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Original poster

Do Tall Women get Harassed Less?

36 replies

Julietee · 30/01/2014 13:07

I'm tall. I also think I give off quite strong 'fuck off' vibes. I very rarely get harassed on the street/ on public transport (it has happened though).

A conversation on FB revealed that a short and petite acquaintance seems to get picked on almost daily. She gets called 'cute', gets more aggression if she doesn't act grateful for the attention, etc.

I had never realised before that I might have it better out in the world because I'm tall/ broad/ uncute.

What do you think?

OP posts:
EBearhug · 30/01/2014 21:31

I'm 5'4" and I have very rarely been harassed. That's not to say there may not have been occasions which passed without me noticing, but I'm pretty sure I'd at least have noticed unsolicited groping and so on. I've assumed it's mostly down to having a pretty flat chest in my case. There may well be a correlation between height and harassment, but it can't be only about that.

freyasnow · 30/01/2014 15:10

Yes, I believe I get harassed less. I get particular remarks, as others have said, but am harassed much less often.

thenightsky · 30/01/2014 14:42

I've been ridiculed for my height by men, accused of being a bloke in drag etc. probably why I'm so round shouldered from stooping now.

Domple · 30/01/2014 14:29

I am tall, never been harassed, always mistaken for being German when anywhere but UK.

Friends at school described me as aloof until they got to know me.

Quite like being tall TBH.

Onesleeptillwembley · 30/01/2014 14:23

I'm 5' 6" and don't get 'harassed' as you put it.

FiscalCliffRocksThisTown · 30/01/2014 14:18

bet you'r not ugly, I don't think many (any) people are, it is such an ugly thing to say about yourself!

CatAmongThePigeons · 30/01/2014 13:43

I got a lot of shit thrown at me when I was younger being a taller woman, also lots of comments about long legs etc...

I'm fair ugly though so I never really saw that side of harassment.

InvaderZim · 30/01/2014 13:40

I am tall enough (five foot eight) and quite broad shouldered, not pretty, and the worst I've ever gotten is a bit of teeth kissing and admonition to smile. I also walk assertively and have a general fuck-off attitude.

Which of those factors is most relevant, I don't know, but being a taller/broader lady has always seemed an advantage to me.

Original poster
Julietee · 30/01/2014 13:36

My feeling is that a short/ petite woman presents a more attractive target for the kind of D-bag who harasses women in the street, even if that mental process is a subconscious one. Smaller = more likely to be compliant, less likely to challenge (for reasons of physical safety, that is, I'm not suggesting small women are more compliant!).

OP posts:
PenguinsDontEatKale · 30/01/2014 13:33

As Fiscal says, hard to tell. But I am tall and, other than in clubs as a student, haven't had many issues. I do think that there is something about looking a man straight in the eye (or indeed towering over him) that changes the power balance with some of these men. It's the up close stuff I seemed to get less than my friends, rather than the 'builders yelling from a van' stuff.

Not that anyone has harassed me for years. Buggy = invisible.

FiscalCliffRocksThisTown · 30/01/2014 13:09

hmm, how can we know, as we only know what it's like being us?

I am 6ft1, and have had a fair bit of unwanted male attention, but now that I am older and less pretty it has calmed down a lot. I don't miss it.

I have always liked wearing big tough boots, DH calls them my "fuck-off-boots" and I walk with a bit more attitude in them.

I think some small creepy men may be deterred by height, but some like the challenge!

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