I've never danced cheek-to-cheek with my partner, or anyone, for that matter. I've danced with my cheek against my partner's solar plexus, but that's as high as it goes. I'm sure most of you have worked out why (because if you're reading this blog you probably know me in real life): it's because I'm 160 centimetres tall. That's 5'3", for all you Americanised readers!
Last night I was inspecting the sizing chart on a pair of stockings I'd purchased. I noted with some amusement that the sizes were "Medium", "Tall" and "Extra Tall". This company must have realised that no woman will buy a pair of stockings labelled "Short". But when I looked further into the sizing, I found:
- Medium = 170cm tall
- Tall = 175cm tall
- Extra Tall = 180cm tall
This means that I, at 160cm tall, would not actually purchase "Short" stockings (were such a thing to exist). No, "Short" stockings are for women who are 165cm tall! At 160cm, according to a natural extension of this sizing chart, you would be classified as "Extra Short".
Now, this I don't mind. They are just labels, after all. Sticks and stones, and all of that. I know I'm short, and there's nothing I can do about it at this point in time, so it's just who I am and you can take it or leave it. But when society operates in a way that actively discriminates against short people, that's when I start to see red!
For example, studies have shown that the height of the average male CEO is significantly higher than the height of the average adult male. (I believe if you replace 'CEO' with 'American President' the statement is still true) Now, I'm not in a position right now to be considered for any CEO roles, and I definitely won't be becoming the President of the USA, but it riles me that a lack of height seems to severely disadvantage you. Researchers have attributed this phenomenon to the fact that people subconsciously find taller people to be better leaders and more authoritative, regardless of reality). And yes, perhaps being short is a bit more of a disadvantage for men than it is for women. At least short women can be considered "petite". But it's damn well hard to be intimidating when you're "petite", let me tell you.
Speaking of "petite" brings me to another area in which short people are discriminated against. Clothing! It's nearing winter right now, and I have exactly zero pairs of trousers or jeans. For a couple of years now I have been wearing stockings (hence the stocking sizing guide referred to above) with my mini-dresses to combat winter, but I really feel that I want to invest in some work trousers, and a couple of pairs of casual jeans.
The problem? Any jeans that fit over my ample butt are way too long for my legs, coming several inches over my feet. "Oh, but you can always bring up the hems", people tell me. Well, if you knew me in high school, when I brought up the hem of my school uniform skirt with disastrous results (I sewed all the pleats closed), you'd know why I'm averse to purchasing clothes that I'll later need to alter. And don't get me started on the exorbitant fees tailors pay for clothing alteration; if a 5'8" woman doesn't need to pay that extra amount, I don't see why I have to!
When I'm a mother, one thing I'll definitely do is sign my daughters up for the local basketball team. Then, they can grow nice and tall, because all basketballers are tall! (I wish my mother had made me play basketball when I was little. I just found this factoid on the Internet: "the average height of a female basketball player is 5'10". Taller players are 6'4" while the shorter players are 5'7"". So even if my daughters inherit my short-genes, they could still grow to 5'7", which is significantly taller than I am.)
And if my daughters don't enjoy playing basketball, I'll simply show them my feet (deformed now, from years of wearing high heels) and say "you don't want to end up like me, do you? Because if you're short, you'll have to deal with a lifetime of painful blisters and calluses and dodgy ankle and knee joints, from wearing high heels every day". That should do the trick.
At the end of the day though, whenever my feet are in pain from high heels, I feel thankful that I even have feet, at least. Being short is not the end of the world, and it is definitely not the worst thing that can be 'wrong' with you (for example, you could be a psychopath). Being short just makes you slightly less socially acceptable, but since when is becoming socially acceptable something to strive for?
Honey, I still find you very intimidating at 160 centimetres... Though I maintain that basketball does not make you tall, it's pure Lamarckian nonsense :P If you stand on a box we can dance cheek to cheek, or alternatively I can just dance on my knees!
ReplyDeleteInteresting rant, Kitty.
ReplyDeleteI like David's suggestion of him dancing on his knees. His martial arts knowledge probably makes him more graceful than most, but if he dances at all like my brother then on-the-knees may be a huge improvement.
(Sorry David. No offence intended)
Anyway, I'm a pretty similar height to you (maybe a little bit taller, but I'm white so that's to be expected :P), and although I wouldn't say I've been stigmatised against for being short (because there's a much more potent "abnormality" than my height, that people tend to focus on), but shorties are stigmatised against in a big way, definitely. My dad was just saying that short men suffer from extreme short man syndrome and that freakin' irritates him. The old inferiority complex. I'd say it's also not as big a deal for women to be short because women are "supposed" to be small and demure.
As for the hemming thing, well... yeah, I hear you. I don't actually believe they charge that much for hemming. The thing is though, a LOT of people need to get clothes adjusted in some way, because ready-to-wear clothing rarely ideally fits a person because people really are all different shapes and sizes and less than a hundred years ago clothes were tailored to each specific person for that reason. I'm kind of gladd that I can sew and avoid that $5 tragedy that is getting shit hemmed. :P
At least you're taller than I am, Kitty.
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