I've just read this on another subreddit, written by a female:

Beautiful, confident, well-dressed women intimidate me. Around them I feel self-conscious and insecure, and inferior? Even though I am an otherwise confident, bright, easy-going and friendly person. Handsome & intelligent men do not intimidate me- I can always be myself around them. What's the deal? How do I overcome this? Cheers.

So, the picture I'm getting is that both genders are kind of intimidated by beautiful women.

Even women do not seem to be intimidated by men nearly as much.

I find this weird.

In women this seems to result in nasty intrasexual competition, involving reputation destruction and all of that.

My pet theory is that in ancient times, the most beautiful women were secured by the most aggressive & powerful males. If you'd blow it with those male, you'd end up way at the bottom of the pack. Possibly even beneath it, which would imply death (e.g. due to lack of access to the group's resources; especially during the winter).

Same for women: If they'd transgress the natural order as determined by pretty harsh male dominance hierarchies; they'd essentially be rejected (though perhaps only at one ~tenth of the rate among males).

But women do not need to fear men directly. They can offer them access to sex as they prefer, and never fear repercussions (except for slut shaming if it is too promiscuous; too risky regarding STDs); because men; even alphas, mostly benefit from that; no matter how poor the quality.