My whole life I’ve heard people say to me, “I hate standing next to you, your so tall.” They rant on about how because of my tallness I make them feel so short. They continue on to say that they wish they weren’t short. Or maybe that they’re jealous of my height. I laugh along and say, “if i could give you some of my height I would.” There’s this huge misconception that tall people emit confidence. That tallness is a blessing and we walk around with that mindset. However, coming from a girl who stands at six feet, I am just as insecure as the next person. My height is something I have always struggled with. It is hard to find pants that reach my ankles. I stray away from high heels and shoes with big platforms. When I take pictures, I bend over to reach the height of others. It’s interesting that I constantly feel bad about my height but everyone is intimidated by it.
Don’t get me wrong, being tall could benefit you in some situations. Especially for those who identify as male. A tall white man dressed in a suit may be more inclined to get the job compared to another applicant who is not that. Or if the cookies are in the top cupboard, I may not need a stool to reach them. Tall women have an advantage when it comes to things like modeling or fashion. Although, what happens when you are not in the fashion or modeling industry? A tall woman can become ostracized for her size.
Being tall you’ll get questions like “do you play basketball or volleyball?”. People always want to know how I came to be so tall. They might ask the height of my parents and other family members. When in reality, I do not think about being tall until I start to interact and see others. I walk around like anyone else. I forget that I am different once I get the comments or looks. I am aware of my differences but they do not need to be made exotic. Or that being tall makes me something special or something you should be jealous of. Being tall can draw a lot of attention that you might not want. Anyone would say it is hard to navigate the world with unwanted attention.
Even if you’re considered taller or shorter, do not bring each other down because of height. Try to accept your differences and be supportive of the thing you both cannot change. How would you expect to really feel if everyone brings each other down, comments or expresses jealousy over a personal quality? Especially if it something that is just part of you that makes you, you. This pertains to anything about a person and their appearance.
Loving yourself is a lifelong process. Especially because of how often our bodies shift, change and move through the world. But height is nothing you should feel bad for. If people are making you feel bad, say something. If a comment makes you upset or uncomfortable then tell them why it is wrong. Life is too short to be upset about something you can not simply change. Be supportive of all heights, short, tall, medium or not.