In a world where beauty trends can shift dramatically across seasons – this summer’s disturbing return of the low-rise jean, anyone? – one constant seems to persist: the connection between thinness and social currency, especially for women.  In today’s society, the beauty premium remains a stark reality, a social and economic phenomenon where people who are considered more conventionally attractive earn more money and professional advancements than people who aren’t deemed to be attractive. As with most things in life, this issue disproportionately impacts and penalises women. Patriarchal beauty standards have always been associated with whiteness, youth, having Euro-centric features…