I’ve mentioned my general belief that physical appearance is just as important in our interactions with people as race and gender. And I’ve occasionally wondered whether anyone would ever propose legal protections to prevent people from being discriminated on the basis of their looks. It turns out there is a new book called “The Beauty Bias” that makes that exact proposal.

Seen from a certain angle, it makes sense. People have no control over their gender or race, nor do they their attractiveness. If we’re going to offer civil protections for the former, then we should for the latter.

However, it seems like one more step down the slippery slope of trying to legislate away the inherent unfairness of the world. And I think our culture is a long way away from ever being able to voice statements like, “You got fired, Frank? You should get a lawyer because it’s probably due to your hideous, troll like appearance. Your facial features are so ghastly I can hardly bear to look at you.” For various reasons, we still blame the ugly for their looks. (In some cases, justifiably so: the Epicurean appetites and slothlike behavior of the gigantically overweight — like the hulking monstrosity who works at the checkout counter of my local Walgreens — usually explains their size.)