Thinking that women would benefit if they were more open minded about height in a potential partner…

What on earth is a "reactionary feminist"?

The OP is probably not a man - I've seen quite a few women online who talk like this, including some "reactionary feminist" types.

Oh FFS OP, referring to "hypergamy" when talking about the necessity for women in the 19th century to have a marriage that would support them - this in a time when their sex and their social class meant they could not work - and talking as if it's the same situation is bullshit.

Even more so is referring to some modern fiction about the period. None of this makes you look any less like an incel MRA, however much you claim not to be. Or worse, a feMRA.

Do we, as women, not compromise enough?? If a woman wants a tall man let them want a tall man 😂

The number of 25 year old virgins has skyrocketed over the past decade. Hypergamy seems to be more of a thing in the young than it was.

Oh here we go, "hypergamy". Tick another box in MRA Bingo.

My post literally says "generally" and "seem to."

Are you actually saying that it isn't OK to point out cultural tendencies even while explicitly stating that THIS IS A GENERALIZATION AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL IS DIFFERENT ETC ETC?

My experience of the US and Americans is that there is generally more emphasis on height. I stand by this observation. Of course it will depend on the individual concerned.

Also agree with a PP - on the apps, men lie about their height. I've chatted to men claiming to be 5'9 and turned up to a date to meet someone shorter than me - at 5'7.

So when I was on the apps I typically veered towards 5'10 and up - that would guarantee that even if they'd fibbed, they would likely still be taller than me. I don't want to date a man shorter.

I don't think this is an uncommon tactic employed by women, so any conclusions drawn from preferences on apps may be a bit skewed

I'd pick shorter than me any day, providing he was also kind, funny, easy-going, capable, considerate, curious about life and showed great generosity of spirit.
Currently with tall adonis who, on reflection, doesn't tick all those boxes. Stupid mistake.

I think a good proportion of women probably prefer a considerable height difference just because they don't want to feel 'large' - they prefer to be the more delicate of a pair, which is natural IMO.

Although height isn't really the thing that does it for me. I'm 5'7 and will happily date someone 5'10. Skinny men, however- absolutely not. I'm far more likely to be attracted to a well built man at 5'10 than a 6'4 beanpole. I think it essentially comes down to the same thing though? Wanting the man to be larger.

I do think this has gotten out of hand due to social media though, and pedaling of a 'perfect' height. I have a friend who is 5'1 and demands her partners are over 6ft - she can't articulate why. I can only assume that it's because someone one day decided that 6ft was the ultimate height, so she's stuck with it! Men between 5ft and 5'9 must have a difficult time of it on dating apps - in truth most women I know filter their options so that everyone is at least 5'10. I'm 27, for reference

Height wouldn't be a factor for me. It's about personality. I once dated a guy who was way taller than me (I'm not short). I came to his armpit. I didn't like it much. He was too far away and you can't really walk with your arms around each other well. That said, if he was the right one for me, it wouldn't have been a deal breaker.

Men would benefit if they were open minded to dating older women. Yeah, not going to happen is it. 🙄

My attraction to very tall men (with very nice hands) is visceral. But it only kicks in at 6' 3" not a mere 6'. Yes, I've fancied shorter, as well, but...

Also, let's not forget the other way around. My [appalling] father always said he couldn't fancy tall women.

Reminds me of a French bloke I knew who was 5'7" - we were talking about average heights and he commented that in France, he was average or a little taller than average and could see well in a crowd, but when he came to Australia, suddenly he was short and navigating crowds was harder! I was quite surprised by that.

American here. No we don't. You are generalizing is just like the OP is doing. I swear the American stereotypes that pop up here are ridiculous.

Cosmo is complete horse shit. The way it views women is almost as bad as it treats men. I swear they think we're all hypersexual office workers who cheat on there partners, can throw away 500 on a pair of shoes and have a fabulous social life. It's refuses to change with the times and has become a complete joke

Were they asked tall or short and picked tall or were there more options like average or don't care? Just because a woman might answer a silly questionnaire with I want a man who is tall and a millionaire doesn't mean they won't date, love and marry a man who isn't tall or a millionaire.

Oh gods yes. Incel type I knew online used to go on about his "morning height" vs his "evening height" and claim that women wouldn't give him a chance because he got shorter during the day, oh and because of his lazy eye. His utterly obnoxious personality and rank misogyny had nothing to do with it.

Personally, I have always liked short men and found them very attractive. I'm 5'7, in heels 5'9 and I went out with a man who was 5'4 quite happily. My husband is only about my height and most of my exes too. I suspect it has something to do ultimately with my own sense of "status" - needing to feel like an equal. I have friends who have a thing for tall men, but that's never been me. I find they loom, disconcertingly.

Exactly what I thought. "Oh, look, another MRA whingeing!"

For what it's worth, OP, plenty of the married blokes I know are less than 6', and I would never have wanted a man much taller than me. I don't like being loomed over.

Those magazines are mad though.
I can remember reading an article as a teenager that suggested mouthwash would make a BJ better because it would be tingly. Literally never met a man who agreed with that. And we knew it was nonsense at the time. I don't know if the authors had bets on who could put the most ridiculous things int. But there are loads of filler-type nonsense articles like "Is the new fashion for pop socks a sign that feminism is on the rise", "Why us girls really like men with attached earlobes a PSYCHOLIGST explains", 12% of men fantasise about balaclavas - does yours???"
Years after articles were published they acquired a second life online as amazing insights into the feminine mind.

Women do generally prefer taller men and those claiming it makes no difference sound a bit disingenuous.

However, the kind of cutoff points being suggested by the OP are OTT. Most women seem to be OK with "at least slightly taller than me."

Agree that extreme height "requirements" seem to be about a) dating apps b) Americans. I think a lot of women lack a clear visual image of what men at different heights actually look like, so pick silly numbers on dating apps - or they may be banking on the fact that "men lie about their height, so if I say 'at least 5 foot 11," I'll make sure I end up with guys who are actually at least 5'9."

Americans generally (men and women) seem to be more "into" height than people in most other countries - it is striking that pretty much all recent US presidents have been tall, whereas in other comparable countries it matters much less. Ironically, Americans themselves are not, on average, very tall these days in relative terms - their average height has stagnated or even shrunk a little in the past generation, while that of Europeans has continued to grow.

There is an expectation that a woman will be taller than her partner.

I'm 5ft 9. When one of my aunts met my then fiancé for the first time, she took me aside to tell me that I couldn't wear high heels to the wedding.

I wore 3 inch heels. Damned near broke my neck.

Unfortunately, the photographer that the company sent out to take the pics was even shorter. Really should have gone with the independent bloke who was 6ft if I wanted flattering photographs.