What is this generation’s obsession with height about?

[Anonymous]

To the PP saying 5’11” is the size of execs at their company and it’s not that tall, it actually is. You were replying to me and my DH is 5’7”, which is the average height worldwide for Asian men.

The average American male and the global average male height is 5’9”.

Many men in corporate America are immigrants or on visas and are from places where 5’9” is *much* taller than average. So the 5’11” height you’re describing is actually noticeably tall in a group of “average” men.

Anyway, people are always going to find a way to distinguish themselves from one another. It’s like moms in playgroups making a big deal about their kid walking at 10 months vs. 12. It doesn’t matter 40 years later, but matters enough in the moment that people make a fuss about it regardless of which side they’re on.

[Anonymous]

I’m actually pretty surprised to hear OP saying his made-varsity-as-a-freshman son is receiving daily abuse about his height. What sort of comments and abuse are we talking about? My kids attend a UMC HS as well, and while kids tease each other about all sorts of things, and most (all?) boys would prefer to be tall, I haven’t heard about any persistent campaigns to shame short boys. All of my sons’ friends who are short and athletic are popular. The same is true for short non-athletes with great personalities.

It is definitely the case that parents seem to envy parents whose boys are tall, which is pretty messed up. I have an acquaintance whose son is 6’4”, and she treats his height as a personal accomplishment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP saying 5’11” is the size of execs at their company and it’s not that tall, it actually is. You were replying to me and my DH is 5’7”, which is the average height worldwide for Asian men.

The average American male and the global average male height is 5’9”.

Many men in corporate America are immigrants or on visas and are from places where 5’9” is *much* taller than average. So the 5’11” height you’re describing is actually noticeably tall in a group of “average” men.

Anyway, people are always going to find a way to distinguish themselves from one another. It’s like moms in playgroups making a big deal about their kid walking at 10 months vs. 12. It doesn’t matter 40 years later, but matters enough in the moment that people make a fuss about it regardless of which side they’re on.

Really? Many men who are execs in corporate America are immigrants? I wish that was the case.

Sorry to say people on DCUM are looking at this from a white person perspective. They just are. For white men, 5-11 is not tall at all. A 5-11 white guy will feel pretty average because he is average among the people he associates with. Many white men are 6 feet+. Just reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Average height male. 5’8. Graduated high school in 89. Late bloomer. Hit puberty at 16. I went through a city public and never received a quarter of the flat out abuse - from both males and even worse females (and even parents) my 15 year old late blooming son receives at UMC suburban high school. What gives?

5’8” is average?

It's not. 5-9 is average for American men and of course it varies greatly by your ethnic background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always find it odd that height trumps face. College DS is short, but has a really beautiful face, perfect white teeth (no braces), beautiful smile, wavy longish hair, lips and eyelashes that women envy. Yup, mistook for a girl when younger. Lots of friends that are girls. He’s wasn’t bullied, but teased for sure. He is super extroverted and kind. ALL of his male friends MS-HS were ridiculously tall. One or two are very handsome. But man oh man, most were/are not attractive. Now in college he’s friends with both male and female basketball players with a mix of average height friends and room mates. He has quite a few Asian friend, too. So that helps lol. Plenty of girl friends but no serious girlfriend

If he’s white,

He should go for the female basketball players (any race)

Or non-athlete Asian American girls

6’0+ tall women are surprisingly forgiving many times with shorter guys if they are extroverted and have a lot going for them

And Asian American women will look over height if other markers of success are present

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the PP saying 5’11” is the size of execs at their company and it’s not that tall, it actually is. You were replying to me and my DH is 5’7”, which is the average height worldwide for Asian men.

The average American male and the global average male height is 5’9”.

Many men in corporate America are immigrants or on visas and are from places where 5’9” is *much* taller than average. So the 5’11” height you’re describing is actually noticeably tall in a group of “average” men.

Anyway, people are always going to find a way to distinguish themselves from one another. It’s like moms in playgroups making a big deal about their kid walking at 10 months vs. 12. It doesn’t matter 40 years later, but matters enough in the moment that people make a fuss about it regardless of which side they’re on.

Really? Many men who are execs in corporate America are immigrants? I wish that was the case.

Sorry to say people on DCUM are looking at this from a white person perspective. They just are. For white men, 5-11 is not tall at all. A 5-11 white guy will feel pretty average because he is average among the people he associates with. Many white men are 6 feet+. Just reality.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the PP saying 5’11” is the size of execs at their company and it’s not that tall, it actually is. You were replying to me and my DH is 5’7”, which is the average height worldwide for Asian men.

The average American male and the global average male height is 5’9”.

Many men in corporate America are immigrants or on visas and are from places where 5’9” is *much* taller than average. So the 5’11” height you’re describing is actually noticeably tall in a group of “average” men.

Anyway, people are always going to find a way to distinguish themselves from one another. It’s like moms in playgroups making a big deal about their kid walking at 10 months vs. 12. It doesn’t matter 40 years later, but matters enough in the moment that people make a fuss about it regardless of which side they’re on.

Really? Many men who are execs in corporate America are immigrants? I wish that was the case.

Sorry to say people on DCUM are looking at this from a white person perspective. They just are. For white men, 5-11 is not tall at all. A 5-11 white guy will feel pretty average because he is average among the people he associates with. Many white men are 6 feet+. Just reality.

+1

There’s data on this and only restricting for white guys in America is 5’10 average - nationally

Wapo did a study recently

There is geographic dispersion tho - Midwest, south and west coast people are def taller

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is shorter than average in the US but a typical build in the place from which his parents immigrated. It did not affect his confidence when we were dating, but I have found that he's acquired a chip on his shoulder about it as he's gotten older and risen through the corporate ranks. There is definitely a correlation between height and success in the very upper ranks of his Fortune 500 company. I think that the current obsession about height creates a huge confidence boost for those people that have it, and that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of height=success. There's also some height/racial stuff that I won't even go into because it's another thread, but I do think that in a white-dominated western culture being from an ethnic background with smaller builds can be a big disadvantage in terms of how mean are perceived. Height is used as a subconscious measurement of testosterone, manliness, etc.

To be clear, I don't think people are choosing CEOs based on height. It starts much earlier. When you have two senior directors with equal abilities and attractiveness but one is taller, their height broadcasts confidence and attractiveness and they'll be the one chosen as VP first. Happens every time.

This makes sense but I haven't really seen it play out in really life. My kids go to two different "Big3" DC high schools where it feels like every other dad is a C suite executive (some of national, fortune 500 companies), managing partner in "Biglaw" or some other crazy elite job and many of them are 5'8-5'11. I honestly can't think of any who are super tall. My husband is tall (6'3") (and not in an elite job-lol) and he usually towers over the other dads at sporting events, etc.

Dc has a lot of Jews - that’s what’s skewing your perception even when limiting it to phenotypically “white” people

Big law and tech also doesn’t have a height penalty that finance and industry have

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the PP saying 5’11” is the size of execs at their company and it’s not that tall, it actually is. You were replying to me and my DH is 5’7”, which is the average height worldwide for Asian men.

The average American male and the global average male height is 5’9”.

Many men in corporate America are immigrants or on visas and are from places where 5’9” is *much* taller than average. So the 5’11” height you’re describing is actually noticeably tall in a group of “average” men.

Anyway, people are always going to find a way to distinguish themselves from one another. It’s like moms in playgroups making a big deal about their kid walking at 10 months vs. 12. It doesn’t matter 40 years later, but matters enough in the moment that people make a fuss about it regardless of which side they’re on.

Really? Many men who are execs in corporate America are immigrants? I wish that was the case.

Sorry to say people on DCUM are looking at this from a white person perspective. They just are. For white men, 5-11 is not tall at all. A 5-11 white guy will feel pretty average because he is average among the people he associates with. Many white men are 6 feet+. Just reality.

+1

There’s data on this and only restricting for white guys in America is 5’10 average - nationally

Wapo did a study recently

There is geographic dispersion tho - Midwest, south and west coast people are def taller

My perception has always been DC is a short town so it's interesting to see this is born out by the data. I think it's what another poster said. A lot of short lawyers and policy wonk types. These are highly merit-based fields. Degrees matter and where you got your degree from matters, which doesn't allow an unconscious bias toward tall people succeeding to creep in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the only thing left that they are “allowed” to pick on other people about.

Here is what teens are NOT ALLOWED to say anything about:




(this is from Harvard, BTW)

OMG - “sizeism” is on there !

Why did you put quotes around sizeism ?

[Anonymous]

as a 5 foot 5 adult man this thread is making me want to kill myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am currently 5”7 and I was 5”5 when I graduated HS in ‘95 and I was never bothered by height. I played varsity golf in HS and D1 golf. I married a cheerleader who is 5”7.

No one cares about you and your wife’s glory days. It screams insecurity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:as a 5 foot 5 adult man this thread is making me want to kill myself.

Stop. Who cares about this. I am sure you have many wonderful qualities and you make the world a better place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the PP saying 5’11” is the size of execs at their company and it’s not that tall, it actually is. You were replying to me and my DH is 5’7”, which is the average height worldwide for Asian men.

The average American male and the global average male height is 5’9”.

Many men in corporate America are immigrants or on visas and are from places where 5’9” is *much* taller than average. So the 5’11” height you’re describing is actually noticeably tall in a group of “average” men.

Anyway, people are always going to find a way to distinguish themselves from one another. It’s like moms in playgroups making a big deal about their kid walking at 10 months vs. 12. It doesn’t matter 40 years later, but matters enough in the moment that people make a fuss about it regardless of which side they’re on.

Really? Many men who are execs in corporate America are immigrants? I wish that was the case.

Sorry to say people on DCUM are looking at this from a white person perspective. They just are. For white men, 5-11 is not tall at all. A 5-11 white guy will feel pretty average because he is average among the people he associates with. Many white men are 6 feet+. Just reality.

+1

5'11" is not tall at all except it's literally more than an inch taller than the average white male.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to a Big3 school in DC and I'd put the average household income at north of $800K.
There are quite a few men who are in the C Suite at nationally known companies or the DC managing partner at a top 100 law firm.

I'm thinking of a dozen men and they're all under 6'.