We are heightists: Taller women earn more than shorter women

[Captain Hilts]

In this country they would have to control for immigrant populations that tend to be shorter - some Latins and most Asians. But studies have shown for a long time that taller people DO earn more than shorter ones. We are trained as small children to respect those who are taller than we are and we never quite outgrow it, so we vote for taller candidates and make fun of shorter men.

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2010/04/12/2010-04-12_tall_women_earn_more_money_than_short_ones_reveals_british_study.html

For the study, 1,461 women over age 16 were asked questions about their height and their salary. Some 20 percent of the participants who were in the “tall” category reported annual earnings of $46,000, compared to just 10 percent of women whose height was under 5 feet eight inches.

The study also showed that the taller a woman is, the more comfortable she is with her body. And a quarter of the tall women reported not wanting to change anything about themselves.

Yet 90 percent of the shorter women reported being unhappy with their appearance, according to the research, which was done for the clothing chain, Long Tall Sally.

“Research shows that tall people are consistently more successful in the workplace,” Arianne Cohen, author of “The Tall Book: A Celebration of Life From On High,” told the Mail.

“Research shows that tall people are consistently more successful in the workplace. Not only do they earn more but they’re more likely to be in leadership positions.”

[Grand Taurean]

1. Bush and Kerry

enough said.

[Captain Hilts]

15. Another sign that Bush didn't actually win. nt

[SoCalDem]

2. Advertising tell us what's "beautiful-acceptable-normal, etc"

When most women sewed their own clothing, height/shape/weight was probably not all that important, but now that most women's clothing seems to be made for the "ideal", most of us struggle to find things that fit and look good on us./ No wonder so many women have a complex about their looks:(

The modern ideal:

5'9", built like a 10 yr old boy :rofl:

[Grand Taurean]

3. The fashion industry is run by people

who I would not save if they were burning.

[HockeyMom]

14. How about 5'2" and built like s 10 year old boy?

As in my 30s. Has it's advantages. While I was waiting at bus stop with my daughter, a car stopped near the kids. The driver kept enticing the kids to get in the car so he could drive them to school. I coached the kids on what to say. I waited sitting next to a tree dressed in jeans, sweatshirt, no makeup, and short hair. When he got out of the car, I made my move. "Can I help you with something?" As soon as this 19/20 year old "kid" saw I was an ADULT and not one of the kids, he ran to his car and sped away; never to come back to this neighborhood. I reported the description of the man and car to the police.

Looking like a 12 year old boy can be an advantage. How many undercover cops can say the same?

[Captain Hilts]

22. I'm 5'2" but wear a size 8 shoe, which is unusual. nt

[REP]

31. Depends on the shoe - anywhere from a 6WW to an 8B

Usually 6.5W, though ... Not a super common size!

[Captain Hilts]

23. Only 15% of women have the classic 'hourglass' shape. ALL clothes are made for that shape. nt

[MUAD_DIB]

4. Really? No shit, really?

I've known that all my relatively short life.

[DavidDvorkin]

5. This is very old news, and it's not the fault of the fashion industry

or other purveyors of media images.

Here on DU, you'll often see the adjective "little" used to denigrate a politician on the other side. Along the lines of, "He's an evil little man."

[Captain Hilts]

21. Yes. I've seen that. It's not cool. nt

[DavidDvorkin]

42. Just now, in LBN, someone called Lieberman

a horrible little man.

[inna]

46. "little" not to be confused with "short"

"Little" is not 'heightist', as in "his dirty little mind", "their boring little lives", etc.

[DavidDvorkin]

49. It amounts to the same thing

It equates physical smallness with insignificance. And it's so common as an insult that the connection passes without conscious notice.

[inna]

53. The examples I provided do NOT equate shortness with insignificance.

In fact, they had NOTHING to do with "physical smallness".

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Notably, one industry where short people are NOT discriminated against

to a major degree is film - there are any number of film stars who are below average height. Of course, film can hide that fact - during his career most people did not know Alan Ladd was something like 5'6 - he was the HERO, so he had to be 6' tall, and his films showed him that way. Same with Tom Cruise. And any number of female leads were barely 5' - Betty Davis, for one, was tiny, but she was HUGE on the screen.

OTOH, it does apply with stage actors. The taller man will get cast, as will the taller woman so long as she is not taller than the man.

[KansDem]

10. A little off-topic, but your post reminded me of this...

Joe Gillis: You're Norma Desmond. You used to be in silent pictures. You used to be big.
Norma Desmond: I am big. It's the pictures that got small.

[Captain Hilts]

17. 5'2" wasn't that short for a woman then. KHep was 5'6", Ingrid Bergman 5'9". El Roosevelt was 6ft.

[Darth_Kitten]

33. Exactly.

Most of the leading ladies going way back were all petite. :)

[handmade34]

7. at 5' and shrinking

I've known this all my life

[boobooday]

9. Yeah, me too.

Five foot and almost an inch.

[handmade34]

25. I was 5' 2"

at my peak... I now spend time on my inversion table everyday to stop the shrinking :-)

[supernova]

16. Me three

My niece at 5' 8" gets more attention and respect than me. :evilfrown:

[handmade34]

26. I think my height

has caused me to become appropriately assertive (aggressive) when I need to be

[raccoon]

35. 5'1" and shrinking, me too. When I was a kid, I used to hate it when people told me I was short.

(Like I didn't know that.)

Nobody comments on that any more; nobody has for about 20 years, more or less.

There are some benefits to getting older. :-)

[handmade34]

40. some benefits...

I have become that little old lady who speaks her mind... my short is superceded by my assertiveness

[Greyskye]

8. I have no doubt that the same is true with men as well.

Speaking as a vertically challenged male with approximately 30 years of work experience.

[Captain Hilts]

18. Yes. Probably moreso. nt

[Moondog]

11. Short People

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NvgLkuEtkA

[Bonobo]

12. It is a much bigger problem for men.

How often do we hear women denigrate men based on their height, admitting that they choose prospective mates based on it? I think the sad answer is that it is common practice. Women often consider 6 feet to be some kind of dividing line between what is acceptable in an "good catch". Do women lose potential mates as a result? Less oftem, I would wager.

As far as income, it has been long established that shorter men are paid less, and let's face it, men are the ones who are EXPECTED to bring in a living wage for the family while for women it is still to some degree an option.



So yes, "we are heightists", but in a world where the burden is more on men to be big, tall and strong, it is men who get the shorter end of the stick. Pun intended.

[Captain Hilts]

19. Yes, I think that's true. All those folks commenting on how MObama was taller than GWB is

an example. As if either Michelle or W chose or earned their height.

A friend of mine is dating a Big Guy. Her first time with a fellow above average height. She said she really noticed how people defer to him in a way they didn't to her other beaux or to her.

[Brickbat]

13. Is it that they make less because they're shorter, or is it because they don't feel as confident

and thus put out a quieter, more timid, less promotable vibe? Speaking in generalities, of course.

[Captain Hilts]

20. Probably a combination. nt

[newportdadde]

39. Both, but that comes from years of having it be an issue.

During the childhood years its obviously an issue but it continues into your life as adult. If I walk into a meeting in the corporate its almost a sure thing I will be the shortest man in the room at 5'7'', it does impact confidence to some degree.

If you speak to any man on the shorter side they will also no doubt have hallway stories. This is where you meet another man say 6'+ in a hallway, even though there is plenty of room for both of you they will make you move as they walk by rather then have both of you move a bit to pass each other. I had one at the gym last week, I had just checked in and was walking back to work out when a tall guy 6' 4'' came walking up straight at me talking to a guy sitting behind me. If I hadn't dodge out of the way he would have walked right through me like I wasn't there. I use to experiment with it to see if that other person would move and the answer is no they won't, we collide.

So there is constant reinforcement of it both in and out of the workplace, it gets old.

[nickinSTL]

24. yep

and it really ticks off this 5'6" man.

Height does NOT equal competence, or anything but being tall.

:mad:

[taterguy]

28. Don't be so short-tempered

:hide:

[REP]

27. 5'3" and have to admit, I'd like to be taller - it'd be so convenient

I've never had a kitchen or closet that was designed to be fully useable by someone my height. A lot of cars don't work for me (though the one I drive now seems like it was made for me). Every skirt is a maxi. And I'm considered to be average, or at least on the low end foe average height!

[Captain Hilts]

30. I would love to have a shirt with sleeves the right length. Just once. nt

[raccoon]

36. That's why I love knit shirts; I can hem them. With shirts with cuffs,

one is just screwn.

My late mother moved cuffs up, so it CAN be done, but I don't think it's worth all the work.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

29. Yeah, I am not surprised.

I am five foot three and female. My parents were tall, my grandparents were tall, my uncles on both sides were over six feet.

My sister and I were both very small boned and tiny. I still feel like nobody in the work world has ever taken me or my qualifications seriously. I am intimidated by most tall loud people. I know some people who are tall and not intimidating but they are aware of it and work at being friendly.

I used to date tall guys. Very tall. However, my present DH is five foot eight, and I feel like I am equal to him. I feel very unequal to tall men, even though a lot of women think they are better to date. Then there's the general problem of guys who are control freaks. That may or may not be related to height.

I wanted to be tall and intimidating but it didn't happen. Even though I am retired I still feel like some people think I am just a stupid little woman. Who happens to have a doctorate in law. I am so glad I don't have to suck up to idiots at work anymore. Nobody recognized my abilities, they were intimidated by my intelligence and education instead. America is all about mediocrity.

I hate having to climb up on grocery store shelves to get a box of cereal off the top. The one advantage is that I can stand up in a normal airplace seat space. The inch or more of hair on top hits the plastic part that the swively lights and vents are in. :D

And I hate it when giraffes at the mall are busy mowing me down.

:banghead: :banghead: :grr:

[raccoon]

37. I'd rather not date real tall men, either. I think if you're a short woman, a real tall man makes

your height more glaring.

Boy, can I relate to that:

"they were intimidated by my intelligence and education instead."

[TwilightGardener]

41. I'm shorter than you, and I hear ya. I hate being in a crowd of tall people,

hate being at their elbows, looking up. Also hate climbing store shelves, hate asking taller adults (the REAL grownups!) for help. Most of the time my height doesn't matter, but in certain situations, the sheer physical difference between myself and others can be embarrassing and undignified. And as I get older and less "cute" and more middle-aged-looking, the more it bothers me to look undignified or endure condescension or a lack of respect.

[Darth_Kitten]

32. Funny................

I've had tall women out and out tell me they wish they were petite like me. :shrug:

Not comfortable with my body? Right, whatever.

[Captain Hilts]

38. I think you're the first person here to use the word...'petite'.

We're talking height, not size.

[rug]

34. I thought it was breast size.

[Donnachaidh]

43. that's because their shorter male bosses fear getting their tiny asses kicked

:rofl:

[Xithras]

44. There's a very simple reason behind this

Numerous studies have shown a direct correlation between height and self-confidence. Self-confidence is THE primary driver of workplace aggressiveness and risk taking that leads to raises and promotions. The more timid you are, the less you earn.

[ieoeja]

47. I've always been super confident, people usually guess me to be 5'10 or 5'11. I am 5'8-.

Apparently, the confidence actually makes people "see" me two or three inches taller than I am. Even when I tell them I am a just under 5'8, they argue the point. I always have to find some 5'10 guy for back-to-back comparison before people will accept I am of below average height.

[Xithras]

52. It's a statistical arc.

There are plenty of tall people with no self confidence. There are plenty of short people who believe they can single handedly change the world.

On the average, though, a greater percentage of shorter people have low self confidence and low self esteem than taller people. This tends to show through in statistics like those in the OP, demonstrating that the average shorter person makes less money than the average taller person.

The real question is why a larger percentage of shorter people have less self confidence. There's still quite a bit of debate on that point.

[inna]

45. Same applies to taller men vs. shorter men.

And to men vs. women in general (on average).

[Heidi]

48. I'm 5'8" and in the professional arena in the US where superficial traits

very often trump real competence, I always knew my height was an advantage, not unlike my race. But these qualities aren't qualifications or competence or anything I achieved. I guess I wouldn't want to work with and/or for anyone who'd consider height a competence.

[tango-tee]

50. Interesting. But I've never had the impression that being taller would be of great benefit to me.

I'm a 5'4" woman working in an almost exclusively male field, aircraft maintenance. My guys tell me that dynamite comes in small packages, too.

[Sebastian Doyle]

51. Anyone who believes that being tall gives you some sort of advantages

is full of shit. It only helps if you're a basketball player. And that's only if you're capable of running back and forth on a wooden floor for 48 minutes.

The reality is, you bump your head into shit all the time, and it's nearly impossible to find shoes.

And people are intimidated by your mere physical presence. Which admittedly has its advantages in some situations (I don't get in many fights)but horrible disadvantages in others.

[Raineyb]

54. Sounds rather iffy to me.

On the dating scene the number of men who have any interest in a woman who is taller than they are without heels is rather small. In addition, being tall means that people assume you're the an aggressor in any confrontation and assume you're a bully.

Some advantage.