Hakim defined it as separate from and building upon French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of economic, cultural, and social capital.
For example, multiple studies have shown that increased physical attractiveness is correlated with higher incomes after eliminating other factors.
[12] Green defines sexual capital as accruing to an individual or group due to the quality and quantity of attributes that he or she possesses which elicit an erotic response in another, including physical appearance, affect and sociocultural styles.
Some of these attributes may be immutable, such as an individual's race or height, while others may be acquired through fitness training, or artificially, through plastic surgery or a makeover, etc.
On the contrary, currencies of capital are quite variable, acquiring a hegemonic status in relation to the erotic preferences of highly specialized social groups that distinguish one sexual field from another.
[2] Extensive supporting evidence for the concept of sexual capital, defined as beauty, physical attractiveness, and good looks, is provided in Daniel Hamermesh's latest book, Beauty Pays, where he reviews the research evidence on the economic benefits of being attractive in all contexts, including higher education teaching, politics, sales and marketing, and everyday social interaction.
Hamermesh assumes these economic benefits must be due to unfair discrimination, a position he takes from Deborah Rhode's book, Beauty Bias, a feminist lawyer's critique of the social benefits that accrue to attractive people, and the disadvantages experienced by unattractive people, most particularly the obese.
[19] Japanese men in Japan are stereotyped as controlling, awkward or emasculated, while white women are viewed as mannish or too loud.
Willey has shown that in an Evangelical youth group, sexual and erotic capital still play a role in partner selection.
[14] Young adults often find a romantic interest in their church groups, often by choosing a partner who has sought-after traits, or a desirable personal capital portfolio.
[29] Per Groes-Green, this puts the young poor men in competition with middle class peers and older so-called "sugar-daddies".
[31][32] Receiving more attention on Grindr, measured by taps or messages from other users, has been used by researchers to find the number of individuals who viewed a profile as sexually desirable.
However, feminine presenting queer women may receive sexual capital outside of lesbian communities, particularly among heterosexual men.
[35][6] As sexual capital and related theories by Catherine Hakim have gained public exposure, there has been criticism from several researchers.
[37] Women from racial, socioeconomic, sexual, or gender minority groups may face additional pressures in what is considered attractive depending on their environment.
In some cases, like in a neoliberal secular society, individuals have a wider freedom of choice in how they present their sexuality and eroticism.