The pseudoscientific scale looksmaxxers use to rate each other

About this episode

This episode explores the PSL scale, a pseudoscientific attractiveness rating system used by looksmaxxers, and its origins in the manosphere.

If you have teenagers in your life, they’ll probably have heard of the PSL scale. Or at least the language associated with it. Chad. Stacy. Normie. Subhuman. The PSL scale is a pseudoscientific attractiveness rating system used by looksmaxxers, men in a part of the manosphere who can go to extreme methods to change their appearance. The roots of this rating system lie in misogynistic online forums used by incels or involuntarily celibates, but now it’s all over social media. So how did the language of incels, and this one way of quantifying attractiveness and beauty, go so mainstream? In this episode, we speak to Jordan Foster, an associate professor of sociology at MacEwan University in Alberta, Canada, who researches social media, beauty and masculinity. He explains the origins of the PSL scale, where it fits into the manosphere, and how some looksmaxxing influencers are making money off it. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood and Gemma Ware was the executive producer. Mixing by Eleanor Brezzi and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Read the f ull credits for this episode and sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation. If you like the show, please…

People in this episode

Hosts: Katie Flood, Gemma Ware

Guest: Jordan Foster

Topics covered

• PSL scale
• looksmaxxing
• manosphere
• incels
• attractiveness rating
• social media
• masculinity

Keywords

• PSL scale
• looksmaxxing
• attractiveness
• incels
• manosphere
• social media
• masculinity
• Jordan Foster
• Katie Flood
• Gemma Ware

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MacEwan University, The Conversation

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