This paper is set within the context of my life journey as a pretty-privileged model and social media content creator in teachers college. Through my life-journey, I have learned the effects of having a public social media platform with a large following and its relationship to preconceived expectations of a students ability based on physical appearance. Based off discrimination by the way of identity, one example of this is the way I was removed from the Bachelor of Education program. I claim that teacher identity needs to be redefined, and the the concern of prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory preconceived ideals based on stereotypes of women need to be addressed in the education system. I claim this because as a White, able-bodied, Catholic and cisgender female, I had a reputable image in my church community and surrounding geographical location — and it still was not enough to maintain credible status as an upcoming
teacher. My career as a successful model undermined my abilities as an above average student; ultimately removing me from the teachers college program based on ‘pretty-privilege’ and sexual objectification as a woman. Although my career in the industry has provided the most amazing experiences, and funded my way through graduate school, my appearance and portrayal of body image was defined as my identity in a classroom setting. I advocate to redefine what the ‘standard and ethical practices’ of educators are, emphasizing that personal identity and image representation have nothing to do with professional or educational success.
