Is it harder to be taken seriously as a short woman?

[Eurydice84]

Just that really. I was discussing the issue with another short friend and she confirmed my thoughts - especially at work, people perceive short women as less assertive. Short women can be cutesy, sweet, but rarely in charge. And we can't achieve the same level of effortless elegance that comes so easy to our tall counterparts. I stopped wearing heels after having children / back problems so that's not an option...

I think there is something in it, and I've seen other articles/studies separate to the one linked upthread. It won't always be the case of course, but taller women with deeper voices can be perceived to have more gravitas than small women with high voices.

I also think the type of work you do or the sector you're in makes a difference to how much height can affect perceptions.

I don’t think short always = cutesy sweet AT ALL. I think that’s about attitude.

My Nan was 5 foot tall and incredibly commanding and forceful. A very dominating personality.

I am 5’10” and for years struggled with shyness. I’m much more confident now but clearly my height had nothing to do with it!

4ft 10 and I am a senior manager. Have to laugh at people who are 5ft3 answering this. That's pretty average to me! I'd love to be over 5ft! I've got to say my height gets mentioned more by friends than it does at work. I think I can be a bit scary when pushed so people definitely don't think I'm not assertive. As for clothes I agree with that. It's hard to look put together at my height!

YABU. I'm 5'1.5 and in a male dominated field. They take me lightly at my peril.
IME voice makes a bigger difference. Tone, timbre. Speech patterns.

I don’t think this has impacted me no. When I was much younger (19) I was told I couldn’t have a permanent job in an office because I was a young woman and might have babies soon… but no one’s ever said anything about my height. I have had times where taller people have tried to intimidate me with their tallness but that’s life. I just stand my ground, diffuse the situation and move on.

Oh sorry I should have said I am about 5ft 2… and used to being the shortest in the room 😆

I'm 4'10". I've found my people 😂😂

The most terrifying, confrontational and outright verbally aggressive managers I have ever encountered have been very petite women. Correlation is not causation, it could be that they became like that because they were determined not to be thought of as somebody to take less seriously, it might be entirely unrelated and they were just that type of person to get to management level, but in 30 years in the workplace, the petite women have been the ones who left a trail of people crying in offices and cupboards in their wake and staff visibly twitching when they were heard on their way down the corridor.

nope. my office manager is 5 foot nothing and she is incredibly respected in the work place and in personal life.

Not unless you're acting childish I don't think.

I'm 5'3 and am listened to and respected (even by the bolshier men). I've never noticed one of the taller women get more attention/promotions/respect/ floor time. 🤷‍♀️

My sister is 5'0 and is a respected doctor (even when she needs additional adjustments in theatre to do surgery due to her height (😂).

I will say the only times this has been a touch true was when I was 21 and babyfaced. Then I was assumed to be the intern.

My sister does occasionally get assumed to be a nurse, but only by patients not colleagues and generally they're the elderly patients.

@midgemadgemodge * It's not explicit discrimination that's happening

It's just they perceive you as slightly less without realising why

If that's true then there's bollocks we can do about it then is there? Just got to crack on, be short and get the respect anyway.

I’m 4 11 at a push and have honestly never felt like this. It’s not how I perceive myself or how I think others perceive me

I'm 156cm and definitely not seen as sweet. Colleagues who I'd met only on Zoom during covid were surprised to find out I was v short when we got back to the office, they'd imagined I was tall. I took that as a compliment 😄

Nope. I'm 1/4 inch under 5ft and I'm definitely not cute. I'm not a pushover and at work if I can do it I will. If I can't I'll explain.

The only thing that is harder is getting out the steps to climb up to retrieve files.

I'm less than five feet tall.

Nobody, ever, talks down to me. Those that have tried, have had short (see what I did there??) shrift.

This short and slight ( and young) woman led the field from the start at Badminton Horse Trials at the weekend, finishing way ahead of everybody. Totally nailed it. Absolute superstar.

http://www.roscantereventing.com/

Just checked and she’s 5’1!

I'm under 5ft and professionally I don't see this. I'm often assumed to be younger than I am which I do think is due to my height so that might be what you are seeing?

I think the times where I've felt I've been treated differently I would but it down to sexism, ageism, or other sorts of prejudice e.g class, accent etc. I don't think I've ever really identified height as an issue.

However, whilst I think this is true for women, it's a very different picture for a short man.

Yep. Her horses certainly don't look down on her for being small. Incredible rider. Not just winning it but having another in the top 10 in really crap conditions.

If you don't feel you can be assertive or taken seriously because of your height, then it's not your height. You have a confidence problem.

Apparent lack of self confidence can do that to you.

5' 3" and small boned, I'm very no nonsense at work and not afraid to be firm. Don't wear heels either. I do make an effort to be louder and more prominent in a room with much taller men - but no one disrespects me. I don't see myself as short weirdly and sometimes surprise myself in photos at how little I look in comparison to others! It just doesn't register day to day.

Not for me...I am competent, happy and successful in all areas of my life.