US blogger Felicia Czochanski criticised for claiming she is judged for being pretty

Ms Czochanski says she has had to endure catcalling and stares off men since being a teenager

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A blogger in the US has been heavily criticised for claiming she was judged and harassed for being too pretty in a column.

Felicia Czochanski, a Fordham university student living in New York, was widely mocked for a blog post published in Cosmopolitan where she described being cat-called by men everyday.

The 20-year-old referred to herself as a “girly girl” with “blonde hair, big hazel eyes, 34DDs, and toned calves” and said her appearance made her the subject of constant scrutiny.

"As I got older, this expanded to looks and awkward situations from creepy professors, bosses, and coworkers," she said. "But again, it is not worth my time, and I ignore it."

Ms Czochanski discussed how men would intimidate her by wolf-whistling or shout lewd comments at her as she walked down the street.

Video footage captured in New York earlier this year highlighted the shocking level of street harassment women in the city have to endure. But instead of receiving support and empathy, her article was met by an onslaught of criticism from readers accusing her of being conceited.

Her post also detailed her struggles with being perceived as “beautiful” by the public and her peers. She claimed stares and looks she received constantly made her feel as though there was something wrong with her.

Comments about her struggle to come to terms with being found attractive were met with accusations of narcissism on social media.

“Coming to terms with being perceived as "beautiful" wasn't easy,” she wrote. “It soon became how people knew me. People seemed to forget or simply ignore my accomplishments. They disregarded the fact that I'm an athlete, I'm intelligent, and I'm incredibly ambitious. Others did not bother to look past my appearance and actually get to know me, satisfied with the kind of person I looked like I could be.

“I went through different phases as I tried to find a way to draw attention to other aspects about me. I only wore sports jerseys and oversize T-shirts, I tried to brag and bring up my achievements during conversations so people would know that there was more to me than my looks, and when all else failed, I simply tried to blend in.”

Ms Czochanski said she had resolved to simply ignore comments and stares in the hope that this behaviour might stop.

"It also shows that I demand to be respected, both my body and my mind, because believe it or not, there's more to me than just my looks," she concluded.

The Independent has contacted Ms Czochanski for comment.