> I also had many average-looking, intellectually stimulating male friends that said "that girl is too ugly".

That however doesn't mean that male friends would rule out going with said girl.

There's the "wisdom" which summarizes the idea that there are no ugly women. It's in other words the same idea as above - for vast majority of women men would still go with them.

I've fallen for plenty of women who I was not initially sexually attracted to but as I spent more time with them they became so. Not because they looked any different, but because emotional bonds formed. So called "inner beauty." I'm confident this is an extremely common experience for men and women alike. The issue is that this will never happen through a dating app.

very good point I think that is lost in the modern dating economy