Inappropriate insults about height.

We could have:
Heightism - the act of discrimination based on height or perceived height difference?

Let’s campaign to make height a protected characteristic.

I have it the other way, OP. I’m 5ft 11 and a guy at work often comments about my height and how tall I am, even though I’m the same height as him. It’s said as banter, but sometimes it really annoys me as it’s not like I can shrink and it makes me feel really self conscious.

I am completely with you on this OP. I don't think it should be minimised as a bit of banter or that maybe he fancies you, as other posters have suggested. It doesn't make it ok. You have asked him to stop and it is clearly making you uncomfortable, yet he is persisting. I have worked with arseholes (men) like this who think it's HILARIOUS to comment about aspects of my appearance, some true, others not so much. It's a tricky one to deal with. Given that you have been told you are overreacting and even called a 'fucking snowflake' by one particularly pleasant poster, I can see why you would hesitate to report him because it seems that not everyone thinks your discomfort is a big deal, so you start to doubt yourself. Just because others have said that it wouldn't bother them, doesn't make it okay. So I would honestly be having a word with whoever deals with this kind of stuff.

Since you've told him to stop and he hasn't, report him to your boss.

I wouldn't even blink an eye at this. You know it's not short. Why are people offended by such small things.

Go to your boss or HR. They need to have a word to him.

Not everyone is good at making small talk and men have resorted to gentle teasing for centuries when interacting with women. Maybe just discourage people from communicating with you as much as possible to avoid potential offence

Being called fat arse and being referred to as short are completely different things. Fat arse is obviously a negative nasty comment. Being short is not a negative, it's neutral (depending on what's said exactly of course). I am short btw. Shorter than the OP and have had loads of comments throughout my life, really doesn't upset me as it's not a negative. I would be upset if someone said I had a fat arse or similar.

"I practice mindfulness and have CBT. The comments just stick. I spent a long time trying to feel comfortable in my own skin and it is a set back. It makes me feel like I am not enough. Like I should be slimmer. I should be prettier. I should be taller."

Well that's a you thing though. Unless he's making nasty remarks about your height (and from what you've said this doesn't sound like it's the case) I think you need to work on these invasive and obsessive negative thoughts, and also work on being kinder to yourself. You are saying much worse things to yourself than this man is saying to you.

In the work context all such comments are out of order.

I don't think any comments about a colleague's body appearance are appropriate in the workplace, unless it's a manager with a good work- related reason to. In the OP's case it might be perfectly OK for a manager to comment that they seem to be reaching for high things in a way that is unsafe for them, and did they know about or need any extra equipment like steps ordering.

OP isn't finding the comment shortarse neutral, so it really doesn't matter whether you or I do. It's being used about her and its still being used after she's asked them to stop. That's not okay. I'd also say it won't land the same way when it's said to you because you are objectively not short. Short people have a lifetime of people being clever dicks pointing out that they are short. In a 5'11 fat woman with big boobs and I can't tell you how many times men have thought they were entitled to comment on one or more of those three things, even though it is nothing whatsoever to do with them. You bet your ass I'm sensitive about anybody mentioning any of those things about me, because I've already had a lifetime's fill of those comments. Somebody calling me a shortarse wouldn't even register because I'm objectivelu lly not and i haven't spent a lifetime having that comment made about me. Happily, as a cranky menopausal middle aged woman I'm pretty invisible now 😉

And enough already to the people who are saying he probably fancies her. For years now It's no longer okay to excuse boys in school from pulling pigtails and pinging bra straps "because he probably fancies you", we certainly shouldn't be excusing grown men doing things to women that those women find mean just because the poor ickle man probably fancy them ffs!!

I'm 5 foot and when people, to my mind insult me, fuck off usually comes to mind.

It's exactly the same if you're tall,happens all the time. It's very boring.

Well done for telling him directly, and I'm sorry you have had to do it a number of times.

I think it's time to escalate it to a manager to be honest. He's a prick for carrying on even though you've told him you want him to stop.

Should have added, I'm smaller than you, not by much though, often on the receiving end of comments. I can't say it bothers me because it doesn't, but I just give it back in the form of making comment of 'big lanky freaks'.

Ooooo! I wish your husband could do that and make a short arse comment to the chap that's being inconsiderate at best, to the op.

I would actually pay to witness his face when he realises that he's on the receiving end of his own words.

Size should be neither here nor there.

There are exceptions, like when you go to some rides at a funfair, if you are not as tall as the pre measured line on the board, then you aren't permitted to board...
.... but obviously that's a safety issue.

These days we are all encouraged to be kind, and banter ain't banter unless all parties are amused.

I know you are being advised that your height is regarded as average, but I can see why it's bamboozled you.

Whether this colleague is making these regular comments as a (misguided) friendly banter, OR he's being downright horrible, coz he can see that it bothers you, in fact he's carried on even after you've asked him to stop, but he pig headedly carries on coz he's a nasty pice of work....
.... none of us could possibly know.

Op you've told him on numerous occasions to stop.
Next time, tell him that it's the last time, and if he mentions it even one more time, you'll be reporting him, in order to get it stopped... THAT won't look good on his performance review.

Does he say it in earshot of other colleagues who would be willing to back you up?
Or would he be able to claim that it's your word against his?

Good luck, no one deserves to have any unwanted behaviours, no matter what.

Please take this further, as no one should tell you "how" you should feel.

Not as tall as you, I'm 5'7 but even I get comments and asked to grab stuff off top shelf 😒

I see where you are coming from but she's uncomfortable and he continues to do it. So he needs to stop commenting on her appearance.

So all comments re: appearance are offensive regardless of whether they're positive, negative or neutral?

You'd be just as unhappy being called 'pretty' as 'ugly'?

I see fat as negative and short as neutral. Not on the same scale at all. But everyone perceives these things differently, I'm not saying my feelings are the correct ones.

It's commenting on someone's appearance, so no, I don't think there is any difference.

Also, a colleague is a bit different to your own kids.

Do you really think 'short' is perjorative in the same way 'fat' is?

I certainly don't. My kids call me shortarse and I'm 5'11. If they called me fat (which I am) there'd be big trouble.

I’m 5”10 and get really offensive comments about my height! It’s so frustrating but I’ve learnt to ignore it (don’t know why people feel like they need to comment?)

I am 5 ft and really don't care what people say - I am happy as I am.