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Original poster

Would you date a man shorter than you?

370 replies

livingthesimplelife · 03/01/2023 22:46

Just that really - was having a discussion around a dinner party tonight and the issue seemed v. contentious, so I said I would post on here to gauge other opinions!

OP posts:
AnImaginaryCat · 04/01/2023 09:55

Don't think the equivalent would be a man saying he prefers a large breasts or slim women. It would be lots of men claiming they'd only date women 5' 1" or under.

The whole 6' or over thing is baffling given the average height of men in the UK. Mind you the stereotypical MN poster's husband is 6' 2", so it could be that:

  • there is a land at the top of the Faraway Tree where the average height of a man is 5" taller than the UK. The land supplies the stereotypical MN posters.
  • averages in the UK don’t work the same as the rest of the world presuming the stereotypical poster is the UK. (Mind you, not even the Netherlands could supply all husbands at 6' 2" unless maths goes wrong there too.)
  • the stereotypical poster makes stuff up.
I'm 5" 2' (when measured early morning 😀), if I were back if the dating game I think I wouldn't get the chance to test out the theory if I would date a man shorter than me. But I think I wouldn't refuse if he was pleasant and made me laugh. I'd have a test drive like I did back in the day.
OnceRuralNowUrbanbliss · 04/01/2023 09:57

Nope. I only find tall men attractive. I am shallow but luckily only 5'2" myself.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 04/01/2023 09:58

I once dated a man who was the exact same height as me.

Only when wearing shoes I would be an inch or so taller than him.

I didn't mind. He didn't mind.

Our relationship didn't last, but what he lacked in stature he absolutely made up between the sheets.

Anotheroneandanother · 04/01/2023 10:00

Yes. I seem to only ever date short men, I'm nearly 6' and date who I get along with. Hasn't done Sophie Dahl any harm

hennylovespens · 04/01/2023 10:14

aurynne · 04/01/2023 03:39

Yes, two previous partners have been shorter than me, no issues there. My only issue regarding height is with the ones who lie about it before meeting.

Although this after reading this thread I can see why some chaps decide to round up.

ReneBumsWombats · 04/01/2023 10:16

PhilCollinsFanGirl · 03/01/2023 23:00

Fuck no

Do you know how tall Phil Collins is?

PhilCollinsFanGirl · 04/01/2023 10:18

@ReneBumsWombats yes and I'm shorter! 🤣

Marmitepot · 04/01/2023 10:19

No woman on this thread has said

“I would never date someone taller than me”.

WhenDovesFly · 04/01/2023 10:26

Tried it but didn't feel comfortable with him being a couple of inches shorter than me so it fizzled out.

He said he wasn't bothered about his height (5'5" compared to my 5'7") but he regularly "joked" or made comments, so I think he was more bothered himself than he let on.

LaLuz7 · 04/01/2023 10:27

No. But I'm 5'1 so it's not likely I'd run into one anyways. I'm not a height snob but I think it's entirely fair to draw the line at 5'2.

5128gap · 04/01/2023 10:39

Not a chance. But as the multiple threads on the subject evidence, some women will, so its not like short men will never find a partner, simply that they can't have every woman they might want on account of their height.
Just as women can't have any man they might want on account of their weight, age, facial features and so on.
Whatever their physical 'disadvantage' most people who want a partner can get one. So some peoples options are restricted by things outside of their control, well that's life isn't it?

Aussiegirl123456 · 04/01/2023 10:42

No

NoDatingForOldMen · 04/01/2023 10:47

AnImaginaryCat · 04/01/2023 09:55

Don't think the equivalent would be a man saying he prefers a large breasts or slim women. It would be lots of men claiming they'd only date women 5' 1" or under.

The whole 6' or over thing is baffling given the average height of men in the UK. Mind you the stereotypical MN poster's husband is 6' 2", so it could be that:

  • there is a land at the top of the Faraway Tree where the average height of a man is 5" taller than the UK. The land supplies the stereotypical MN posters.
  • averages in the UK don’t work the same as the rest of the world presuming the stereotypical poster is the UK. (Mind you, not even the Netherlands could supply all husbands at 6' 2" unless maths goes wrong there too.)
  • the stereotypical poster makes stuff up.
I'm 5" 2' (when measured early morning 😀), if I were back if the dating game I think I wouldn't get the chance to test out the theory if I would date a man shorter than me. But I think I wouldn't refuse if he was pleasant and made me laugh. I'd have a test drive like I did back in the day.

I’m 6ft and only really like to date women no less than 6” shorter than me.

chewbaccarrrr · 04/01/2023 10:50

No I actually wish my dh was taller he's 5'11 but lies about being 6' all the time. Which I find even more irritating. I have gone out with someone shorter than me and it did feel wrong,

5128gap · 04/01/2023 10:51

Cuppasoupmonster · 03/01/2023 22:59

Most won’t, interestingly usually shorter women. I do wonder how they would feel if their son inherited their short genes - would they want women to consider dating them?

Show quote history

Well its not surprising really is it that the shorter the woman the less likely they'd be to date a man shorter than them? A very tall woman could date a man shorter than her and he could still be of average height, whereas for me, a man shorter than I am would be noticeably tiny, and that wouldn't be attractive to me.
As for my son, were he not tall it wouldn't bother me unduly (I'm pleased for him that he is as height in a man is an advantage in many ways) but as far as dating is concerned, he would just need to accept that not everyone would be attracted to him. Same as everyone else has to for one reason or another.

Hoppinggreen · 04/01/2023 10:54

Probably not

LaLuz7 · 04/01/2023 11:02

Needthisjob · 04/01/2023 07:51

Imagine if people were judging your sons or grandsons like this.

No one said short men are undateable. They just need to focus on women shorter than themselves.

LaLuz7 · 04/01/2023 11:04

Most won’t, interestingly usually shorter women. I do wonder how they would feel if their son inherited their short genes - would they want women to consider dating them?

@Cuppasoupmonster maybe short women instinctively seek out tall partners to give their children a fair shot at being at least average height?

I'm 5'1. If I had a son with someone my size he would be doomed.

IHeartGeneHunt · 04/01/2023 11:05

I'm nearly six feet tall. I've had two boyfriends about 5"7 and didn't have a problem with their height at all. Doesn't bother me.

Echobelly · 04/01/2023 11:07

Yeah, I would have though it'd have been hard to find one! I'm about 5ft 1 and I did one know a cute guy who was only about 5ft; wouldn't have said no to him.

I think if you're a short girl in the first place, perhaps it's less of an issue. I do feel for tall girls and genuinely short (5ft 7 or 8 is not short imo) guys because people can be so stupid about it.

MardyMincepie · 04/01/2023 11:13

No, I’m 5ft 4 and DH is about 6ft 1, DS is 6ft 5. From about age 15 he has attracted a lot of attention and was positively pursued in his cadet group by multiple girls.

It does seem unfair one of his friends is 5ft 5 and is everything a woman could want in a man, they are both 21. I sort of see him as a nephew sort of figure but know full well if I had met him and been his contemporary that sort of attraction would never have been there. It must be a very primitive attraction mechanism, I do not fully understand it myself.

5128gap · 04/01/2023 11:13

Echobelly · 04/01/2023 11:07

Yeah, I would have though it'd have been hard to find one! I'm about 5ft 1 and I did one know a cute guy who was only about 5ft; wouldn't have said no to him.

I think if you're a short girl in the first place, perhaps it's less of an issue. I do feel for tall girls and genuinely short (5ft 7 or 8 is not short imo) guys because people can be so stupid about it.

Why is it stupid to not want to date someone you're not attracted to?

SPlRlT · 04/01/2023 11:23

I have in the past but wouldn't do it again. Felt self conscious of our size together and he showed insecurity around taller guys. He also kept eyeing up taller women I think he wanted to get them to show that he is confident and can bag a taller woman.

Cuppasoupmonster · 04/01/2023 11:28

5128gap · 04/01/2023 11:13

Why is it stupid to not want to date someone you're not attracted to?

Show quote history

It isn’t at all! People can be attracted (or not) to whoever they like for any reason at all.

I just find it interesting that when the sexes are reversed, men not wanting to date fat women (for example) is called ‘shallow’ or even ‘sexist’ on here, and any notion that there is a ‘conventional beauty standard’ is rejected. Even though threads like this prove otherwise.

inquisitorgeneral · 04/01/2023 11:29

If I was single, I wouldn't rule somebody out just because of his height. But I'm a fairly short woman and there aren't a huge number of men out there who are actually shorter than me, so it's unlikely

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