Anyone under 5 foot?

[IceniSky]

I'm early 40s and finally thought the comments about height had stopped but been hit with it twice today!

At a Zoom team get together, where I was meeting my new colleagues for the first time today. They all introduced them self with an anecdote and my managers manager spoke negatively about how tiny Kylie was in person. 'Tiny Woman', Dwarf (or similar term) like Woman', 'like a tiny doll', which made him and his wife not bother having a photo with her. I know it was indirect but you'd never discuss other peoples physical attributes like this.

And my husband as we sat of the sofa describes how someone at our joint sports club asked who his wife was. Said my name and he came back with that he wouldn't have put us two together and wasn't I very small.

Is height really seen so negatively?

[EdwardCullensBiteOnTheSide]

Did the zoom people realise that you're small? And did your dh stick up for you?
I really don't think being small as a woman is a bad thing! I'm only 5.2. We come in all shapes and sizes op, only an idiot would judge someone on something that they have no control over.

[Bluntness100]

As you were meeting them for the first time op it seems they were unaware so they didn’t know.

It’s very odd though to say you didn’t wish to get your photo taken with kylie because she’s petite.

[TooMinty]

I'm 5ft so not exactly huge... But the Kylie thing is just weird, why wouldn't you want to meet her just because she is small? Makes no sense! I would still have my photo take with a celeb who was massively taller than me (I.e. more or less everyone!)

[ihearttc]

Yep I am only 4ft 10!

[Bupkis]

you'd never discuss other peoples physical attributes like this.

People comment on people's physical attributes all the time! Tall, short, thin, fat, blonde, red haired, glasses, skin, breasts, arse, stomach....I could go on, but it would be pointless, because I don't think there is a single aspect of people's appearance that doesn't get commented on at some point!!

I'm 4'11" by the way, and know that for every comment about being short, my 6ft friend gets a comment about being tall!

[utterflapdoodle]

Yes! Me! I'm four foot nine so a few inches shorter than the lovely Kylie.

I mostly left comments about my height behind when I left secondary school with the odd exception. I'm fifty two now and the last time anyone "teased" me about my height I was about forty.

I was shocked that any adult person could still be that childish.

[Dancingonmylonesome]

I'm 5"3 and the comments are never ending. I dont even think its small lol

[missmouse101]

I'm 4 feet 11 but really fat which makes me look taller I think, as people are always surprised by how short I really am.

[utterflapdoodle]

I live in Germany and people here can be, shall we say, rather direct. A few times I've been out and about minding my own business when a young child has looked me up and down and abruptly asked me "Why are you small?".

This doesn't surprise me as children equate height with being grown up and don't understand how an adult can be so small. What did surprise me was the attitude of the parents who in every case stood and waited patiently until I answered their child!

[utterflapdoodle]

@Dancingonmylonesome You're right. At five foot three you're not small. More or less average height for a woman in the UK and you're a flipping giant compared to me!

[Dancingonmylonesome]

My kid is between 9 and 25th centile for height and everyone loves telling me hes a midget! People are weird about height

[Moreanonymousme]

Yep, I'm 4 foot 10 and a teacher. I teach the younger children but often the older ones (year 4 and above!) love pointing out that they're taller than me! I just laugh it off. I think I'd find it weird if adults did it though. Not had comments for a long time now I'm in my forties

[TheChineseChicken]

I’m 5.5 and get comments about being small from taller friends Baffling. Sorry, I know that doesn’t answer the question about being under 5 foot but just illustrates that some people feel superior about being tall!

[Wannabegreenfingers]

Works both ways. Im 5.11" and regularly get called big bird. My mum is only small at 4.10" and is by far more bothered about her height then I am and she gets far less comment's then I do about height.

[Elouera]

I guess it stems from the fact that humans are getting taller due to availability of better food and health. Obvioulsy genetics plays a part, but being shorter can be seen by some as coming from a poorer childhood/poor food/illness when younger etc. Depending on which country you are from, only 2% of women are under 5ft nowadays.

my nan 132cm (4'11)
mum 156cm (5'4)
mw 168cm (5'6)

[DrDetriment]

I'm 5 ft 1 and in my 40s and still get comments like 'I didn't realise you were so short', 'you act tall' - wtf does that even mean? And lots of comments about how I don't look right with my partner who is 6 ft 3. My ex was even taller and people thought it ok to call us 'an odd couple together, physically'.

[IceniSky]

I'm wondering whether I'd have even gotten the role if I interviewed in person or whether unconscious bias against my height would have creep in. He spoke as if being small meant you weren't worthy!

[IceniSky]

Yes my husband is over 6 foot and that makes people comment. 'Lets hope your daughter gets her dad's height'.

[Popjam]

They were so rude OP. Unbelievable.

[TroysMammy]

I'm 4ft 11 & 3/4's.

[Astrid80]

Indeed can works both ways as poster above me says. I'm 5.11 too and from my earliest memories as a child up to current day in my mid 30's - people just love to comment on height. It gave me a complex as a kid and awful posture / rounded shoulders then back pain from stooping. I'm trying to be more confident about my body now my dd is also getting all the same comments I used to as a kid, and you can see her looking to me for my reaction. I just state the obvious / agree in a mildly sarcastic tone "yes I am / dd is taller than average" with a smile and then look at them waiting for them to say something next. They soon get the hint that they've been insensitive or rude, or that their constant comments about our heights are wearing thin.

I want my dd to be comfortable in her own skin but truthfully I've always wanted to be a few inches shorter. I wouldn't tell her this because she'll then copy my words / feelings about it like she does with everything! My cousins and friends are all around 5.2 and I've always felt out of place, big and ungainly compared to them, they look so "dainty" as my mother's always enjoyed telling me. I've always felt less feminine and hate being big boned, I'm fairly slim / just average weight but their wrists, hands, feet, shoulders, collarbones and even their head sizes have always made me wish I looked like them, they look delicate and feminine which I'd love to be. Some guy once said to me when I was on a girls night that my size 8 feet were too massive for a girl, I was wearing very low 2 inch heels and he said I looked like I was in drag. I never wore heels even small ones again after that. Some people are insensitive and some are just plain unkind!

[BalloonSlayer]

I wonder if the photo thing re Kylie was that the guy and his wife felt that in a photo they would look huge and fat by comparison, hence not wanting a picture.

I am average height with a small frame, I have met a few petite people over the years who have made me feel like a shire horse standing next to them; I have quite liked the feeling but I can imagine how one might not, especially if the small person is known to be beautiful/sexy like Kylie is. (Eg she is the object of desire, therefore I am the gallumphing great giant).

Not explaining myself very well, sorry, it makes sense in my head!