Anonymous wrote:In general, being born a short male is similar to being born an ugly female. It presents serious but not insurmountable disadvantages in life. It is what it is.

No way. Way worse to be an ugly female.

If a short male is in good shape, smart, objectively handsome, and has a successful (high income) career, he will be just fine. It’s only an issue in high school.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Why does marrying a cheerleader matter?

High value woman

It's a phase/trend. I used to prefer tall a few years ago and now I'm finding shorter men more attractive. I know it hasn't caught up to tiktok but I promise the tide is shifting to not caring.

I’m sorry OP. Our HS son at an UMC public school is also very short (5’ even and 90 lbs) but I think he isn’t teased about it much from others beyond friendly banter with his friends and general trash talking in PE.

Our son kind of leans into being small. I know we can’t control what bothers us, but it may be that comments to our son about his height just don’t get a rise out of him. As a result people don’t bother to dwell on it.

In general, being born a short male is similar to being born an ugly female. It presents serious but not insurmountable disadvantages in life. It is what it is.

I am a short woman raising a tall son. It has been eye opening. I was never made fun of for my height. My son gets so many compliments for his height (he’s 6’3”). It is really crazy. And moms of his friends are all very focused on their sons’ heights. I had no idea at all guys worried about this.

It’s everywhere. Guys lying about their height. There’s even an Olivia Rodrigo song that mentions it.

I’m not happy that people are being bullied for their height, but it is really eye opening to see that boys have their insecurities as well. It always felt like they just went through life without a care, while society made girls and women nuts with all their expectations for physical beauty.

I’m sorry, OP. I’m a racial minority who grew up in a small NC town and I got bullied and made fun of a lot for it. So I understand how the meanness feels, even if it’s about a different physical attribute.

I think kids/people have always been mean…and they latch onto whatever is perceived as different.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Why does marrying a cheerleader matter?

It’s code for “I got the cute girl.”

Anonymous wrote:I think what is difficult to fathom is the daily attack and meanness shoveled his way on this height/delayed development. This is a new one for me - and challenging to parent.

I think my generation of (particularly teen women) was definitely kinder.

I’m a 40 year old woman and as a teen I recall peers being quite mean, though we didn’t focus on any one point.

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry to hear this, OP. We have the opposite issue with a 5’5” 11 year old girl who gets teased regularly for being too tall. Her best friend is a 5 foot tall boy and they both get made fun of for how they look standing next to each other. I really wish everyone could be kind and lay off the comments about developing tween bodies.

This was me as a young girl. But I’m 40 now and still 5’5”

I’m sorry to hear this, OP. We have the opposite issue with a 5’5” 11 year old girl who gets teased regularly for being too tall. Her best friend is a 5 foot tall boy and they both get made fun of for how they look standing next to each other. I really wish everyone could be kind and lay off the comments about developing tween bodies.

^^ sorry, meant to correct, I see that it’s different HS.

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?

Is your son going to high school that is demographically similar to your old high school?

It’s one of the few things I’m not going to worry about since I can’t change it. My 18 yr old was always short. It’s genetics. He’s now 5’5” or so. He was never teased much at all. It is what it is.

I think what is difficult to fathom is the daily attack and meanness shoveled his way on this height/delayed development. This is a new one for me - and challenging to parent.

I think my generation of (particularly teen women) was definitely kinder.