Why is 5'4 considered small for a woman online

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:5'5-5'8 is generally considered "Average"
so taller is tall and shorter is short. Sorry.

This is not true. According to the CDC data for the United States, average height for American women is 5’4”

I believe you that in your circles the average woman is tall. My husband comes from a family of very tall people. He’s 6’1” and he feels very short around them because his brothers and cousins are all 6’3” to 6’5” However, it’s idiotic to extrapolate that because my husband is the shortest in his family that somehow means he’s short by American population standards. Just like it’s dumb for you to think that because you know tall women, that’s somehow the American average.

[Anonymous]

Im 5'7 and think of myself as on the shorter side because my family is very tall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 5'9" and I'm not an extreme outlier in my workplace or social groups - lots of women are around my height, though rarely taller. My sister is an outlier at 5'11".

I don't know who is included in the CDC average but I wonder if it's skewed by an older population (prior generations not as tall + older individuals shrinking).

Actually Americans are getting shorter. I just read an article about it recently. The trend towards growth is reversing.

Not just shorter but American life expectancy is going DOWN.

It’s really depressing but not surprising given the political climate and the state of American healthcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5'5-5'8 is generally considered "Average"
so taller is tall and shorter is short. Sorry.

For a woman?! No. 5’8 is very very tall for a woman. Average for a man (or very close to it).

Only a short person would think that 5'8 is very, very tall for a woman. 5'8 is rather short for a man.

Agree that 5'8" is not "very, very tall," but it is most assuredly not "average." 5'8" for a woman is definitely tall. It is 95th percentile for women in the US. Nothing close to average.

[Anonymous]

Here's the real answer- 5'4 is the start of petite sizes because some petite women have shorter legs than torso or vice versa. My mom is 5'4 and has always needed petite pants, but has no issue with regular shirt and regular sleeve lengths.

I personally have a short torso and I can't get non petite tops to work as they usually show my bra in the front. I struggle with dress straps being too long and also the narrow part of dresses isn't centered on the narrow part of me. High waisted pants basically come to my bra. I don't have too much trouble with pant lengths though. I'm 5'1 and I know you asked about 5'4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are woman's height being compared to male heights or extremely rare supermodels ?

If you look at statistical data the average height for a woman in the USA per the CDC is 5'3.5 . Also there is a theory online that white woman are huge , no the average white woman is only 1-2 inches than a Asian or Hispanic woman . The tallest country in the world dutch woman average 5'6-5'7 max not 5'9 lol .

I am a 5'4 woman and irl i dont feel small , when i wear 4-5 inch heels i am eye level with a lot of men . Most woman irl are 5'3 -5'5 not 5'6-5'8 lol this includes white woman as well .

I have a female cousins that are 4'11 and 5'0 now those woman are small not me .

It’s because men prefer a taller woman and a dating apps allow you to screen. Both men and women do it.

Men prefer taller women, who told you that? Most men prefer a shorter woman especially if they themselves are not tall.

East Asian here our average height is 1-2inch below American women average, yet when I was dating all the requirement posted by men included desirable height of 5’6” +

So I had to target extremely tall men so they can’t distinguish 5’2” from 5’5” from up there 😆

hahaha that is funny. i am 5'2 and I have always gotten positive feedback from men on my height/size.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5'5-5'8 is generally considered "Average"
so taller is tall and shorter is short. Sorry.

This is not true. According to the CDC data for the United States, average height for American women is 5’4”

I believe you that in your circles the average woman is tall. My husband comes from a family of very tall people. He’s 6’1” and he feels very short around them because his brothers and cousins are all 6’3” to 6’5” However, it’s idiotic to extrapolate that because my husband is the shortest in his family that somehow means he’s short by American population standards. Just like it’s dumb for you to think that because you know tall women, that’s somehow the American average.

All shorter and even average-height women, are treated terribly. Heightism is one of the most acceptable types of discrimination.

[Anonymous]

A lot of people here don't understand statistics. You are right, OP.

I do think some 5'4" women look taller than others. Maybe due to weight, or shoulder width, or even personality?

I am 5'4.5" and it is not just that people refer to me as small, it is that they often guess I am 5'2" and assume that I am shorter than other very short people! I have a close friend who is an inch or two shorter than I am and people always remember her as being tall. Weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5'5-5'8 is generally considered "Average"
so taller is tall and shorter is short. Sorry.

This is not true. According to the CDC data for the United States, average height for American women is 5’4”

I believe you that in your circles the average woman is tall. My husband comes from a family of very tall people. He’s 6’1” and he feels very short around them because his brothers and cousins are all 6’3” to 6’5” However, it’s idiotic to extrapolate that because my husband is the shortest in his family that somehow means he’s short by American population standards. Just like it’s dumb for you to think that because you know tall women, that’s somehow the American average.

All shorter and even average-height women, are treated terribly. Heightism is one of the most acceptable types of discrimination.

Not my experience at all. Discrimination against short men, sure, but women, I don't see it.
Signed,
short to average height woman

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5'5-5'8 is generally considered "Average"
so taller is tall and shorter is short. Sorry.

This is not true. According to the CDC data for the United States, average height for American women is 5’4”

I believe you that in your circles the average woman is tall. My husband comes from a family of very tall people. He’s 6’1” and he feels very short around them because his brothers and cousins are all 6’3” to 6’5” However, it’s idiotic to extrapolate that because my husband is the shortest in his family that somehow means he’s short by American population standards. Just like it’s dumb for you to think that because you know tall women, that’s somehow the American average.

All shorter and even average-height women, are treated terribly. Heightism is one of the most acceptable types of discrimination.

Not my experience at all. Discrimination against short men, sure, but women, I don't see it.
Signed,
short to average height woman

My experience as well. I’m 5ft tall and treated extremely well everywhere I go. I have never had a single issue bc of height. Actually I feel that people generally go out of their way to help me out.