You’d Look Prettier if You Smiled More

You’d Look Prettier if You Smiled More from Britt Thomas on Vimeo.

This is a 1:45 segment from a 7:00 long single-channel video (without audio). In this video, a woman smiles for as long as she can physically endure it. As the video progresses, she becomes more and more strained. The title presents a frequent unprovoked and misguided “compliment” made by men to women. Social expectations based on gender norms demand that women be attractive and submissive, always smiling and accommodating. While that statement may sound dated, unfortunately women are still constantly asked to smile and perform emotional labor for the aesthetic pleasure of others.