Economist: Height preferences in relationships are just as strong today as they were two decades ago

AdOtherwise3824 · 2026-06-27T19:48:54+00:00

"But I know a friend that dates short men! All my partners have been shorter than me!" 🤡 Yeah, I'm supposed to believe everyone commenting is part of that bottom 5% of the "height different in relationship" chart.

AfghanistanIsTaliban · 2026-06-27T23:40:29+00:00

The "body positivity" activists are silent on this one.

https://www.thecut.com/2022/08/tinder-dating-apps-fatphobia.html

I wonder how people would react to this article if the author was a man complaining about heightism? The difference is that he won't be told to go to the gym or eat a salad, he is instead told that he isn't owed sex and he should stick to his own lane

“It’s a perfect example of desirability politics,” says Melissa Fabello, Ph.D., a sex and relationships educator as well as a Tinder user. “Our socialization plays a role in who we find attractive. Unsurprisingly, people who are oppressed in other ways are also oppressed by the beauty standard and are less likely to be chosen — or, in this case, swiped right on.” Melissa empathizes with people like Nora, caught between their principles and their natural wish to not be excluded, or worse. “The dating world is a reflection of the world at large, and the world at large, unfortunately, is oppressive.” Melissa, who is herself thin, takes certain precautions to avoid fatphobia on Tinder. She swipes left on anyone who lists “working out” as an interest — a common tactic used by fat women too. “It’s not like listing ‘yoga’ or ‘weightlifting,’” she explains. It’s the generality of ‘working out’ that tips her off. “That says something to me about where your politics are around bodies.”

In what world would someone with a doctorate be complaining about how short men "are oppressed" and its reflection on "the dating world" because they don't get swipes? That is what I want to know.

Cmoke2Js · 2026-06-27T19:19:39+00:00

You'd get called an incel for pointing this out on most other subs. That's wack

LeastHornyNikkeFan · 2026-06-27T19:33:30+00:00

It's not body shaming if it's a guy /s

KPplumbingBob · 2026-06-28T09:43:53+00:00

Online "incel" spaces are obviously not healthy for the minds of the individuals who do end up there. But when they are completely correct on things like this, not just height either, I don't know how do people expect them to get out of that mindset by plain lying to their faces.

If you go to pretty much any sub or social media, people will try to sell you the idea that women do not care about height or even looks on the whole. I understand why women do it but there are so many men who do it too. It almost seems like some sort of a coping mechanism.

Local-Willingness784 · 2026-06-27T20:54:35+00:00

Is there any hope for short kings?

no

but that aside, is there any way to break this into society and other guys, especially younger guys, without making it "blackpilling" or without making a fuss about it like the "body positivity" thing does?

Because I know that incel spaces are mostly bad for the mental health of most guys, or most people really, and body positivity (if it even works for women *wink* *wink* ozempic) not only is not helping guys but also wouldn't change anything about womens preferences, if anything, they probably will double down. so i dont see any way of saying "look, there is this standard that could make your whole dating life, and even your whole life as a guy more difficult" and then what? no one is gonna do anything, if there is anything to be done about it and you probably will get shit for even mentioning it, so then what?

Inquiz_ · 2026-06-27T22:21:06+00:00

You are lucky the mods let this through. While this sub is by far the best for this particular niche I've seen, there is I feel a slight blindspot on the part of the mods regarding the utility of intersexual dynamics, dating and the like in terms of how they function as heuristics for investigating broader trends in gender issues and gender roles in the modern day.

When you think about how, over the span of a few decades, male heights like 5'5 or 5'6 or 5'7 have gone from being seen as just average to now being considered so short they're practically an embarrassing physical trait to have, you simply have to put this change in the context of all the 'female empowerment' and 'girlboss' culture that's been cultivated in recent times. How they only expect "the best" in men they'll deem worthy of themselves, and how doing anything other than going exclusively for "the best" is basically settling and submitting to the patriarchy or whatever nonsense like that. This is quite clearly the psychology at play when you do discuss this topic with women.

_HighJack_ · 2026-06-28T04:58:53+00:00

Okay ik this isn’t the point, but is anyone else super interested by the fact that there seem to be fewer extreme height difference couples on the opposite side as well? Like what’s going on here?? Any of you fellas understand statistics better than me and want to explain?

PRISONER_709 · 2026-06-28T08:26:19+00:00

I'm cooked ☠️

Bald, short and fat.

But if I say this on incelexit they'll downvote me to hell and tell me I'm an incel (well, I am, but the word they're looking for is redpilled) and "misogynist because I'm suggesting women only care about appearance".

Bet nobody tells that to ugly women saying the same about us. 🙃

SlowAssignments · 2026-06-28T18:56:23+00:00

Use the Bypass Paywalls Clean extension.

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askeladd51 · 2026-06-28T03:38:35+00:00

Is this sample taken from USA? If it is I am not surprised.

M1L0P · 2026-06-28T09:27:33+00:00

The longer I look at this graph the weirder it gets.

Why is a 16 inch difference more common than a 14 inch difference?

But then also why did they expect it to be larger?

Is it 16+ and just mislabeled?

theMostProductivePro · 2026-06-28T17:50:18+00:00

I think if it was as sociably unacceptable to body shame short men as it is to say anything about a womans body at all, then this chart would probably look alot better.

ugly_5ft_4incher · 2026-06-28T10:59:51+00:00

As depressing as always

TheSnesLord · 2026-06-30T11:01:33+00:00

cue the "i see loads of ugly guys dating hot women all the time" card from the deniers

Poly_and_RA · 2026-06-27T21:28:35+00:00

According to this graph there's "too many" couples where the husband is roughly 6 inches taller than the wife.

There's "too few" couples where the husband is shorter than the wife -- so yes it does seem that many women are critical of dating men shorter than them. But there's *also* "too few" couples where the husband is 9+ inches taller than the wife.

I guess since this is for height-difference, it'd mean that shorter men have better odds if they're dating shorter women?

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orion-7 · 2026-06-28T18:49:17+00:00

It also seems the tallest aren't picked. Average height is the winner here

AbysmalDescent · 2026-06-30T19:10:26+00:00

Heightism is a systematic and cultural problem. It is widespread and clearly affecting a lot of men negatively. The only reason why it isn't taken more seriously, is because it affects men.

FatboySmith2000 · 2026-06-27T21:55:15+00:00

And a short woman dating a tall man results in short sons.

No-Nothing-487 · 2026-06-30T12:34:55+00:00

This is not misandry, though. It’s okay to have preferences. I’m only 168 cm myself, so I know the struggle, but I wouldn’t call a woman a man-hater because of her preference.

CZ-7000 · 2026-06-27T20:24:32+00:00

What is the point of this post?

That women have superficial preferences just like men? That it sucks for shorter guys, but that women are somehow obligated to date someone they aren't attracted to?

I understand it if you're using this as a rebuttal to people who argue that only men discriminate based on superficial traits. But as a standalone point, it comes across as quite sexually entitled.

Besides, the speed dating data is actually pretty clear on this topic. Height is a factor that increases a man's dating chances, but not dramatically.

In speed dating studies, women agree to a second date with about 33% of men who meet their minimum height requirement, compared to 25% of men who do not meet it.

Rude_Wasabi_5552 · 2026-06-28T01:38:08+00:00

This graph would also support the view that men won't marry taller women. Have a day off.

king_rootin_tootin · 2026-06-28T05:24:40+00:00

I'm 5'1, and I just gotta ass...

WHO GIVES A FUCK?!

Yes, I am at a disadvantage when it comes to mate selection. But I still have had a girlfriend and had opportunities for others and it is what it is. And guess what? There is NOTHING POLICY CAN OR SHOULD DO TO ADDRESS THIS.

It is what it is. Life is unfair and there is nothing that can be done. Sooner or later the majority of men, no matter how short, who actually want someone and are looking for someone will find someone. Take it for what it is and move on.

I'm more pissed off about men not getting enough space in homeless shelters and men disproportionately lacking health insurance than the fact that most women about 5'9 aren't to into me.

Happy-Pirate733 · 2026-06-28T20:03:36+00:00

Girls like tall guys, so what? Guys like big boobs? So what? People like facial symmetry and defined jaw lines. So what? Am I supposed to be shocked or upset that women prefer taller guys on average? Should women be upset men prefer women with bigger boobs on average? Both men and women prefer fit partners on average.

Title	Economist: Height preferences in relationships are just as strong today as they were two decades ago
Author	griii2
Upvotes	231
Comments	142
Date	June 27, 2026 7:11 PM UTC (3 weeks ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates/comments/1uhb6he/economist_height_preferences_in_relationships_are/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates/economist-height-preferences-in-relationships-are.1583754 https://theredarchive.com/post/1583754

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