Why is America like this? I literally never got any attention from girls until I grew out my hair and got fit (see last pics). It’s honestly kind of wild because I never thought I was unattractive before, but comparing how people treat me now versus before feels like night and day.

This makes me wonder: is it really just a matter of white girl preferences, or is there something deeper about societal standards of attractiveness at play here? I’m curious if anyone else has experienced something similar—especially other Asian guys. Did you feel like you had to fit into a specific mold to be noticed or appreciated?

It’s frustrating to think that so much of how people perceive us might boil down to surface-level changes like hairstyle or fitness, especially when we’re often already navigating stereotypes about Asian masculinity in Western contexts.

Let’s talk about it—does changing your appearance actually change how people perceive you, or is it more about the confidence that comes with self-improvement? And how much of this is tied to racial dynamics versus general beauty standards?