seeing the exact part of my body I'm most insecure about and placing the exact same value judgment on it that I am: that I am an unsightly troll whose physical features will either elicit laughter or pity.
But this "worst case scenario" raises a question: So what? What if some people do feel sorry for me, for my looks? What if they do laugh at me? Does that make them right? Does that reaction indeed make me an unlovable swamp creature destined to roam the world alone? Well, no. Those are leaps in logic based on scattershot evidence. Now, I'm not saying there's no such thing as beauty standards, nor am I denying that people will treat you differently because of your appearances.
