Do men get a free pass when it comes to physical attractiveness, while the bar is set higher for women seeking high office? This new study from Discovery seems to indicate that could be the case.

Beauty Benefits Female Candidates, Study Shows

Oct. 31, 2008 — Women running for top offices need to appear competent and attractive, according to a new study. For male candidates, seeming competent may be enough.

For male candidates, the only thing that mattered to male voters was competence, while female voters preferred men who seemed both competent and approachable.

So if you’re a woman, you need to be hot. If you’re a man you need to be “approachable.” I don’t seem to qualify for either, so I suppose I’ll just stay home and throw barbs at the lot of them.