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Prejudice around height and it's seeming acceptance among society.

I mean, clearly it's not as important or severe as prejudice based on race or religion for example, because swathes of short people haven't been ill treated or killed because of their lack of verticality and I guess one "ism" isn't the same as another. Still, is this something that should be more openly discussed and accepted as being undesirable in modern society?

It's something that is seen very often, especially on dating sites and especially on the profiles of women. "I'm 5'9, you must be at least 2 inches taller when I'm wearing heels". "I'm 5'7 - you must be taller".

Is it really any different from someone saying "I weigh 10 stones, you must weigh at least 2 stones lighter than me". Or "Small tits? Swipe left"

Height prejudice is quite prevalent in the workplace also but it rarely gets the same coverage as other forms of prejudice. Being tall is associated with being confident and powerful whereas being short is often seen as the opposite (sub-consciously). People are often openly mocked about being short among their taller peers.

An example of this is the House of Commons leader John Bercow who has been called a "sanctimonious dwarf" and various other insults based around his physical stature.

So what says you, GAF? Is this the acceptable face of prejudice or do shorties need more love?
 

Fury451

Banned
There's some things considered to be acceptable targets, height is one of them for some reason. It's just as rude as mocking anything else a person can't change about themselves. People are obsessed with physical perfection lately (though this may be an old man yells at cloud thing), and so it's easy to tear down someone for otherwise innocuous things they have no control over. It may also depend on what region/country you're in.

As far as dating goes, if a partner is that specific, then you just move the hell on. I've dated women way taller than me, and it was never an issue, same with women my height or shorter. Some people are just picky about their preferences. That's fine, but it's also a giant waste of time to be discouraged by it.
 

rambis

Banned
As someone considered tall(I guess), its very weird how its now clamored for. While I wouldn't say I was a reject by any means, growing up I still would get jokes about being long and lanky and having bigger feet. Now women basically have height requirements on their dating profiles. Not complaining but people are very strange.
 
Yep, I'm 5'6" and even in professional work settings, people feel comfortable making short jokes at my expense, or they cover it up with "you look so young" jokes, like "do you even shave?"

Perfectly acceptable in society still, unfortunately.
 

Dalek

Member
I'm 6'2" and it's pretty neat. Except when people at the grocery store ask me to get things for them on the top shelf.

Also hotel shower heads are placed way too low. I have to crouch down to rinse.
 

Fury451

Banned
As someone considered tall(I guess), its very weird how its now clamored for. While I wouldn't say I was a reject by any means, growing up I still would get jokes about being long and lanky and having bigger feet. Now women basically have height requirements on their dating profiles. Not complaining but people are very strange.

One of my friends is quite tall and he has hella bad back problems. He also ducks in doorways. Not something that he values that much it seems, but other people do. Shrug.
 

Afrocious

Member
I'm 6'2" and I'm slightly a heightist I admit because, internally, I can get aggravated by folks who are so short that I cannot see them sometimes.
 
If you cannot change a feature of yourself or prevent said feature from coming into being with minimal effort then it's on the same level of racism to discriminate against it IMO.

This includes:

- Skin color
- Eye color
- Height
- Hair type

etc.
 
Looks matter to people. If you're ugly, short, etc., then you need to work extra hard to make sure you find value in society. It's just something people need to get over, because it's not going to change.
 
If you cannot change a feature of yourself or prevent said feature from coming into being with minimal effort then it's on the same level of racism to discriminate against it IMO.

This includes:

- Skin color
- Eye color
- Height
- Hair type

etc.

LOL

The obligatory false equivalency to racism.
 
If you cannot change a feature of yourself or prevent said feature from coming into being with minimal effort then it's on the same level of racism to discriminate against it IMO.

This includes:

- Skin color
- Eye color
- Height
- Hair type

etc.

If you're hiring someone, sure. Unless you're hiring a basketball player. Height and length matters.

If you're dating someone? No. Good grief, no. It's personal preference.
 
If you cannot change a feature of yourself or prevent said feature from coming into being with minimal effort then it's on the same level of racism to discriminate against it IMO.

This includes:

- Skin color
- Eye color
- Height
- Hair type

etc.

there was an entire section of the populace who were forced into hard labor because of their height?
 

platocplx

Member
Im sure its just jarring to you that women are voicing that want and they are well within their rights to do so.

I know in the workplace height does have a large factor on pay and success.

However, I also know as a man we also have a myriad of things we may want out of a partner and this probally is a first time that you see women empowered to ask for certain physical traits. It is what it is.

If you cannot change a feature of yourself or prevent said feature from coming into being with minimal effort then it's on the same level of racism to discriminate against it IMO.

This includes:

- Skin color
- Eye color
- Height
- Hair type

etc.
No. lmao. As long as they arent bashing people/excluding people and/or preventing people to gain anything in society for those traits and have a preference then its not anything like racism.
 

Afrocious

Member
IeIJyAO.jpg
 
Looks matter to people. If you're ugly, short, etc., then you need to work extra hard to make sure you find value in society. It's just something people need to get over, because it's not going to change.

Well this "tough love" approach probably shows that it really is a prejudice accepted in society. Not disputing it though, I agree that short people need more confidence. Also it's not like short people are shunned. The same guys saying "do you even shave" aren't exclude you from the after-office happy hour because you're not above 6 feet.

If you cannot change a feature of yourself or prevent said feature from coming into being with minimal effort then it's on the same level of racism to discriminate against it IMO.

This includes:

- Skin color
- Eye color
- Height
- Hair type

etc.

Not in the dating scene, though. And it definitely doesn't compare to racism/xenophobia.
 
Im sure its just jarring to you that women are voicing that want and they are well within their rights to do so.

I know in the workplace height does have a large factor on pay and success.

However, I also know as a man we also have a myriad of things we may want out of a partner and this probally is a first time that you see women empowered to ask for certain physical traits. It is what it is.

I don't find it especially jarring and I suppose you're right in that it's dating and it's a personal choice. It just doesn't sit comfortably with me. Nobody puts "no fat people" on their profiles but I'd guess there's a decent number of women who want a slim guy.
 

Nachos

Member
Having physical dating preferences is fine. If someone is going to be so rigid with what they want out of a partner, they're likely going to miss out on some great people, but it's up to them. This, though, is not fine:

Yep, I'm 5'6" and even in professional work settings, people feel comfortable making short jokes at my expense, or they cover it up with "you look so young" jokes, like "do you even shave?"

Perfectly acceptable in society still, unfortunately.
 

Raptomex

Member
Yep, I'm 5'6" and even in professional work settings, people feel comfortable making short jokes at my expense, or they cover it up with "you look so young" jokes, like "do you even shave?"

Perfectly acceptable in society still, unfortunately.
What the fuck? Are you close with any of these people? Like buddies? I'm guessing not just based on what you posted.
 
Why are men so upset that women are finally being just as shallow as men? Where's all the threads or discussions from men about how other men are too shallow and judge women way too much and how we should rally together to fight this injustice.

Like, I get it, it sucks but y'all are facing a losing battle.
 
There's nothing wrong with having preferences. I'd say pretty much every guy has a weight standard that they adhere to when looking for a potential partner.

Difference is that weight is entirely controllable while height is not. Kinda shitty to exclude people based on something they can't control, but hey, if short people can't get you going, I can't blame you for being up-front about that.

I'm also not convinced that it's shallow to have a height preference. If you're a 5'2" woman and all your life, the partner of your dreams has always been taller than you, it's gonna be hard to shake that preference off.
 

gun_haver

Member
I really wouldn't know, I'm 6'2, but honestly the only place I see this talked about is on NeoGaf. I dunno if it's actually getting in people's way as much as they might think, although again, that's easy for me to say because I don't have to consider it. All I know is I've never had a boss taller than I am, and I've never thought about it.

The only area I think it might be an issue is dating, but I feel like when I see stuff about 'i need a man who is taller' - that isn't really a desirable thing to hear from a woman, it sounds entrenched in old fashioned nonsense and if they think that, what else do they think? I should pay for dinner? Should I earn more money? So that isn't really my thing, isn't what I'm looking for. It isn't any kind of dealbreaker but I don't exactly think 'ah hah! my tallness has paid off once again!' when I see it on a dating profile.

I might have gotten an advantage I was unaware of just matter of factly because I'm taller when it comes to women, but I am also going bald so I have that drawback. Everyone's got something. I've got a bunch more shit that far outweighs being kind of tall that is dragging me down, just will many short men will have far more stuff propping them up to the point where being short is moot.

When it comes to physical attraction there are just hard cold realities that most people find certain traits attractive and certain traits unattractive - fatness, baldness, outsized features, etc. I have some of those but not all, but enough that I don't find it easy to find women who want to have sex with me. Just have to accept it and do the best you can.
 

Gallbaro

Banned
I am 6'8".
I own the company

The world is not made for me. But yes, despite my youth is my industry, 20 years younger than my peers, they will all listen to me when I speak.
 

Usobuko

Banned
I'm taller than the average folks in my country ( 177/178 cm ) but would be consider average in United States. I'm the tallest in my family. The kids today are getting taller too, I would be average among them if I were a decade younger. My kids are likely to be taller than them too, if I have any.

People don't like to say it out loud but height to them is like a sign of good genetic qualities and associate with power. Any other reasons are excuses.

But you're not wrong to say something is getting more acceptance in society than other. It took me a long time to realize this, that even marginalized folks of any kind can be tribal and usually only look out for their own interest. Equality is just an avenue to rid the injustices they face and nothing more.

I don't blame them because most people have enough shit in life they have to deal with to care about you. But I certainly do not place any delusional hopes in them too.
 
I don't find it especially jarring and I suppose you're right in that it's dating and it's a personal choice. It just doesn't sit comfortably with me. Nobody puts "no fat people" on their profiles but I'd guess there's a decent number of women who want a slim guy.

Yeah, they do.

I don't use such services really, but I know at the very least Match.com allows you to specify body types, in addition to other physical traits.
 
Yeah it's pretty crummy. Worse than discrimination against overweight people, as at least that can almost always be changed. Btw, This thread is going to get derailed by "well women have to deal with so many unfair beauty standards so who cares!!!1!b" pretty soon.
 

rambis

Banned
Why are men so upset that women are finally being just as shallow as men? Where's all the threads or discussions from men about how other men are too shallow and judge women way too much and how we should rally together to fight this injustice.

Like, I get it, it sucks but y'all are facing a losing battle.

Eh, the OP is mostly gender neutral. Did you even read it?
 

Alienous

Member
It's just one of many genetic traits considered unattractive, and to some extent unmasculine.

As a short guy it's an annoyance until you realize that there any number of arbitrary physical attributes that would disqualify my attraction to a person.

And outside of dating, eh, it's still an arbitrary attribute. It isn't hard to counter a comment with "You are aware I didn't pick my height, right?". It could be that, it could be a big nose, it could be a big chin. It isn't fun, but it is part of the arbitrary standards of attractiveness we all to some extent endorse.
 
Why are men so upset that women are finally being just as shallow as men? Where's all the threads or discussions from men about how other men are too shallow and judge women way too much and how we should rally together to fight this injustice.

Like, I get it, it sucks but y'all are facing a losing battle.

Women being as shallow as men is not something new.
 

NandoGip

Member
I'm about 5'5 and my height has always been commented on. It's definitely been a MAJOR factor in dating, and I also assume in the workplace.

It's pretty obvious dating wise how it's a factor, some women straight up don't even acknowledge my existence.

Career wise, it's been much harder to tell. I feel like there have been times where I'm highly underestimated even though I am experienced and capable.

Regarding both situations I've learned how to deal with them: Work twice as hard as the next man.

With dating, I've been very successful to be honest. Like, I'm a short dude and all other short dudes just complain about dating, but I really can't. I work out, I try to be good at conversations, and I make enough money that I can afford decent dates.

In my experience for every one height obsessed woman, there's one who doesn't care. It's been pretty 50/50. I've never struggled to find hook-ups, one night stands, or girlfriends.

One place where it's extremely difficult though: Tinder.

I don't know why, because I've met women through social media like Facebook and Instagram, but Tinder was insanely unsuccessful for me.

Regarding my career, I've definitely noticed that I'm never given the benefit of the doubt. I really can't tell what it is though. Height could be a factor, but it could be many other things as well.

Could it be my skin color? I'm brown. Could it be that my co-workers and managers were shitty? Could be anything.

Ultimately after proving myself I was given the respect I deserve. I am pretty lucky to say that even if height has been a factor in my career, I've been able to mitigate it through my actions.

For short dudes, my advice: Work out. Get a hobby. Save money, and try to make more money. Don't be a fucking incel.
 
I do think about that sometimes for very short men and very tall women especially. They basically get identified by this trait and probably hear the same fuckin jokes over and over and over. So I try to remember not to just be like "oh you're tall lol, that's your thing, wow you're so tall wow" and just let people be who they like to be. Sure they don't win the oppression olympics but that's no reason to exclude human decency.
 
I'm 6'2" and I'm slightly a heightist I admit because, internally, I can get aggravated by folks who are so short that I cannot see them sometimes.

6'2 is not tall enough that there are people you cannot see, unless you're talking about an actual little person or something.

I'm 5'9 and have always wanted to be taller but it's a decent height. Plus, I've dated taller women and my fiancee is 5'10; like 6'1+ with some of her heels. I don't know why but I actually love strolling around with her when she wears those.
 

Daingurse

Member
People got the right to have preferences on the height of their partner, but they don't have the right to be be a dick about. I'm 6'4", and have never found cause to belittle people for their height. Hell, shorter people seem to always bring up the subject of height differences with me, usually in a light-hearted manner lol.
 

jotun?

Member
If you cannot change a feature of yourself or prevent said feature from coming into being with minimal effort then it's on the same level of racism to discriminate against it IMO.

This includes:

- Skin color
- Eye color
- Height
- Hair type

etc.
It's still OK to make fun of Trump for his skin, hair, and hand size though, right?
 

Mesousa

Banned
I think this is a white person issue.

5'7 and my height has only ever once been an issue, and that was trying out for basketball in high school.

It never comes up outside of this. Average Brown men height in the Americas is like 5'5.
 

FaintDeftone

Junior Member
I'm a guy who's 5'3 and I've dealt with this shit my whole life. You'd be shocked how many times I've had random strangers just walk up to me and point out how short I am to them. It's frustrating. I used to just ignore them, but now I basically tell them to fuck off. I can't say for sure if I've ever been discriminated against in the job market though. I feel like I haven't.

As for women, the dating world is tough as a short guy. A large number of available women will not give you the time of day. However, it isn't impossible at all. My wife is 5'6 and could care less how tall I am. I've dated other girls in the past who didn't give a shit either. The ones that have these strict height requirements just need to be ignored.
 

ZOONAMI

Junior Member
I'm 6ft, so I'm generally taller than most people. I actually feel like anyone taller than like 6'2" kind of gets the reverse end of this, like they get jabbed at for being such a tall motherfucker.

Especially women. A woman who's taller than even like 5'10" might get jabbed at.
 

Rockandrollclown

lookwhatyou'vedone
I don't find it especially jarring and I suppose you're right in that it's dating and it's a personal choice. It just doesn't sit comfortably with me. Nobody puts "no fat people" on their profiles but I'd guess there's a decent number of women who want a slim guy.
You can typically see if someone is fat or ugly from a picture. Height, not necessarily. So they're just getting it out there. You don't have to say "no uggos or fatties" because you can reject them on appearance.
 
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