Women Dating Shorter Men
We like to think of ourselves as less superficial than men, but research shows we’re biologically prejudice against short guys.
Once upon a time I met a gorgeous man on a dating site.
He was well-spoken, well-travelled, and well-educated. He was a doctor (my mother was thrilled) who owned two houses, and even better than all that, he’d made me laugh. (The way to my heart is through terrible puns. I can’t explain it, just go with it).
“I can’t date a short man” is a common slur by women, especially the short ones in seven-inch heels. It’s common to hear people making fun of short speakers each time they take to the podium. Find Shorter Men & Women At ShorterSingles.Com. If your idea of the perfect mate includes a man or woman of shorter stature, you've come to the right place. ShorterSingles.com is the mobile responsive flagship site for fun and attractive men and women of a shorter stature to gather and meet. Just look at Hollywood, and you'll find tons of examples of tall female celebrities dating men who are shorter than them. I've met women who claimed they'd never date a short man – until they met the man of their dreams who just so happened to be 5'6″.So, from Hollywood magnates to bombshell supermodels.
The time eventually came for us to meet in real life. I put on a cute little black dress, slapped on just enough makeup to highlight the best bits, but not enough that should it progress further he’d wonder who the I was in the morning. Then I set off to meet my seemingly charming prince.
I spotted a tiny him in the distance as I was walking to the venue and waved. But then, as I walked closer I realised… he wasn’t getting any taller. He hadn’t looked small because he was far away, he was just short, like, really short. Now before you jump down my throat, I am also vertically challenged; 5’2” to be exact. Yet this man was shorter than me and I wasn’t even in heels.
And then almost as soon as I’d passed judgement on his height I felt totally disgusted with myself. Up until I saw him, I’d been super interested and all of a sudden his height was a “letdown”? What the fuck was wrong with me?
The date went fine, but try as I might, I couldn’t put the fact that he was shorter than my meagre 5’2” out of my mind. I needed to find out if I was alone or not, so I did what any sensible single gal would to: I did a quick poll of my girlfriends.
“Oh gosh, no I wouldn’t date a guy who was shorter than me,” one said. “The idea of leaning down to kiss someone is just weird,” one said.
“I dated someone shorter than me once,” my 5’11” friend said. “But in the end he told me he didn’t want me wearing heels around him anymore, which as I am a shoe lover, was a bit of a mark against him.”
One of my friends even said she didn’t think a guy shorter than her would be any good in bed. “I mean he’d have to, like scurry up and down my body to cover all the bases… what if he couldn’t reach my mouth to kiss me while we were having sex?”
“I mean, I’ve never dated anyone who’s been shorter than me but I am not sure I’d love it. It just seems… wrong, you know?”
And while I did know from experience, I still didn’t know why. Turns out neither did my girlfriends. While they didn’t rule out dating a shorter man if they felt the connection was strong enough, none of them could tell me exactly why they’d still have to “get over” the height thing… so to speak.
The dislike of short men in preference of someone tall, dark and handsome seems to be an enduring feeling among women on the dating scene. But why?
Psychology Today found that when it comes to height, women overlook short men because they’re subconsciously seen as not manly enough, or as likely to have an inferiority complex, which just seems a really unfair snap judgement.
A 2011 study at the University of British Columbia also suggested that other than just height, it’s the “social and emotional image a man presents that was crucial to sexual attraction.” More to the point, the study discovered that “women were least attracted to smiling, happy men, preferring those who looked proud and powerful or moody and ashamed.” So then there is a certain amount of truth in the fact that even though we say we hate being treated like shit, women are attracted to the bad boy.
But how does this link in with height? Well it seems subconsciously, women just don’t believe the short guy can be a bad boy because how can someone who doesn’t have the physical advantage ever fight another guy to defend their honour?
If you’re thinking this sounds like damsel in distress bullshit you’re not alone. My initial reaction to reading this was to say “well that’s a load of crap, I want a nice guy not a bad boy and I certainly don’t condone fighting.” And yet, I myself had been turned off by a man who was shorter than me.
On further research, I found out that most of the so called reasons women rejected short men were also founded in theories that just weren’t logical at all. Many women don’t see height challenged men as being capable of protecting them when in actual fact “plenty of short men exist whose overall weight and muscular strength far eclipses that of many tall men” according to Psychology Today.
Another argument is that women are wired to be attracted to men with deeper voices, and men who aren’t as tall as others have a tendency towards having slightly higher pitched speech.
Many psychologists seem to think that women’s distaste for dating men shorter than them stems from a lot of social pressure based on what it means to be manly, but that most women don’t even question their own feelings on it. Instead, they prefer to just say “I’m just not attracted to short men,” without even asking themselves why. Which made me feel a lot better about myself because I had actually stopped and chastised myself for having such a heightist opinion.
And when you think about it, how is a woman saying “I don’t date short guys,” any better than men who say “I don’t date fat chicks”? In fact, I think it’s probably a bit worse because you can usually lose weight but height? Height is something you’re stuck with. Women would collectively lose their shit if a man said he didn’t want to date a girl because he just wasn’t attracted to curvy women. We’d be all like, “Who the fuck do you think you are by passing judgement on my body without getting to know me?! Misogynist pig!”
And yet it’s somehow socially okay for women to eliminate an entire section of people from the dating pool because of the size of their body. Well, no more. I vowed that the next time I went on a date with someone who was shorter than me, I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. As long as you’re not an asshole, you’re okay by me.
Images via shutterstock.com and pexels.com.
Comment: Would you date a man shorter than you?
When you're looking for a woman to date, the list of qualities to consider can seem infinite.
Women Dating Shorter Men
There's hair color. Skin tone. Style.
Every guy has his own preferences, and these influence whom he dates. But it's particularly hard to ignore one asset — a woman's height.
Height is often the first thing you notice about someone when you first meet. You'll estimate a woman's height as soon as you approach her.
You’ll notice it when you first make eye contact, you’ll be aware of it the first time you hold her hand, and you’ll certainly pay attention to it the first time you're in bed together.
Whether you’re into tall women or petite ones, no type is universally superior. That said, it would be wrong to deny that individual guys have their own preferences.
While some dudes might not even include height when considering the qualities they desire in a woman, others put a great deal of emphasis on how their potential partners measure up (pun intended).
If a guy is short and insecure, he may compensate for his height by seeking out a shorter woman.
But if a guy is short and resourceful, he might pursue a taller woman. He might help a woman find her car in a crowded parking lot.
Maybe he'll offer to reach for the top shelf at Whole Foods. OK, I was kidding there — but, point being, there are pros and cons to a man's own height in seeking a partner.
If you were wondering why you’ve been singularly attracted to tall or short women in particular, science may reveal the deeper meaning behind your “type.” Here's what the research has to say.
Choice A: Tall Women
There’s a reason why the world’s finest designers model tall women.
The fashion world sets up tall, slender women as the 'ideal' type. In response, women around the world buy high-heeled shoes (and ignore the discomfort) in order to gain a few inches.
Tall women attract attention. When a group of women walk into a bar, most eyes turn immediately to the tallest one in the group — simply because she might be the first face they see.
And when men interact with tall women, as Roger Dobson explains for The Independent, the outcome is generally positive.
According to Dobson, “both men and women judge a tall female on first sight as more intelligent, assertive, independent and ambitious.”
Dobson further explains that men view tall women as being wealthier and more successful.
These initial impressions don't guarantee a lasting relationship. But they do give tall women a leg up (no pun intended). Although these judgements may seem superficial, I understand where they come from.
Whenever I think of a tall woman, I almost always picture Uma Thurman or Maria Sharapova — tall, blonde, alpha females.
Both happen to be very assertive. And while I wouldn’t expect every tall woman to be as strong-willed as the two I just mentioned, stature canindicate personality.
Dobson explains that men make many conclusions about a woman based on her height.
Psychologists from the Universities of Liverpool and Central Lancashire set out to gain a better understanding of height discrimination, a tendency that has influenced male-male competition since the beginning of human history.
But heightism is not confined to ego battles between men. It also plays a large role in a man's choice of mate.
In one study, men were asked to judge the characters of women whose pictures had been digitally shortened or lengthened.
Dating Short Men
These findings served as 'the first direct evidence that female height influences perception of their character,” Dr. Simon Chu, who was involved in the study, explained.
Choice B: Short Women
The evidence found in studies of heightism is not entirely in favor of tall women. In fact, it often suggests that men may view shorter women in an equally positive light.
While men might see taller women as more conventionally attractive — and even more intelligent — than shorter women, men find the latter to be “more nurturing and likely to be better mothers.”
According to Dobson, “men believed that shorter women were more considerate, nurturing and homely.”
This conclusion could come an initial belief that short women are not intimidating.
Many shorter men have to conquer the fear of dating women who are taller than they are. Many men might find taller women more imposing — and smaller women more inviting.
In a Daily Mail report, researchers suggest “small women with long legs” are empirically the most attractive 'type.'
According to the man behind the claim, Dr. William Brown of Brunel University, “shorter, slimmer females with long slender limbs and larger breasts are more attractive.”
Dr. Brown explains his logic through the concept of body symmetry. Though tall, slim, women may appear thinnest on a runway, it's the shorter, curvier women who are most symmetrically pleasing.
Ultimately, height is just a number. But your choice of a tall or a short woman could reveal which other qualities attract you.
If you're a lad who fancies taller women, you might prefer a more independent and assertive companion. If you are a shorter man, you could be seeking out someone more nurturing.