Human physical appearance in the context of "Intersectionality"

Unattractiveness or ugliness is the degree to which a person's physical features are considered aesthetically unfavorable.

Human variability, or human variation, is the range of possible values for any characteristic, physical or mental, of human beings.

Frequently debated areas of variability include cognitive ability, personality, physical appearance (body shape, skin color, etc.) and immunology.Variability is partly heritable and partly acquired (nature vs. nurture debate).As the human species exhibits sexual dimorphism, many traits show significant variation not just between populations but also between the sexes.

A disguise can be anything incognito which conceals one's identity or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, fake moustache, costume or other items. Camouflage is a type of disguise for people, animals and objects. Hats, glasses, changes in hair style or wigs, plastic surgery, and make-up are also used.

Disguises can be used by criminals, terrorists, secret agents and special forces operators seeking to avoid identification. A person working for an agency trying to get information might go "undercover" to get information without being recognised by the public; a celebrity may go "incognito" in order to avoid unwelcome press attention. Protests often feature people dressed in humorous costumes while political publicity stunts and pranks sometimes employ disguises and imposture. In comic books and films, disguises are often used by superheroes, and in science fiction they may be used by aliens. Dressing up in costumes is a Halloween tradition.

Body image is a person's thoughts, feelings and perception of the aesthetics or sexual attractiveness of their own body. The concept of body image is used in several disciplines, including neuroscience, psychology, medicine, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, philosophy, cultural and feminist studies; the media also often uses the term. Across these disciplines, there is no single consensus definition, but broadly speaking, body image consists of the ways people view themselves; their memories, experiences, assumptions, and comparisons about their appearances; and their overall attitudes towards their respective appearances (including but not limited to their skin tone, height and weight) all of which are shaped by prevalent social and cultural ideals.

Body image can be negative and diminishing ("body negativity"), positive ("body positivity") or neutral in character. A person with a negative body image may feel self-conscious or ashamed and may feel that others are more attractive. In a time when social media use is pervasive, people of different ages are affected emotionally and mentally by the appearance ideals set by the society they live in. These standards can contribute in part to body shaming – the act of humiliating an individual by mocking or making critical comments about a person's physiological appearance.

Body modification (or body alteration) is the deliberate altering of the human anatomy or human physical appearance. In its broadest definition it includes skin tattooing, socially acceptable decoration (e.g., common ear piercing in many societies), and religious rites of passage (e.g., circumcision in a number of cultures), as well as the modern primitive movement.

Body modification is performed for a large variety of reasons, including aesthetics, sexual enhancement, rites of passage, religious beliefs, to display group membership or affiliation, in remembrance of lived experience, traditional symbolism such as axis mundi and mythology, to create body art, for shock value, and as self-expression, among other reasons.