Congrats to Susan Boyle for her huge singing success. It’s apparently astonishing that an ordinary-looking, mature woman might be blessed with an exceptional talent.

I haven’t heard a woman described as ‘ugly’ so many times since Betty Friedan dared to have an opinion and write a book.

And the press has also declared that Ms. Boyle leads a bleak existence and is a spinster. And her house is run-down. Her cat probably has furballs.

I’m skeptical about the bleak existence, because she had kind of a gleam in her eye just before she wowed the audience with that Les Miserables song. She knows she can sing.

Anyone who’s seen a choir knows that plain looking people can have wonderful voices.

And could we maybe retire the word ‘ugly’ when referring to a person’s looks? Let’s save it for behavior. Like judging and name-calling.