The next Dalai Lama could be a woman, but apparently she would have to be a babe.

Last week, BBC interviewer Clive Myrie asked the 14th Dalai Lama if, when he dies, there would be a 15th and whether his successor could potentially be a woman.

The Tibetan religious leader answered that, yes, it could be a woman since, biologically, women have a greater tendency toward affection and compassion, making them a great fit for the gig.

This response was almost progressive, but unfortunately he didn’t stop there. Rather, he said, “If a female Dalai Lama comes, their face should be very attractive.” Oops.

Too often, women not only have to qualify and earn the job like men, but are pressured to look great while doing it. A woman’s ability to lead is not affected by her appearance because beauty does not equate to kindness, compassion or a strong skillset.

The Internet agrees. Self-acceptance is a hot-button issue for Generation Y, and young people are quick to recognize and point out microaggressions. Twitter users went online to share shock and disappointment, calling the Dalai Lama misogynistic using hashtags like #DalaiLamaSexist.

Myrie gave the leader the benefit of the doubt, asking him to clarify what he meant, thinking it was a clumsy joke. But, the Dalai Lama reiterated his viewpoint, saying, “I mean, if female Dalai Lama come, then that female must be very attractive, otherwise not much use.”

Women’s rights activists thought the Dalai Lama’s comment took one step forward and three steps back.

“While we’re pleased to hear the Dalai Lama is in favor of the possibility of a female Dalai Lama, we’re surprised and greatly disappointed that a man of such compassion and wisdom could express such a retrograde opinion,” said Nicole Rowe, spokeswoman for the charity Progressive Women, in an interview with The Guardian.

That being said, the religious leader’s comments probably do not warrant a diagnosis of full-blown sexism. To provide some context, an attractive form is deemed an important feature of human rebirth in the Buddhist religion. Plus, the Dalai Lama has long been an inspirational, tolerant and genial leader. For all the good he has done, we shouldn’t be hard-pressed to look past his comment.

At the same time, the comments are important because they are common. Earlier this month, presidential hopeful Donald Trump brought beauty standards into politics by calling Republican rival Carly Fiorina ugly.

“Look at that face!” Trump said. “Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?”

The beauty standard does not exist for men to the extent that it does for women. At the very least, if Fiorina’s face should make us doubt her ability to run a country, so should Trump’s comb-over.

Comments that focus on a woman’s looks undermine a woman’s ability because they imply she’s more like an ornament than a leader — something to be seen and not heard.

People are tired of hearing comments about women’s looks in situations where it does not matter. Enough with the emphasis on appearance — a person’s qualities or potential is not reflected by something as random as physical traits.

These foot-in-mouth exchanges highlight an unfair mentality toward women that is not new, but people must be more vocal than ever in rallying to change it.

Alison Gala is a senior public relations major and Spanish minor. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at aegala@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @alison_gala.

Published on September 29, 2015 at 12:08 am