Heightism just a form of sexism

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Sabrina1999
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Heightism
Heightism just a form of sexism
post #1

The heightism that short man face doesn't usually extend to short woman. I have never seen someone body shame a woman for being short. Short woman tend to be preferred  socially/romantically. Lastly in most movies/tv shows/romantic books the woman is always depicted as petite never tall

While tall woman share some privileges that tall men have such as being perceived as competent/getting more respect, there tends to be body-shaming/hatred that gets targeted at tall woman (short men have it worse).

Woman that are tall are often made to believe they aren't ''real woman'' and must be transgenders/cross-dressers since womanhood is defined by being small. While woman have a stronger preference for height men aren't innocent, men tend to feel emasculated/feel like their is manhood is taken away if the woman is taller than him. That's why you have tall woman that avoid high heels and hunch to protect their boyfriends egos.

Conclusion: The hatred of short man doesn't stem from them being short but the hatred of short men stems from them being perceived as feminine similar to tall woman being perceived as masculine (sexism: tall=masculine, short=feminine), (short men have it harder since femininity is men is despised more).

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shortteacher
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Re: Heightism just a form of sexism
post #2

While heightism is rooted in gender norms, it would be pretty dismissive to use the word "just" and claim that "heightism is just sexism". Your admission of "shorter women" not having it as bad as shorter men, and that "taller women" don't have it as bad a shorter men debunks the heart of your claim.

Most of your claims are anecdotal or examples of confirmation bias. It's not to say that what you're saying is 100% wrong, however more like 75%. Where is the actual data to back up your claim? There are too many "buts". For example, feminists love to bring up the "wage gap". Is there is a similar gap between short and tall women? Do short men make more than tall women?

I went online to do a bit of digging and came across an almost fifteen year old post that talks about this very issue. The owner of the blog tries to make a similar case and commentators let him know otherwise.

 

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KeenObserver
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Re: Heightism just a form of sexism
post #3

Study | Is It Height Or Sex Discrimination | Challenge Journal | 1986 | Short King | Short Kingz

This has been talked about at length for quite some time. In 1986, this very question was asked in the following journal article (screenshot above). You can find the entire September 1986 Challenge Journal article by Dennis D. Miller here.

There is an interlink between the two for sure, but one would be remiss to suggest that heightism is sexism. It's not. In the journal above, the author challenges readers by asserting that if it were sexism, then heightism should put shorter women at an even bigger disadvantage with no favoritism. This even then (almost forty years ago) was determined to not be the case.

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MyFairLady
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Re: Heightism just a form of sexism
post #4

I would like to see some studies that show that taller women benefit from heightism. It is well known that most male CEOs are well above six feet. Is there a similar study about female CEOs? 

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Re: Heightism just a form of sexism
post #5

I wouldn't say that it is a form per se, but they are definitely connected.

Up until the 1960s, the New York Police Department had a height requirement of 5'7.

That changed when women were allowed to join the force. 

You can find a New York Times article outlining that here

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ChuckChill
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Re: Heightism just a form of sexism
post #6

Quote:

Originally posted by Sabrina1999

Conclusion: The hatred of short man doesn't stem from them being short but the hatred of short men stems from them being perceived as feminine similar to tall woman being perceived as masculine (sexism: tall=masculine, short=feminine), (short men have it harder since femininity is men is despised more).

What does this mean? You're saying feminity is despised more? By whom? Society?