Is height preference more than just physical attraction?

Th0ma5_F0wl3r · 2022-04-03T07:35:26+00:00

Everything is more than just physical attraction.

But height is a distinguishing trait between men and women so a tall man suggests masculinity in a similar to which broad hips and fuller breasts suggest the feminine.

AComplimentWontKill · 2022-04-03T04:57:10+00:00

Let's be honest, most women don't have a height "preference" they have a height requirement.

It's mostly a status thing. A taller man looks better in photos and makes other women jealous.

Even women open to dating shorter guys will completely write them off if they encounter one or two insecure guys. No such rule is applied to insecure or arrogant taller men. How open were they really?

It's laughable how some women bang on about objectification when they don't even consider a man masculine unless he's over 6-foot.

anonymousUser1SHIFT · 2022-04-03T06:52:11+00:00

Tldr: it's rare, so they can show off their shinny rare thing to make others jealous.

It's pre-selection thing as well, they have to have what others want.

FlamingCoochies · 2022-04-03T03:43:13+00:00

The emphasis on height comes not only from physical attraction but social status. Bf's height is for women what dick size is for men.

WilliamWyattD · 2022-04-03T09:36:24+00:00

Well, the status aspect is just a second order effect of height being generally attractive to women. So yes, technically speaking, the OP is correct. Women can get a status kick out of showing off a boyfriend who has any attractive traits, from height to looks to status.

But it stems from those traits being attractive/arousing to women in the first place.

As for why women find height attractive/arousing, well it probably stems from various things, including general aesthetics, dominance, and the ability to protect. It also includes the inverse, which is how it makes the woman feel in comparison, including petite, etc. Things are rarely unidimensional.

PlayfulLawyer · 2022-04-03T03:49:56+00:00

There's a physical attraction, there's a social status component, and a biological component

Mundane-Currency5088 · 2022-04-03T05:16:07+00:00

Actually....height is determined by 2 things, genetics and nutrition. Malnutrition causes kids to be shorter than they should be. Pediatricians can pretty accurately predict the height of a child. I have no idea how. Buy they can therefore also detect when a kid is Malnourished and they say uneducated veganism will 100% result in kids not growing properly. (Not coming for well educated vegan moms but if your Pediatrician is confused about your kids height? Just saying)

LittleDragonMaiden · 2022-04-03T04:11:52+00:00

I think it has to do with social status, but also physical attraction. Women like a ‘superior’ man that can protect them. They show this man off to their female friends and show them off to other males. It’s like going ‘oh look at this shiny gem I snatched’.

raccoon_mario_popoff · 2022-04-03T13:48:53+00:00

It's simple. Women want a guy who is taller than them for the same reason they want a guy who is older, smarter, stronger, and earns more. Women like the concept of equality as an abstract, but when it comes to finding a partner, they don't want a man who is their equal - they want a guy is more than them.

It's also sexual dimorphism at play. Women want a guy who is bigger and taller than them because it makes them feel feminine. I mean, do you think a woman is going to feel more feminine around a guy who she is looking up to, or a guy she is towering over?

Paliant · 2022-04-03T08:01:59+00:00

The theory is that women like physicality (height, size, and large skeletal frame) because it signals success in intrasexual competition in men. Aka a dude that looks like he could kick ass in a fist fight.

BlackPorcelainDoll · 2022-04-03T14:15:19+00:00

So tell all the tall men to stop approaching average female height women but (short) relative to the man women then and go or someone their own height. It's not just women selecting up all the tall guys, men are still making the moves. Tall women and extremely short men are outliers.

denab31 · 2022-04-03T14:59:23+00:00

I am a woman....I married my high school sweetheart. We are both 5' 8". I have two sons. They are 5' 8" and 5' 5". My husband and sons have always had members of all sexes attracted to them, and have never felt weird about their height. I have several friends with husbands who are shorter than they are.

I don't think this is universal. I think there are SOME women who have a height preference.....but it is FAR from universal. I have met only a handful of humans who actually thought height was a deal breaker.

I just think humans are more nuanced than you are giving them credit for.

lady_ven0m · 2022-04-03T14:59:56+00:00

It’s just like how men prefer women with curves. It’s superficial and only a dealbreaker for some. Unfortunately, you can’t change your height with surgery.

Drew_Sifur · 2022-04-03T17:15:22+00:00

It's just another body shaming shit, meanwhile women are allowed to get away with while men cant say I like someone who works out too and cares about health as well as me

I mean.. its body shaming no matter what you say

jasonology09 · 2022-04-03T07:26:45+00:00

Idk... I'm 5'7" and I've dated dozens of women, of all varying heights over the years. Some who were significantly taller than me. Would I have had more success if I was tall? Maybe. Who knows? So while the height requirement might be a rule set in stone on this sub, it hasn't been an issue I've ever felt like I needed to worry about.

jah-roole · 2022-04-03T05:03:11+00:00

You gain an inch with every $150k increment in salary past 5’7 in the US.

SkeletonMagi · 2022-04-03T06:09:24+00:00

There’s a 200,000 year evolution reason that the women want protection, not just for themselves but for their village. Height/reach is a big deal in a fist fight.

If the women in a tribe after 100 years collectively bred with the shortest men then another village would wipe the out eventually with superior males. So all the women who didn’t fiercely select for height fitness were killed or enslaved.

The women who bred their tallest and strongest physical men would win those encounters. They were less likely killed or enslaved and more likely the conquerors.

Another reason is simply sexual attraction itself. Women want men that other women desire, and it doesn’t really matter if those men fight with fists or guns or video games. Height is and has been a universal attractive trait for millennia so it’s going to stay that way through sexual selective reinforcement.

There may come a day when tiny, skinny men are superior because they can live in space the best for generations-long voyages, but we aren’t there yet.

Short-Fingers · 2022-04-03T07:16:23+00:00

idk about the social status aspect. I'm speaking purely from personal experience, but I have a boyfriend who is exceptionally tall. I definitely don't parade him around and don't honestly know what that would even entail.

A large part of the reason for wanting a taller bf that doesn't have to do with physical attractiveness is my own insecurity. I've always been a bit tall for a girl and many of my friends and family have always remarked I'm too boyish or rough for a girl. I always really badly wanted men to view me as feminine and cute, and I've always associated being short with those characteristics. So since I can't change my height, I can make myself smaller relative to the man I'm dating.

Consistent_Wear_1224 · 2022-04-03T10:16:36+00:00

It's a form of bullying or "negging". I have especially seen it used on men who are seen as "mysogynist" or men who have just called a woman fat. Otherwise, no normal woman cares about height

AquaChip · 2022-04-03T14:39:44+00:00

Yes. People are usually subconsciously intimidated by taller men. Wether that taller man knows how to actually fight is irrelevant. In people’s lizard brains tall=strong tall=respected so they rarely fuck with his significant other.

Deidara-katsu · 2022-04-03T15:26:09+00:00

Biology, harder to knock out a taller guy among other things

PurpleKittensRock · 2022-04-03T16:03:19+00:00

As a fairly tall woman, it’s definitely more than just attraction.

While I will not pretend like most women don’t prefer taller guys (blame the media for propagating the taller guy with shorter woman combo), shorter guys often kill the attraction a woman has for them with their insecurities.

Some of the men who I had wild crushes on, were shorter than me. Because their personal qualities/manliness and charisma outweighed the relevance of their height. And they were completely unphased by comments about their height (but instead owned it).

But unfortunately that isn’t common with short guys.. Many will let their insecurities dominate/obfuscate their personality.

Edit:spelling

sarkington · 2022-04-03T04:43:55+00:00

It’s about protection and security

Source: women

Yukbghhjj · 2022-04-03T08:47:00+00:00

Is this where I put my daily comment about how I still have success with women even tho I’m 5’6?

Play_Muted · 2022-04-03T07:00:46+00:00

I can see how marrying a shorter guy would make them a laughing stock in their friend groups. ofc there is visceral attraction to height but there is also peer pressure.

AdChemical190 · 2022-04-03T07:29:31+00:00

I can confirm I DON’T view tall men as attractive. I understand why men would like long legs on a woman but what’s the point on a man?

feistykalorina · 2022-04-03T14:38:12+00:00

I can’t say much about that, but my friends mother always told her daughter :”NEVER MARRY A SHORT MAN, a short man always feels like he is in a competition with his woman instead of being her partner” and my friend married tall

Kattats13 · 2022-04-03T16:10:09+00:00

Only speaking for myself and as a 5ft2 woman, I really am only physically attracted to men like 6 ft and up 🤷‍♀️ but not super skinny at all. They have to be bigger built. I just assumed it’s rooted somewhere in our primal instincts

A1Dilettante · 2022-04-03T03:58:44+00:00

I never saw the appeal of tall men honestly.

oatmilkcoffeeforever · 2022-04-03T04:10:17+00:00

I’m a 5’9 girl, the “average” height of men in my home country is 5’11-6’0. If I wear heels I’m around 6’0, and I can’t help but feel uncomfortable next to a man that is significantly shorter.

Society, and my culture, has always engrained in me that the man should at least be of equal height or taller. If they’re significantly shorter, you’re the butt of all jokes, you know people are talking about it behind your back etc. It’s easy to say “don’t let it bother you”, but I can’t help that it would. I dated a 5’9 guy for a while, he always had to comment that he was just a touch taller, that I wasn’t taller than him etc; and it just made me feel uncomfortable and gave me an even bigger complex over height. I knew in the back of my mind he was always thinking about my height, and probably wishing I wasn’t as tall.

RealNiceLady · 2022-04-03T04:37:23+00:00

For me, it's just physical attraction.

blondie-- · 2022-04-03T05:01:41+00:00

I'm bisexual, and if I end up marrying a man, I'd like him to be tall. I'm a hair under 5'10 (I'm 177cm for you metric heathens), and all of my family is tall. My father (6'4), aunt (5'9), brother(6'1ish), and I all grew up playing competitive basketball, and the pressure is on to create the next generation of gangly freaks to play forward/center. If I marry a woman, I'd want a tall sperm donor, as it would make the situation more palatable to my homophobic father. I'd also likely insist on carrying the baby in that situation, as I've always wanted to experience pregnancy.

In any case, I'd hate to be the one to break the streak of tall people- my great grandfather was 6'3 and my grandfather was the shortest man in the family at 6'0 even. My mother is "only" 5'8, so that's why my brother isn't as tall as my dad.

HoneyNJ2000 · 2022-04-03T13:54:15+00:00

I am not into tall men at ALL.

I'm only 5' tall so I have no desire to be looking up to some giant who's 6'2.

I usually like to date guys in the 5'7" height group. :-)

Hot_Role9647 · 2022-04-03T09:28:52+00:00

Yes, it’s the feeling of safety and protection and short men can’t lead for shit and that’s mad unattractive to girls

Initial_Chemical7121 · 2022-04-03T05:10:34+00:00

I’d feel like being with a man shorter than me would make me feel awkward. The taller they are the more dominant and powerful it feels. I also like being picked up and having his chin rest on my head.

banjocatto · 2022-04-03T06:36:07+00:00

Literally don't care. I've even dated guys shorter than me. The whole height ordeal is exaggerated online.

AutoModerator · 2022-04-03T03:39:14+00:00

Attention!

You can post off topic/jokes/puns as a comment to this Automoderator message.
For "CMV" and "Question for X" Threads: Parent comments that aren't from the target group will be removed, along with their child replies.
If you want to agree with OP instead of challenging their view or if the question is not targeted at you, post it as an answer to this comment.
OP you can choose your own flair according to these guidelines., just press Flair under your post!

Thanks for your cooperation and enjoy the discussion!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

Cool_Weather_7763 · 2022-04-03T13:13:51+00:00

It’s a call back to the wild my friend. Bigger is seen as taller and tougher.

enbaelien · 2022-04-03T13:44:17+00:00

just a little PSA that biases against short men and/or small dicks is now turning transphobic since that's going to be the body type most trans men will ever have.

Kings and queens come in all shapes and sizes.

Taitaifufu · 2022-04-03T15:04:29+00:00

Speaking from personal experience I feel like it’s also a lot to do with upbringing for instance I have really strong thing about height and it’s because my entire family is really really tall I am really short compared to my family members but average or above average height in most countries but when I say really tall I mean like my dad my grandfathers my uncles my cousins are all around 2 m or taller it’s 6’6 + and I don’t want to have a serious relationship with somebody who it’s gonna be shorter than my baby cousins next to my relatives . peoples preferences - not even just physical but especially physical preferences are often set in their childhood and if you were almost exclusively around people who were drastically taller than you that kind of dynamic is going to be set. also I’ve had a lot of really horrible experiences with short men (When I was a kid I was living in a foreign country and experienced a lot of racism and bullying & generally at times dangerous environment because of my background & the locals were generally shorter 😂) it’s like I said I have a psychological bias against this as well.
I’m not a superficial person at all in terms of other “markers of status“ that people often talk about like I don’t see height as a status thing and I don’t think that are I’ve ever “paraded” the guys that I’m with - I’ve also never tried to hide people 😿😿😿who are shorter than I would usually like. For me it’s just who I’m comfortable with and I also don’t think that people should be made to feel bad about things that they’re attracted to / not attracted to them especially if they have no problem getting the people that they want right…. in terms of the kind of attention that I guess I’d say 30-40% of it maybe it’s from people I’m not at all interested in based on height and I’d say that 90% of it is people I’m not interested in based on factors like shared worldview, values or personality these kind of things people don’t have a problem with those kind of preferences and there are also things that are by and large not able to change right you can’t change your personality I mean you can try to hide it but that’s just completely multiple levels are fucked up for you and the person you’re trying to be in a relationship with.

I don’t care about things like status degrees the type of job someone has those kind of things. I do care about height and language I want someone who can communicate with me and my family and I want someone who I feel like safe and comfortable with both on a mind and physical level . different people have different life experiences and some people will laugh at the idea of feeling safe but I think that up for a lot of people this is a real practical consideration.

In terms of the beanpole who gets knocked over I constantly hear about this before but I know a lot of them and I’ve never met one who hasn’t been able to handle a fight so I don’t know where they’re all hiding but I’ve never met them 😹

Plus I’m fully aware of and really don’t have much of a problem with objectification the other way (towards me) like I’m not the type to complain about that at all personally I feel like it has pluses and minuses like anything else.

themchnges · 2022-04-03T17:38:14+00:00

i’m a tall girl (5’9–10 or something) and weigh like 155. i had a lot of insecurities and an eating disorder growing up because i’m tall but i’m not bone-skinny like a ballerina(i also did ballet/dance so that made it worse). i just feel/felt like i looked so big and blundering and gross, not model-like and graceful. i find people shorter than me attractive, but my mental block comes from the fact that i feel “big” in a gross way when being intimate with them or when i see us in pictures or something. i also have a kink for people being confident and leading the way in the bedroom and i don’t want to deal with someone feeling insecure that they can’t give me that because they’re smaller than me when i already feel so much shame about my size. if a shorter guy is super confident in his approach i’m more into it but still am anxious that they find me big and gross or are fulfilling some “girl-taller-than-me”(more common than i thought) or femdom fetish(just not what i’m into, i switch but don’t lean that way). it’s not a status thing for me (as much as i can claim that being indoctrinated into a status-driven society) it’s just my insecurities getting in the way. my friends don’t care if someone is tall or hot they want me to be treated right

ruboyuri · 2022-04-03T18:27:28+00:00

Women are always talking about their partner making them feel “safe”

It’s linked to this, imo

marihikari · 2022-04-03T18:56:03+00:00

Yes, I think it has to do with feeling protected as well :3

WhyAreYouScaredHoney · 2022-04-03T18:56:16+00:00

Yes. I think, as a tall woman. dating a man taller than me makes me feel less insecure about my height. Also, it just makes me feel safe for some reason. But it really depends on the person. I wouldn't mind dating someone the same height or shorter than me. I have in the past. It just feels different to me to be in a relationship with someone taller. Not better or worse. I know it sounds stupid, but it really does.

_that_dam_baka_ · 2022-04-03T20:06:35+00:00

I want someone who can reach the high shelves without climbing on something.

Sliw · 2022-04-03T20:14:43+00:00

"Everything is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power."

It's a characteristic that demonstrates sexual & genetic fitness.

All things being equal, being taller is better. Live longer, make more money, less instances of mental health issues, etc etc.

Flightlessbirbz · 2022-04-03T20:48:05+00:00

I mean because most women prefer taller men, it becomes a status thing. Just like how having a beautiful wife or gf becomes a status thing because most men want a beautiful woman. So it’s a physical preference, but common physical preferences become status things. Now are most adult women who don’t care much about height going to not date a guy just because other women think he’s too short? Probably not. In high school? Sure. But the people who are worth dating tend to grow out of that.

veng- · 2022-04-03T21:36:05+00:00

I really don’t mind the height. I’m 5’2 and if I’m serious about having a family with the guy, I hope that he isn’t as short as me too because our kids would go through the shit we go through hahah

Smitten_Squire · 2022-04-04T01:26:40+00:00

Its attractive, status, show off, social, and a trait that shows he's a man.

Bundled into one.

DaughterOfSol · 2022-04-04T20:41:56+00:00

It makes me feel safe. I want to know he can’t flattened an intruder and protect our offspring. It is also useful in bed for certain sex positions.

2022-04-07T06:05:52+00:00

I think so. Only twenty years ago height was about as relevant to a mans attractiveness as it is for a women’s now. There was actually kind of an inverse thing where a lot of the most desired male celebrities were under 6 feet and would often have a 6ft plus supermodel girlfriend, it was like a status symbol to have a taller model gf and height wasn’t really considered a big factor in masculinity. I think most of the attractive male celebs of the 90s fell more in the 5’6-6’ range. And in movies from that time you would often see typecasting where being very tall or short automatically meant actors were sidekick characters, and the main character/star would be of average height. I think height to a point was always attractive but the 6ft+ obsession is mostly trend based.

CocoBabeNYC · 2022-04-03T10:54:32+00:00

Sonny Barger, the founder of the Hells Angels is only 5'2". He's never had a problem dating beauty queens and knowing the HA has probably participated in an orgy or a hundred.

neetykeeno · 2022-04-03T07:15:13+00:00

Sure. Being able to show off a partner is an extra form of value and humans take value where they can. That's just human nature. Trophy wives are a thing too. So is wanting a spouse who doesn't behave beneath ones social class level. Humans have been doing this shit since like forever Given the chance to order exactly the sort of spouse one wants everyone would throw in a bunch of shit that is there to impress other people. The guy who is all about legs and doesn't care about breasts and ass would still likely if given infinite choice want a partner with a perky C cup and a nice apple bum too because well that's gonna make him look like a winner.

Girls who are pretty enough to have choices gonna factor in whether a man looks to the world like she won the prize in him. Just fucking suck it up and deal...men are doing exactly the same with women. Everyone who gets the option wants someone objectively not just subjectively desirable on their arm.

Alternative_Eye_2799 · 2022-04-03T07:43:43+00:00

ima male and i prefer taller women and it’s the same reason why women prefer tall dudes, it’s extremely hard to give a thorough explanation on why I do but I’ll try

I like submission in women too of course but I also like dominance and what comes with that is authority and being attracted to the other gender who is completely more superior then you that’s extremely attractive.

And before I get into the height stuff superiority is what women care abt first and I know this cuz they want a dominant man before anything.

So therefore the height preference is definitely more then a physical thing. All I gotta say is a submissive female/male is gonna be captivated by the other gender who is dominant and has more superiority to the other person mentally and physically

Available-Ad-9338 · 2022-04-03T08:27:01+00:00

Many women assume tall men have big dicks, so there's that.

Title	Is height preference more than just physical attraction?
Author	putate
Upvotes	81
Comments	433
Date	April 3, 2022 3:39 AM UTC (4 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/PurplePillDebate
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/PurplePillDebate/comments/tv0111/is_height_preference_more_than_just_physical/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/PurplePillDebate/is-height-preference-more-than-just-physical.1108881 https://theredarchive.com/post/1108881

Comments