Millennial Women Resurface Damaging Y2K Movie Trope

Threads users call out teen and romantic comedies that centered on the idea a woman needed a makeover to be seen as beautiful.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Millennial women are criticizing a popular early 2000s movie trope that they say caused lasting damage to their self-esteem. Threads user u/dvekukolkim recently shared a post highlighting a string of teen and romantic comedies built around the idea that a woman needed a makeover to be seen as beautiful or worthy. The post featured several iconic female protagonists who famously underwent cinematic glow-ups, including Laney Boggs from She's All That, Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries, Kat Stratford from 10 Things I Hate About You, and Gracie Hart from Miss Congeniality.

Why it matters

The post sparked thousands of comments from users reflecting on how these portrayals shaped their perceptions of beauty at a young age. Many expressed how the trope directly influenced their real-life choices as children and teens, with some saying it convinced them that they needed to change their appearance to be accepted.

The details

In She's All That, Laney Boggs is introduced as an artsy, introverted high school student who is dismissed as undesirable largely because of her appearance. Her transformation involves contact lenses, fashionable clothing, and a dramatic reveal scene that reframes her as conventionally attractive. Similarly, The Princess Diaries centers on Mia Thermopolis, an awkward teenager whose frizzy hair, glasses, and lack of polish are treated as problems to be fixed once she learns she is royalty. In Miss Congeniality, FBI agent Gracie Hart is portrayed as competent but unfeminine, and her arc hinges on learning how to walk, dress, and present herself according to beauty pageant standards in order to succeed.

  • The post was shared by Threads user u/dvekukolkim in 2026.

The players

u/dvekukolkim

A Threads user who recently shared a post highlighting the damaging "ugly girl needs a makeover" trope in early 2000s movies.

Laney Boggs

The female protagonist in the 1999 film She's All That, who was introduced as an artsy, introverted high school student dismissed as undesirable due to her appearance.

Mia Thermopolis

The female protagonist in the 2001 film The Princess Diaries, an awkward teenager whose frizzy hair, glasses, and lack of polish are treated as problems to be fixed once she learns she is royalty.

Kat Stratford

The female protagonist in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You, whose nonconformity and practical clothing are positioned in contrast to more traditionally feminine characters.

Gracie Hart

The female protagonist in the 2000 film Miss Congeniality, an FBI agent portrayed as competent but unfeminine, whose arc hinges on learning how to present herself according to beauty pageant standards.

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What they’re saying

“'00s romcoms 'ugly girl needs a makeover' trope did more damage than any acne commercial ever could.”

— u/dvekukolkim, Threads user (Threads)

“I'll never forgive them for trying to tell us that Anne Hathaway was 'ugly' bc they gave her glasses, thick eyebrows, and frizzy hair.”

— Lyndsay (Threads)

“I don't think Kat was ever said to need a makeover or was touted as ugly. She just wasn't popular. I agree with you though, none of those beautiful women could ever be 'ugly,' so for media to pretend they are is very damaging.”

— Katherine Holton (Threads)

“Kat was never meant to be ugly she just refused to pander to the male gaze in terms of dress/hair/make-up.”

— Kerry Burkes (Threads)

“Literally, 11-year-old me refused to wear her glasses 'because they are ugly.' I rather didn't see what the class was about than be considered ugly.”

— Veerle (Threads)

The takeaway

The resurfacing of this damaging movie trope highlights the lasting impact it had on the self-esteem and beauty perceptions of many millennial women. It serves as a reminder of the power of media representation and the need for more diverse, nuanced portrayals of women that don't reinforce narrow beauty standards.