History Main / ScrewTheRulesImBeautiful

* In ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'', Beatrice Trudeau (a {nerd) [[DiscussedTrope complains about this trope]]. She considers it wrong that [[AlphaBitch Mandy]] and [[FilleFatale Lola]] get special treatment because they're pretty when she doesn't get special treatment for being able to recite the Periodic Table of the Elements.

* In the first ''VideoGame/PoliceQuest'' game, you pull over a ''gorgeous'' woman for speeding and have the choice of whether to let her off or write her a ticket. [[spoiler: You may not want to call the number she gives you, though.]]

* {{Invoked|Trope}} unsuccessfully in ''Film/MurielsWedding''.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* In ancient Athens, a beautiful courtesan named Phryne was put on trial for a capital crime. Her defense consisted of getting stripped by her sometime-lover (now defense attorney) in court and asking the (all-male) jury if they were prepared to destroy ''this.'' She was acquitted right then and there. This is a question of ValuesDissonance: the capital crime in question was blasphemy, and in [[UsefulNotes/AncientGreece Ancient Greek]] society, exceptional beauty was a sign of favor from the gods (remember, for the Greeks, BeautyEqualsGoodness was serious: they called their nobles ''Kaloi k'Agathoi'', "the Beautiful and the Good"). Essentially, her argument was, "how could I possibly commit blasphemy if the gods have given me ''this'' body." The Athenians have later [[ObviousRulePatch passed a law]] [[ItOnlyWorksOnce that from now on]], [[ObviousRulePatch judges are not to look at the defendants]].
* A similar plot was allegedly hatched to save UsefulNotes/MataHari from being executed for espionage; supposedly, she was to go to the firing squad wearing only a robe, which she would drop or fling open (revealing her naked body) right before the order to fire would be given. Supposedly, the True Frenchmen of the firing squad would not defile such beauty by riddling it with bullets. Apparently, it worked on some of them, just not enough.
* A study showed that when it came to a Jury Trial, there is a little truth to this. When an attractive man or woman did a minor crime, they got little or no sentences. However, when it was a major crime, there was no deviation at all in sentences. Some studies have actually shown that attractive people who commit crimes that involve deception actually get harsher sentences for using their looks in such a way.
* It's a social reflex to be nice to someone we find attractive, and people are often willing to overlook minor infractions. Psychologists term this the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_effect Halo Effect,]] though it extends beyond attractiveness. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant No, it is not]] a cross-over of two science fiction [[Franchise/{{Halo}} video]] [[Franchise/MassEffect games.]]
* Creator/ParisHilton seemed to get away with everything back when she was constantly covered by the media. When it finally transpired that ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney wasn't going to save her from serving a proper prison sentence, she got out of it by crying until the county sheriff took pity on her.
* Some claimed that [[http://now.msn.com/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-is-too-handsome-to-be-guilty-of-the-boston-bombings-teen-girls-say Dzhokhar Tsarnaev]], the perpetrator of the Boston Marathon bombings, couldn't be accused of being a terrorist "because he's way too handsome." Obviously, their claims didn't have an effect on his imprisonment.
* Has sadly become a factor when adult women, whom most people think are attractive, are caught having sex with underage boys (e.g., [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kay_Letourneau Mary Kay Letourneau]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debra_Lafave Debra Lafave]]). Women who are considered attractive often don't get much punishment by the law, if they get punished at all. The stereotypical belief when it comes to boy victims, is that [[DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale they were lucky to score]] with an attractive grown woman. However, if the woman is unattractive (like being overweight), they often get treated the same way a man would if he was caught having sex with an underage girl.
** For a very direct example, refer to her lawyer's comments in the case of Debra Lafave. She was arrested for sex with one of her underage students, but her lawyer kept her out of prison because it "[[PrisonRape would be too dangerous for someone as attractive as Lafave]]."
** This phenomenon is {{lampshaded}} and {{parodied}} in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'''s "Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy".
* In another rare male example, in 2014, gang banger and weapons smuggler Jeremy Meeks was arrested by the California police. After his mug shot was taken, his picture went viral on the internet. A modeling agency made a deal with Meeks, which resulted in the judge only giving him a two-year sentence for his crimes. In 2017, Jeremy Meeks was released from prison and is now one of the most popular male models in the industry.
[[/folder]]

* Sagara Sōsuke from ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' has a mission to follow Kaname around and protect her from terrorists, but he must not let her know he's doing that. So to Kaname and everyone else, he's acting like a creepy StalkerWithACrush. The only thing is, she completely underreacts to his insanely creepy and scary behavior, even blushing and acting extremely shy when talking about him. In fact, hardly knowing him (other than seeing him throw himself off a train to continue stalking her), she actually starts fishing around for an answer if he has a girlfriend or lover, and is shown to be ridiculously happy when he tells her she's his "special person." It undoubtedly has quite a bit to do with his good looks, seeing how she acts towards men who don't even do nearly as much crap as Sōsuke but are ugly. It's only when he gets to the point where he's on her balcony at night holding her panties that she gets angry. In the novels, his being able to screw the rules because of his looks is {{lampshaded}}. He had always been a bit suspicious about how all the other guerrillas that were working with him treated him a ''lot'' nicer than they treated anyone else, and he got away with a lot more. Turns out that they all wanted to [[EvenTheGuysWantHim jump him]].

* Edward Cullen from ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' stalked Bella and watched her sleep. [[StalkingIsLove She didn't mind]]. {{Lampshaded}} and made fun of in the [[http://www.the-editing-room.com/twilight.html Abridged Script]]: "Holy fucking shit! If you weren't so hot I'd have you arrested!"

Related to ProudBeauty, WhatMeasureIsANonCute and ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney. IHaveBoobsYouMustObey can be considered a subtrope of this. CutenessEqualsForgiveness overlaps for certain kinds of beauty. Contrast KavorkaMan. Compare SoBeautifulItsACurse; any character who [[{{Hypocrite}} combines the two]] is just ''begging'' for a [[TheScrappy Hatedom]]. Compare and contrast also with FavorsForTheSexy and DistractedByTheSexy. Characters who fall into this trope will rarely react well to their FirstGrayHair, however; the ageing process can be particularly cruel on those who were beautiful in their youth, and they may find that people start to treat them very differently as they get older.

* Boa Hancock from ''Manga/OnePiece'' is a walking {{lampshade|Hanging}} of this trope. Except, that is, around [[ChasteHero Luffy]], who is apparently the ''only'' person who doesn't buy into her beauty. All the other characters, however, forgive all the nasty things she does to them (if not that they didn't even ''notice'' that she was doing nasty things to them). In fact, her catchphrase is "Everyone would forgive me… for I am beautiful!" The thing is, she's absolutely right. This includes literally [[KickTheDog kicking puppies, kittens]], and [[CrossesTheLineTwice baby seals.]]\\\
Though there were a few other guys who have managed to resist her other than Luffy, including Vice-Admiral Momonga, Smoker, and Trafalgar Law. Momonga mainly resisted her because he distracted himself with pain by stabbing his hand; if he hadn't, he would have been affected as well. However, Smoker and Law are probably straight examples.
** It should be noted, however, that the Amazon ideal of Beauty is based on strength, and as a Shichibukai with powerful Haki (as well as the very rare Conqueror's Haki), and a fundamentally instant-kill Devil Fruit ability (which her people believe comes from defeating a mythical beast), she more than fits that standard.
* Sagara Sōsuke from ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' has a mission to follow Kaname around and protect her from terrorists, but he must not let her know he's doing that. So to Kaname and everyone else, he's acting like a creepy StalkerWithACrush. The only thing is, she completely underreacts to his insanely creepy and scary behavior, even blushing and acting extremely shy when talking about him. In fact, hardly knowing him (other than seeing him throw himself off a train to continue stalking her), she actually starts fishing around for an answer if he has a girlfriend or lover, and is shown to be ridiculously happy when he tells her she's his "special person." It undoubtedly has quite a bit to do with his good looks, seeing how she acts towards men who don't even do nearly as much crap as Sōsuke but are ugly. It's only when he gets to the point where he's on her balcony at night holding her panties that she gets angry.\\\
In the novels, his being able to screw the rules because of his looks is {{lampshaded}}. He had always been a bit suspicious about how all the other guerrillas that were working with him treated him a ''lot'' nicer than they treated anyone else, and he got away with a lot more. Turns out that they all wanted to [[EvenTheGuysWantHim jump him]].

** Then again, Tsuna's MO is forgiving pretty much everyone he runs across for what they do to him and his friends, and [[spoiler: Mukuro DOES actually help Tsuna more than once and is the reason they won the Mist Battle]]. He forgives Rauju and Kaoru as well as Levi, none of whom are as attractive as the rest of the cast and all of whom did worse than Mukuro. [[spoiler: as two of them beat up the five-year-old Lambo with no hesitation (one of whom with full intent to kill a helpless Lambo ''twice''), and Kaoru nearly killed or paralysed Yamamoto]]. He's also very hesitant to forgive [[spoiler: Byakuran]], despite his reformation until [[spoiler: Byakuran proves himself by saving Yamamoto, protecting Tsuna himself, and giving his power to Tsuna's plan to save the Arcobaleno]], and refuses to forgive his own father.

* The Hotel Owner in the Murder at the Hot-springs Arc of ''Manga/TheWallflower'' justifies herself with this trope.
* ''Manga/{{MW}}'''s Michio: EvenTheGuysWantHim, and he works it for his best advantage.
* ''Manga/{{Monster}}'''s Johan: similarly.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In ''Fanfic/TokyoMewMewNoHopeLeft'', Sakura escapes Karma repeatedly by dressing like a stripper.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', Gaston believes that he's the most handsome man in the entire village. One of the reasons he gives for stalking Belle and eventually trying to force her into marrying him is because she's the only one "who's as beautiful as me!" and he deserves the best in ''everything'', wives included.
[[/folder]]

* ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow''

* One of the attributes of the [[PlotCoupon Seven Star Stamps]] in the story mode of the third ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' game is "Beauty", and the player must duel [[GenkiGirl Princess Daisy]] for it. To quote: "There is no denying that Daisy is fairest of all! There's no need to fight." She almost succeeds in charming the two game hosts for it.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'', Beatrice Trudeau (a {{Nerd}} played straight) [[DiscussedTrope complains about this trope]]. She considers it wrong that [[AlphaBitch Mandy]] and [[FilleFatale Lola]] get special treatment because they're pretty when she doesn't get special treatment for being able to recite the Periodic Table of the Elements.

--->'''Peter:''' Maybe I will! And then I'll put it on my feet, and skate on Paul Paul Bunyan's giant skillet to cook his flapjacks!
--->'''Lois:''' That doesn't make any sense!

--->'''Lois:''' Peter, that doesn't make any sense!\\

** Justin manipulates both his team and the show's staff with his good looks in the first part of ''Action'', receiving special treatment and dodging a couple of eliminations this way. Of course, in this case, it's InformedAttractiveness turned UpToEleven (the "psychotic" man-eating sharks refuse to eat him, for example). In ''World Tour'', [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Alejandro]] does the same thing.

* Several Music/{{Eminem}} songs make note of how his PrettyBoy looks (during his 20s/early 30s) led to him getting a softer ride for his [[TheNewRockAndRoll controversial lyrical content]], especially in terms of keeping an EstrogenBrigade despite his {{Misogyny Song}}s and [[SurprisinglyLenientCensorship his videos constantly getting play]] on Creator/{{MTV}}. He's also aware in many songs that it's not that he's ''that'' beautiful -- it's that he fits a racist beauty standard that white people like.

--->Became a commodity because I'm W-H-I,//

Related to ProudBeauty, WhatMeasureIsANonCute and ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney. IHaveBoobsYouMustObey can be considered a subtrope of this. Contrast KavorkaMan. Compare SoBeautifulItsACurse; any character who [[{{Hypocrite}} combines the two]] is just ''begging'' for a [[TheScrappy Hatedom]]. Compare and contrast also with FavorsForTheSexy and DistractedByTheSexy. Characters who fall into this trope will rarely react well to their FirstGrayHair, however; the ageing process can be particularly cruel on those who were beautiful in their youth, and they may find that people start to treat them very differently as they get older.