Hattie Clarke
Writer and arts marketing professional working in London.

News released today by leading scientists at the University of Brobdingnag have proven that women who are above average height have more intense orgasms and make exceptional sexual partners.

Bullshit? Yes it certainly is. But now you’re here and I’ve got your attention.

I’d like to tell you about tall women and the mighty problems we face. As a card carrying 6ft tall member of the Tall Women Brigade I want to share my own experiences of an above average view on life.

It’s fair to say that probably every woman on the planet has received inappropriate comments about her appearance, and the battle to combat the barrage of idiocy online and in our workplaces is hard for everyone. When your height is above average in not only the women’s charts, but also the men’s, your chances of minimising sexist stupidity is nil.

I can’t remember the last time I met someone (a man) who didn’t comment on my height. I can’t remember the last party I went to where someone (a man) didn’t comment on my choice to wear heels. I wish I could say this is a recent discovery, but when you’re a tall woman you started as a tall girl.

At primary school I spent every lunchtime dropping one hip so I wouldn’t stand out amongst the other girls in the playground. I was taller than every boy in my class. I was constantly aware of how feminine I appeared, more conscious to be seen with the right colour pencil case and one of the first to paint my lashes and practice fluttering.

Being confident and tall is an incredible feeling, you are naturally seen because your physical presence fills the room and people are drawn to watch you. There’s a reason that my brother, a 6 ft 7 twenty-something, is now an actor. But for those of us tall women who are less sure of ourselves, or who are just having a bad day, not being able to blend into a room seriously sucks. On my blue days I find myself dressing in baggy clothes and layering myself into a tent-like cover-up, as if trying to hide some newly gained weight. But this doesn’t hide anything. In fact it just makes you more visible, you’re just a tent that’s taller than all the other tents.

I would never give up my height, it is integral to who I am. I come from a long line of tall people (see the Vikings), and I love it when I see women on the street or the tube who are as tall or taller than me. I want there to be a society for tall women where we can all moan about terrible trouser and sleeve lengths (my god, I have cold wrists 24/7) and about how shallow men can be, intimidated by any woman that doesn’t fit into the petite section. These are most likely the same men that single you out at a bar and want to go back to back to prove to his mates he must be taller than this giraffe-like woman. It takes a great deal of patience not to scream, “I’m not trying out for your basketball team, I came here to drink!”

Reaching a book on the highest shelf, spotting my husband/brother/other tall person is of use in a crowded station and always being offered the passenger seat are many of the great advantages of being a tall Woman. It is also an urban myth known throughout the tall woman hive mind and online community that as a tall woman you are less likely to be harassed on the street. There aren’t any statistics to tell us whether this is a fact, but from a straw poll of friends of all heights it seems that as the tallest I have gotten away with the least unwanted attention. It also seems likely that a harasser might see a tall woman as more intimidating, or be mistaken for a man. This is a mistake one could cultivate at any height - take it from experience, short hair and a tweed coat is all you need. Sadly, this does come with side effects, like being called ‘Sir’ by a shop assistant in the dairy aisle at Tesco.

Despite it all the Tall Woman Brigade is certainly here to stay, with the average height creeping up year on year. We are constantly recruiting members, from the tallest girl in her reception class to the wall Woman who always stays sitting down at parties. You are not alone in living the hazards of a tall life, and remember there are always the benefits (superior orgasms included). So don’t go it alone. Hear our heavy tread, see our long shadows and keep looking up.

Follow Hattie Clarke on Twitter: www.twitter.com/HattieLC

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June 14, 2017 by Magdalena Kegel In News.

Tall, thin girls, adolescents and young women are at higher risk of developing endometriosis, according to a study by U.S. and French researchers.

How body composition influences the risk of endometriosis is a matter of debate. Researchers at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and INSERM at the Paris-Saclay University in France hypothesized that hormone-related factors play a role.

The study, “Associations among body size across the life course, adult height and endometriosis,” confirmed earlier research on the connection between body composition and endometriosis. It was published in the journal Human Reproduction.

Researchers found 2,416 French women diagnosed with endometriosis among 61,208 who were part of a prospective study. That kind of study is a long-term look at people with mostly similar characteristics, such as age.

Since cancer can impact a woman’s risk of developing endometriosis, the researchers excluded those with a history of cancer from the study.

Women who were lean at 8 years old, when they had their first period, or when they were 20–25 years old were at higher risk of developing endometriosis than those with average or stouter body sizes, the team found.

They also found a link between body size when a woman was older and endometriosis, but it was not statistically significant.

The link between leanness and endometriosis held up when researchers accounted for factors such as the age when a woman had her first period, whether she had used oral contraceptives, and the level of her physical activity.

In terms of height, the study found that women 165 cm (about 5-5) or taller were more likely to have endometriosis than women who were less than 158 cm (5-2 feet). One hundred sixty-five centimeters equates to about 5 feet, 5 inches and 158 cm to about 5 feet, 2 inches.

Another finding was that those of medium height were at higher risk of developing endometriosis than those who were shorter.

Several factors can influence height, so the research team also measured a woman’s height while sitting and her leg length. Women with a sitting height of 87 cm — about 34 inches — or more were at increased risk of developing endometriosis than those with a sitting height of 82 cm — about 32 inches — or less. There was no correlation between leg length and the disease.

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Courtney Henry always hated picture day in elementary school. Growing up in West Palm Beach, Fla., she dreaded the ignoble tradition of making the tallest kid in the class stand in the center of the back row.

That student was always her.

"I was tall, I was black, and I was skinny," Henry recalls. "I was everything that was really not cool from, like, the third grade."

The daughter of a collegiate basketball player, Henry was an unathletic child whose parents paraded her in and out of several sports. Nothing went well. Then, for her ninth birthday, her mother signed her up for dance classes. She was three years older than most of the girls, and towered over them, but she had talent. The teacher urged Henry's mother to find a better studio. Henry began to dream of becoming a dancer, and that desire only deepened as she grew taller.

"I had to work harder," she said. "That was instilled in me from a pretty young age, because I knew I would be standing out."

At 6 feet tall, Henry is, quite possibly, the tallest professional female ballet dancer in the United States.

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Taller people are RICHER: Scientists find biggest leap in income takes place between 5'4" and 5'6" - but over 6' has no effect

By Ellie Zolfagharifard For Dailymail.com
Published:  19:01 GMT, 19 May 2015 | Updated:  19:04 GMT, 19 May 2015

• On average, every extra inch in height earns a man $800 (£510) a year
• A 4-5 inch difference is associated with salary increase of 9-15 per cent
• Nutrition people received as a child - which affects both height and intelligence - is an important factor in determining salary, study finds 

Size really does matter in the boardroom, according to a new study.

Scientists believe that every extra inch a man has in height over his peers is worth almost $800 (£510) a year in increased earnings.

But not all inches are worth the same. 

A new study has found that the sharpest jump in earnings takes place between men who are 5'4' and 5'6' – but wages remain the same at around 6'0'.

In Western countries, The Atlantic notes that a four or five inch difference in height is associated with an increase in salary between nine and 15 per cent.

Earning more if you're taller makes sense for jobs that require physical strength, but the trend is largely seen in desk-based roles.

Some researchers believe taller people in officers earn more because they have better emotional intelligence, social skills and self-confidence.

Another theory suggests that taller people are treated better giving them more emotional stability and a better work ethic.

A new paper by Andreas Schick, an economist at the FDA, and Richard Steckel, an economist at the Ohio State University, argues it may be a combination of these factors.

They looked at data from the UK tracking a group of people born in 1958, and they found that neither intelligence or physical factors alone could not explain the differences in earnings.

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By Amanda Woods July 28, 2020 | 4:04pm

People over six feet tall are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with the coronavirus, the results of a new survey reveal.

The global team of researchers, including experts from the University of Manchester and Open University, surveyed 2,000 people in the country, as well as the US, to determine whether their personal attributes, work and living practices might play a role in transmission, The Telegraph reported.

The results found that taller people are at a higher risk, which researchers say suggests that the contagion is spreading through the air - because height would not be a factor if the virus was only contractible through droplets, according to the report.

"The results of this survey in terms of associations between height and diagnosis suggest downward droplet transmission is not the only transmission mechanism and aerosol transmission is possible," Professor Evan Kontopantelis, of the University of Manchester, told the outlet.

"This has been suggested by other studies, but our method of confirmation is novel," he added.

"Though social distancing is still important, because transmission by droplets is still likely to occur, it does suggest that mask-wearing may be just as - if not more - effective in prevention. But also, air purification in interior spaces should be further explored."

Droplets are larger than aerosols and are thought to travel relatively short distances and plummet from the air, according to the report. But aerosols, which can build up in poorly ventilated areas, are carried by air currents.

The study also found that using a shared kitchen or accommodation played a large role - especially in the US, where those circumstances made the chances of contracting the bug 3.5 times as high.

In the UK, chances were 1.7 times higher.

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Chances of atrial fibrillation rise along with body size, but remain low overall, study says

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

SOURCES: Annika Rosengren, M.D., professor, internal medicine, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Allan Stewart, M.D., director, aortic surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, New York City: Neil Bernstein, M.D., cardiac electrophysiologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; April 7, 2017, European Society of Cardiology meeting, Malaga, Spain

Last Updated: Apr 10, 2017

Copyright © 2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

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6ft 2in Sophie, 12, towers over pals and her parents as she sets new record

Sophie can touch ceilings at home and is 18 inches taller than most classmates

Exclusive By Lynsey Clarke and Jennifer Wiley
30th May 2018, 11:05 pm Updated: 30th May 2018, 11:05 pm

RECORD-breaking 12-year-old Sophie Hollins stands proud at 6ft 2in, as she towers over her pals and even her mum and dad.

The schoolgirl can touch ceilings at home, and is 18 inches taller than most classmates.

Sophie, who Guinness World Records believe is the world’s tallest pre-teen, said: “I’ve always known I was different. I’ve been tallest in my class from day one.”

But while she says it is “cool” to be so tall, she adds that she will be delighted if a recent procedure to stunt her growth is successful. 

Sophie - who looks down on 5ft 10in dad Ian, 5ft 4in mum Lorraine, both 44, and 4ft 7in brother Aaron, ten - was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome at eight months.

The life-threatening genetic disorder affects the body’s connective tissues.

It can cause organ problems, or lead to extreme height.

Sophie was 4ft 10in at age six. Aged ten and 5ft 11in, doctors curbed her surge by destroying growth tissue in her knees and giving her hormones to speed up puberty. 

Sophie, from Southampton, said: “Mum told me about Marfan syndrome when I was little. It’s who I am. I’m proud of that.

“But I’m happy I might have finished growing. It’s cool to be 6ft 2in but I don’t want to be much taller.

“Now my friends are starting to catch up. The last few years have been tough with everything my body has been through. But I’m happy it’s over and am excited about becoming a teenager.”

Dental receptionist Lorraine added: “I always told Sophie people are going to stare. Boys at school called her a giraffe. There was a time she was so skinny I feared her legs would snap in half.”

Guinness says the world tallest man is Turkish farmer Sultan Kösen, 35, at 8ft 2.8in. The tallest woman is China’s 7ft 3in Sun Fang, 30.

DO you know a taller girl? Call our newsdesk on 020 7782 4104 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Student, 18, who stands 6ft 2in tall reveals she's stopped on the street by strangers in awe of her height - and refuses to slouch to fit in with shorter friends

A teenager proud of her 6ft 2in frame revealed she is stopped in the street by strangers in awe of her height. Tara Humphris, 18, from Oxford, said she has always been taller than all of her friends but refuses to slouch just to fit in. Instead she has always embraced her height and even adds extra inches by wearing heels. And her striking height never goes unnoticed. 'In terms of reactions, I always get lots of glances, often stares and compliments about my height and the way I flaunt it,' Tara said. 'Random strangers even stop me in the streets to ask my height and tell me I look elegant and graceful, which as anyone can imagine is such a confidence boost.' 

Tara credits her height for enabling her to excel in sports, such as basketball, netball and badminton, which she now competes in at university in Bath.

When she's out Tara receives lots of stares, double takes and compliments about her height, with people stopping to tell her she exudes elegance and grace, something she says gives her a massive confidence boost.

Tara is the tallest female in her family and her brother, Josh, is already 6ft 5in at 16.

However, Tara credits her mother, Elaine, who is 5ft 11in for making her feel positive and confident about her height, after her parent struggled with her own height when she was at school and didn't truly embrace it until later in life, when she saw Tara growing taller.

Incredible pictures show Tara standing proudly amongst her friends and wearing heeled boots to make herself even taller.

Tara said: 'Growing up I've always been taller than all my friends and was the tallest girl in my entire secondary school when I was only 15 and I loved it.'

'I was known for being the tall blonde girl and always stood out in a crowd. My height also came in handy for sports as I was very active, playing basketball, netball and badminton at competitive levels throughout school, which I also now continue at uni.

'I cannot thank my mum enough as I can confidently say that she is the reason I feel so positive about my height, as she brought me up telling me to stand proud with my shoulders back and head held high and told me that if anyone was ever mean about my height it was only because they are jealous.

'Therefore, I can honestly say that there has never been a moment in my life where I wished I was shorter, as my mind set is that you can't change your height so you've just got to embrace it.

'In my opinion, there's nothing worse than a tall girl standing slouched in a failed attempt to look the same height as her friends, you've just got to love your height and stand confidently as confidence radiates off a person, especially if that person is tall and proud of it.

'Therefore, I've also always loved wearing heels as I'm already tall so I figure I might as well be taller.

'My mum on the other hand grew up the opposite, as she hated being tall, standing at 5ft 11in herself she was always the tallest through school as well but lacked the confidence and support I had growing up, it was only later on in her life that she began to enjoy her height, in particular when me and all my cousins started growing taller than her she began to embrace it fully.

'I have a big family and have a whole squad of 6ft to 6ft 5in cousins and even my younger brother at the age of 16 is already 6ft 5in. This is another reason I love my height as I've constantly grown up with people taller than me and it's great, however I can proudly boast that I am the tallest girl in my entire family.'

The only time when the comments she receives frustrate her slightly is on a night out when people state the obvious that Tara is a tall woman, something she tries to laugh off.

She shared her words of advice to others to encourage them to embrace what makes them unique. 

She continued: 'However I must say the only times I find it funny but frustrating, is if I'm on a night out and drunk people say to me, "oh wow, you're tall", because I just say back to them, "ok, thanks for letting me know, not like I didn't know that or anything", and then they usually feel bad or humiliated for stating the obvious and I just laugh, because I don't mind it really.

'The main message I wish to convey is just to love yourself, everyone was made unique so you've just got to work with that, embrace yourself and live everyday as it comes.'

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Thailand’s tallest woman Malee Duangdee who was once recorded by Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s tallest woman with a height of 214 cm has died of high blood pressure at the age of 24.A sketchy report said that she was rushed to Borai district hospital in Trat province with high blood pressure and she was later pronounced dead.

Her body was later taken to Wat Chang Klua in Tambon Huey Raeng, Muang district by her parents, Mr Man and Mrs Jee Kohsod.

However, it was discovered that her body could not be put into the coffin as it is too small and a new coffin has to be made.

Here is a more detailed article

Viewers take offence at Miranda and accuse Doctor Who of promoting a gay agenda... and don't get them started on Bake Off playing Handel

For some, the problem is that Doctor Who is promoting a gay agenda. Others object to characters in a drama taking their eyes off the road while driving. And then there are those who found one popular sitcom offensive to all tall women.A report examining complaints received by the BBC over a 19-month period has thrown a light on the sheer variety of subjects which prompt viewers' objections, from Americanisms and poor grammar to the use of metric over Imperial measurements.

But while it may be a simple matter of editorial judgment whether to use pounds or kilograms, there is no accounting for viewers' tastes.

The report, published by the BBC Trust, found that one viewer considered that Miranda, the BBC One comedy, unfairly ridiculed tall women (the eponymous heroine, Miranda Hart is 6ft tall, or 1.85m if you prefer), while another argued that showing the police and hospital staff in popular dramas at a bar after a "shift" was a "bad example".

One person complained that the reporting of women's deaths in Gaza as "newsworthy" was offensive to men, while three believed Doctor Who was promoting homosexuality.

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The Best Gaming Chairs for Tall Women

With games like DoTA2, League of Legends, and Fortnite dominating streaming sites, gaming is becoming a national pastime. If you are one of the millions of people that have spent time on streaming channels, there is a good chance you will have noticed that all of the most popular streamers use gaming chairs. These souped-up office-style chairs are built to last and come complete with more padding for extra comfort during long gaming sessions.
One problem, though, is that most popular gaming chairs are built for average-sized gamers. Short seatbacks, smaller load capacities, and small seat beds are all issues that taller gamers run into when searching for a comfortable gaming chair. In an effort to help tall gamers, we’ve made a list of some of the best gaming chairs for tall women:

1. Secretlab Titan XL (2020 Series)

No matter whether you are a tall gamer who enjoys playing Fortnite on the Xbox, or you prefer playing slot games online at all slots Canada, you will love the Secretlab Titan XL. For many years now, Secretlab has been creating some of the best gaming chairs in the industry. However, their original collection, the Secretlab Titan 2020, was not quite big enough for tall gamers.

Thankfully, they introduced an XL version of this chair. This chair is built for gamers weighing anywhere up to 390 pounds, and do not worry about height - whether you are 6 foot tall or 7 foot tall, this chair will suit your needs.

2. Killabee Massage Chair

Killabee is one of the most popular gaming chair brands in the U.S and the Killabee big and tall massage chair is by far their best model so far, particularly for tall gamers who want to game in comfort. This chair is overflowing with memory foam padding and comes complete with built-in massagers which can help to relieve spinal pain and tightness. Not only that, but this chair also has a locking recliner system and adjustable height options too.

3. Ficmax High Back Gaming Chair

Next on our list is the Ficmax high-back gaming chair. This chair looks similar to many of the popular gaming chairs you see on streaming sites, but it is built especially for taller people. There are lots of reasons why this chair has made our list. Not only is it super comfortable, but it also comes in 9 different color options. Another huge benefit of this chair is that it has a massage function to keep you relaxed while playing your favorite games.

Take a quick look around the internet and you will find a huge selection of gaming chairs that you can relax in while you play your favorite game. Even though many of these chairs offer ample weight capacity and size flexibility, there is a good chance that the most expensive and most popular chair may not be the best option if you are taller than the average-sized gamer. Thankfully, there are lots of gaming chairs available for taller gamers too. If you are a taller gamer, why not consider purchasing one of the options we have listed above?

Recently, a pal of mine, a successful Public Relations officer in her mid-30s, confided in me about an ongoing problem she faces in her dating life: She feels that she's simply too tall for most men, standing at almost six feet.

Despite her drop dead gorgeous beauty, men are scared of her. After we had this chit chat, I promised her, while as I may not get her a tall man worth her beauty and success, I could get her lots of interesting tales to cope with her solitude up there.

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The girl who is too tall to walk: Teenager who stands at SEVEN FOOT relies on a wheelchair as her bones can't support her body 

• Rumeysa Gelgi, 19, from Turkey is world's tallest female teenager
• Has Weaver Syndrome, which causes accelerated bone growth 
• Says her parents help her cope as they always made her feel special
• Features in new TLC series of Body Bizarre

By Siofra Brennan For Mailonline
Published: 10:25 GMT, 28 September 2016 | Updated: 12:40 GMT, 28 September 2016

Towering at a staggering seven foot tall, Rumeysa Gelgi is the world's tallest teenage girl. Hailing from Safranbolu, a small town in the north of Turkey, the 19-year-old always stood out from her friends growing up. Rumeysa said: 'I received long stares from people because I looked different and they were naturally curious about me.

The teenager suffers from a rare condition called Weaver Syndrome - at the time of her birth in 1997 there had only been 20 reported cases. People with the condition experience rapid growth from birth, as well as other health issues such as a lack of knee and elbow extension, making activities like walking or running very difficult.

She added: 'I became aware of my health condition when I was about five or six years old. I started to wonder why I looked different from other kids of my age.' As well as Weaver Syndrome, Rumeysa also suffers from scoliosis, a condition which has given her a curvature of the spine.

Due to her rapid growth, Rumeysa has issues getting around as her bones struggle to support her body and she relies on her parents' help. Her mother, Safiye Gelgi, gave birth to her six weeks prematurely as doctors noticed she was above average size even as a baby due to her condition. Safiye said: 'Rumeysa was a big baby at the very early stages of my pregnancy.

'My doctor told me that she was not a normal baby. Because of that she was born early at seven and a half months.'

Growing up Rumeysa's condition became more apparent as she rapidly grew and had more distinct features. 'She was taller than normal. She had deep, raspy voice. Her hands and feet were big. She looked very unusual not like other babies.' Safiye added.

Despite her rare condition the tall teen remains upbeat, thanks in part to her loving parents. She said: 'As a child I questioned myself but I never felt unhappy. I overcome this with my parents' help. 'They told me that this syndrome is was rare. Because of them I felt the most important person in the world.' Rumeysa was certified the tallest female teenager in the world by Guinness World Records in 2014. Rumeysa said: 'It's one of my biggest dreams to be awarded with this record. 'Being a record-holder is a very amazing thing. I know that only the special people can make it and I know I'm one of them now.'

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Jemima Sinclair considers the importance our society places on height, in light of new data that suggests taller people are more susceptible to catching Covid-19.

By Jemima Sinclair - 21st August 2020

A new study by data scientists in UK, US and Norway has just suggested that men over 6ft tall are almost twice as likely to get Covid-19 than others, and there's a lot to unpack here. 

To begin with, and most importantly, this is potentially key evidence that the virus is airborne and spread through aerosols, something that may further our understanding of the virus and lead towards a quicker development of treatment and vaccines. Furthermore, the widespread reaction to this particular study highlights some of the major problems with media-driven responses to Covid-19; every major newspaper has focused on the extent to which height is a predicator for Covid-19, while severely underreporting the study's other findings that link Covid-19 with activities typical of people of lower socioeconomic status, such as shared kitchen and living spaces. 

However, as a woman who is over 6ft tall, my knee-jerk reaction was not to consider either of these things. Instead, I headed straight into the Tall Girl mind-set that not only is being tall objectively terrible, as proven by the fact that we're more susceptible to Covid-19, but being tall and female is worse, because female results weren't even included in the study. So not only are we shafted by the disadvantage of being tall, but as girls, we're also marginalised within the tall community because 'so few women' are over 6ft that there's no point in studying them. Poor us.

But then I gave myself a metaphorical slap around the face. In times as bizarre and frankly dystopian as these, the audacity of someone just over 6ft complaining about a 'disadvantage' is laughable. Anyone who's seen the 2019 Netflix film 'Tall Girl' (or more likely its hundreds of parodies on TikTok) will remember the backlash at the title character whining, 'You think your life is hard? I'm a high-school junior wearing… men's Size 13 Nikes. Beat that.' One TikTok user succinctly replied to this, 'I've got cancer'. In other words, minor inconveniences based on being slightly above average height are not grounds for believing your life is harder than anyone else's. I'm not saying it's always a joy to be a tall girl, especially in senior school – standing in the back row of school photos, occasionally being referred to as 'giraffe', and (most crushingly) watching my short friends date all the available tall boys were all part of the typical Tall Experience. But everyone has a terrible time for some reason in school, and out of that environment, the biggest height-related issue I face now is worrying the Top-Shop sale will run out of tall jeans. And I'm well aware that in the current circumstances, it would be an insane privilege to put energy into worrying about that. 

Not every tall person has it as easy though. My 'little' brother, 6'8 at seventeen years old, faces far more trouble in his daily life thanks to his height – doorways are too low, beds are too short, hardly any clothes are available in his size and so on – and yet at the moment his biggest worry is his future. As one of the Year 13 students confronted with cancelled A Levels and government-decided grades this year, he hasn't got the luxury of worrying that his feet will be hanging off a single bed in halls; all he cares about is whether he'll be going to university in the first place. 

Even if he did have time to worry about his height, there's a good chance he wouldn't: a wealth of evidence suggests that tall people have had happier childhoods, are more likely to succeed, and end up wealthier than average. Livescience, links greater height to better nutrition in childhood and suggests taller people are more likely to be hired for jobs, while a study from Exeter University in 2016 demonstrated that for men, every 6.3 cm in height added about £1,580 to their annual salary (the Guardian article which reported this adds, characteristically, 'A smaller effect was seen for women'). This all seems to suggest what many people have suspected for centuries: people (especially men) who are tall, are more fortunate than those who are not.

Therefore, though this Covid-19 study demonstrates there's a way in which tall people actually do have it rough, the universal tall experience is fairly decent. Beyond this, the fact that reports are downplaying the study's other findings in favour of a focus on height suggests a more worrying trend. At first, this focus makes complete sense: it gives strong evidence that Covid-19 is an airborne virus, which is pretty ground-breaking. But it's interesting that the connection between height and Covid-19 fascinates us more than the other links found in this study. Shared kitchens, use of public transport, and lower income levels are also reported in the study to be predicators of Covid-19, but these are relegated to further down the list in most of the articles available. Even in the stupor of a locked-down summer, it doesn't take much thinking to realise that these other findings are fairly conclusively linked to lower socioeconomic status. 

With a cynical mind-set (the kind that can only come from months stuck at home watching the news with my parents), it could seem as though the sensational appeal of the 'height link' exemplifies the media's boredom with talking about those pesky poor people. It seems reporters have reached their breaking point for pretending to care about the multiple studies showing that BAME people, the elderly, people with underlying conditions and those with lower incomes are disproportionally affected, instead rejoicing that finally, there's an angle on Covid-19 that isn't depressingly linked to poverty and disadvantage.  And as previously discussed, tall people statistically fit this profile far less than anyone else. 

The height focus may also imply that tall people (and perhaps by extension people of higher socioeconomic status) are seen as unfairly targeted by the virus, while those who are more disadvantaged somehow deserve it more. There's definitely a sense that the government and media see other factors as preventable (Just travel by car! Just spend time in your own garden!), despite these solutions' links to higher incomes. In contrast, height is seen as random, even though it can be anything but. 

It's a fairly dark reading, but these are fairly dark times. Hopefully it'll turn out that all this is just quarantine-brain talking, and the truth is people care about all these factors equally. But I won't hold my breath to find out – even if it does halve the risk of Covid-19 at my height. 

SOURCES

The study: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.13.20152819v1

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Today Style - The long and short of it: Spring trends for petite and tall girls alike!

We're dreaming of spring and with a new season, comes fun new fashion. But don't go thinking you're too tall or too short to try a certain trend! Mary Kate McGrath, the editor-in-chief of lifestyle site PureWow, visited TODAY Friday to share the hottest spring looks and how to pull them off no matter your height.

Read the full article on the Today website (includes the video)

The Debrief: Apparently most retailers think if you're a tall women you also drive lorries for a living

Having long legs is one of the many things people say they really want but actually don’t. Like a Magimix – too heavy. Or to not live in London – no Ubers. Deep down we know we’re lucky not to have thick curly hair as it would always be knotty and we know being very tall is a thankless, hopeless task tempered only marginally by the fact we apparently have the shape to 'wear ponchos' or over-the-knee-boots or any other useless items of clothing we never want to wear.

Don’t believe me? I’ve lived with this six foot frame for ten years and know the highs and lows of having long legs. The highs are as follows:

People always let you sit in the front of the car and you always gracefully accept, knowing it doesn’t really make that much difference at all. Sometimes people compliment you on your long legs. That’s all.

And here are the lows:

Tall sections in clothing shops

If you walk through the petite section of a women’s shop, here’s what you’ll find: little blouses, floaty tea dresses, skimpy skirts, crop tops, fitted jackets, cute culottes and playsuits. They offer a selection of feminine clothing, ranging from looking like a member of Little Mix, to a Snow White costume. 

However, no such thing can be found in the dreaded tall section. For some reason all retail buyers think that if you’re a tall woman you also drive lorries for a living. The highstreet’s tall ranges offer the following: big grey jumpers, big black trousers, khaki jackets and cargo pants. Good luck finding anything to wear to a party that doesn’t make you look like a cameraman. 

There’s also a famous, very large shop in central London where one must walk through the petites section to get to the tall section. This is a particularly humiliating experience for any long-legged, broad-shouldered, big-footed she-man as every cute-as-a-button Polly Pocket sized woman looks at you while you stomp thunderously through their section, the floor shaking, Hall Of The Mountain King basically playing as you go. 

I am jealous of all of them. I hate women who talk about how tiny they are, knowing it makes them as adorable as a Beatrix Potter mouse. I hate the petite section. I hate the word 'petite.'

Ankle grazing trousers

When you have an outer leg measurement over 40 inches, you learn to just accept that trousers will never look exactly how they’re meant to look and rejoiced when the newly popular 'rolled-up boyfriend style' jean recently had its day. The hem of every pair of jeans you own sit just above your ankles and you can’t remember a time when it was any different.

Camel toe

Camel toe is de riguer for the long-legged lady and is why she will avoid jumpsuits or rompers unless they are very loose fitting. For the long-legged lady is more often than not also the long-bodied lady and there are few all in one ensembles that accommodate the length of a tall woman from crotch to shoulders without the gusset being hungrily eaten by her boofer, resulting in the aforementioned camel toe.

Writing this section has made me want to die.

Extra leg room on Easyjet

For many years I tried to cram my long and cumbersome pins into the shoe box space that is the seat of a budget flight resulting in cramp, tears and mood-swings that continued hours if not days into the holiday.

But - no more. We do not have to suffer in silence. For a measly 10-15 pounds, we can BUY extra legroom. I’ve done it twice so far – there’s no looking back.

Bottom flashing

All short skirts are a little too short when you have long legs. A 'midi' falls above the knee and a 'mini' should be renamed 'a bottom grazer.' Bottom grazers can look fantastic but are wildly impractical as you cannot bend, stretch, touch your hair or hug anyone without flashing your bottom. Basically you can walk slowly and stand and that’s about it.

Personally, I don't mind this, because having long legs is often the only thing I am pleased about. Although I am aware I look like one of those women who only wears inappropriately short skirts and is never seen in trousers because she was once told by a drunk insurance broker in an All Bar One that she has the best legs he had ever seen and has held onto this token compliment ever since.

Pretending to sit on a man’s knee

This is a particularly strenuous exercise. Tall girls weigh more – they just do. We pretend we’re in the same ball park as you, but we’re really not. Your fat weight is our skinny weight – there is simply more of us.

But people don’t seem to get that. When you tell them how much you weigh – they’re shocked. When they drunkenly throw you over their shoulder in a fireman’s lift, you can feel them huffing and puffing, surprised that you are basically a very large shelving unit. Only a very gangly woman knows the embarrassment of when a boyfriend boisterously pulls you to sit on his knee in a pub and the subsequent quad muscle tremor that comes from squatting very subtly above his thighs and pretending it’s your whole weight.

So next time you say you wish you were a leggy six foot thing, remember all the downsides and be grateful for what you have. And also really don’t buy a Magimix, get married instead and you might get one for free.

Follow Dolly on Twitter @dollyalderton

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Clothes that don't fit and beds that aren't long enough - it's not all easy

Mark Mason

Why don't tall people get the same sympathy as short people? Everyone feels sorry for minnows, cutting them slack when they talk loudly in meetings or get themselves elected Speaker of the House of Commons. But tall people are seen as life's victors; the ones you want to be, the ones who get everything their own way. It just isn't the case.

I'm not actually that tall — 6ft 1in — but even I encounter problems. Cashpoints are too low, hotel beds are too short, train seats don't have enough leg room. In the days of phone boxes, I spent every call hunched over (not enough lead). I regularly have to bend at the knees to use mirrors, and am sometimes forced to take showers kneeling down, because the head hasn't been fixed high enough up the wall. What's that you say? Have a bath instead? I would — if that wasn't too short as well. It's a choice between sitting bolt upright or resting my feet against the tiles somewhere near the ceiling.

And if I'm struggling, what's it like for the 6ft 4-and-above brigade? The other day I used a walkway in the Barbican where I only had three inches clearance — anyone that much taller than me would have had to stoop. I know, the whole Barbican is a design-free zone, but it's far from the only place. Much of modern Britain is structurally tallist.

It was only when talking to a friend who's 6ft 6 that I realised just how troublesome clothing can be. All I've ever had to do is buy shirts with extra-long sleeves, but Rob has an extra problem with casual shirts. 'They all expose my navel when I stretch. And not in a winsome, sexy way.' Trousers are a nightmare. My inside leg is 34 inches, Rob's is 36, and apparently those extra two inches make all the difference. 'They dramatically limit your options,' he says. 'I can buy suits from T.M. Lewin and jeans from Gap — and that's it.' Rob once walked into a tailor's on Jermyn Street and asked if they had anything to fit him. 'The bloke held up a tie.'

It's even worse for women. 'There's a shop called Long Tall Sally that every tall woman goes to once,' says my friend Emma (6ft). 'You're desperately hoping you'll find a pair of trousers that go all the way down to your shoes. The customers lurk between the rails of polyester stretch, taking furtive glances at each other, all thinking: "Well at least I'm not that tall."' Emma's amazed at people's attitudes when they meet her. 'They think it's perfectly fine to say, "God you're tall, do you find it difficult to get shoes?" Imagine if I said to a fat stranger, "Do you find it difficult to get clothes?"'

Then there's the matter of relationships. How often do you see a woman with a man shorter than her? There's the odd exception — the ex-Mrs Bernie Ecclestone, for instance — but for whatever reason it seems to be a no-no. Germaine Greer (6ft) says she never learned to dance backwards because she always had to take the male role. Some tall women (and indeed men) hunch their shoulders in an attempt to hide their height. The habit never goes away, no matter how successful you become.

Tall poppy syndrome, of course, that's what they call it. Rosamund Beattie (6ft 4), a member of the Tall Persons Club — not a joke, they really do find life difficult — says it's like being famous but without the money. The club's website relates that tall children are 'disproportionately likely to be bullied at school, something that most adults do not appreciate. The tall child has to be the aggressor, right? Wrong.'

There can also be health problems. Louise Ross (6ft 3, another TPC member), has had 'dodgy knees since I was ten'. Her loose ligaments have necessitated 12 operations. OK, such troubles will only be common for out-liers like her. But even if the 'averagely tall' like me don't suffer health issues, we do encounter regular irritations. The glass shelves that stand above bars in many pubs — I can only order my round by squatting slightly. Someone my height could never work behind that bar: they'd be in agony after the first shift.

Yes, I know all this is going to sound rich to someone of below average height. 'I'll swap places with you,' they'll be saying. Fair enough. On balance I'd rather be 6ft 1 than 5ft 5. But it's still true that, as so often, a supposedly desirable outcome in life is slightly less desirable than you might think. Before you look at a tall person and say you wish you were them, walk a mile in their shoes. Assuming they've been able to find any.

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A mundane coincidence turns into a mild obsession with the uniquely tragic life of a 7'7" Indiana woman who died a folk hero.

In 1976, in Shelbyville, Ind., a city of about 20,000 southeast of Indianapolis, a film premiere was held. The picture was Fellini's Casanova. A highly conceptual Italian art house flick about sexual deviance was not what this audience was used to; the house, nonetheless, was packed. A local was in it, a 21-year-old everyone knew about but whom few knew well. She now sat nervously waiting for it to start, concerned about what her neighbors were going to think of it, of her.

"For his giant work, he even imported a giantess from America," one news article about the picture had read, a find that had ended director Federico Fellini's, "worldwide search for an amazon."

She was credited: "Sandra E. Allen – Giantess."

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The Short Guy's Guide to Dating Tall Women

by Erica Rivera Jan 3rd, 2020

Dating as a short guy is rough. We get it. Online dating sites and apps haven't helped, as many allow users to outright eliminate you from their search based on height. But that doesn't mean your dating life has to come up short. Not only are there women out there who are totally open to dating guys of all sizes, but there are also ways you can present your best self (all 5 feet, 2 inches of you) that'll make your date overlook your, um, shortcomings. Commit these dating hacks to memory and your prospects will start looking up.

Stop whining.

We know you're at a disadvantage in the dating world because of your height, but moaning about it isn't going to help. The pity party stops now. You can't change your height, but you can change your attitude about it, and until you do, none of the subsequent dating hacks will work.

Don't talk yourself out of it.

You can't tell what women are attracted to just by looking at them. Even if the one you want has a foot on you and has expressed a preference for tall guys doesn't mean you're out of the game. You just might be the one who changes her mind about short guys forever. But you won't know until you try.

Don't pretend to be something you're not.

Lying is not cool, especially since height is a pretty hard thing to hide. You can fudge the numbers up to an inch online, but no further. You can wear shoes with thick soles. You can develop exquisite posture. What you can't (or at least, shouldn't) do is pretend to be something you're not. You're short and she knows it. No amount of smoke and mirrors will disguise that. Accept it and carry on.

Make the most out of what you have.

You can't make yourself taller, but you can bulk up. Muscle mass shows that you value your appearance, that you take care of your body, and makes you look more masculine. (Hey, we didn't make the gender stereotypes, but we acknowledge they exist.) For many women, even the tall ones, a show of strength will outweigh your short stature.

Dress for success.

Clothing plays a huge part in the impression people form of you. A well-dressed man of any size is more likely to get a second glance than a slob is. If you're inept when it comes to fashion, scour men's fashion magazines or hire a personal shopper to learn what cuts, colors, and fabrics highlight your assets. When your date sees you for the first time, your sharp sense of style will make her proud to be your arm candy.

Be confident.

Height may be a turn-on for some, but confidence is sexy no matter who you are. Don't cower. Be bold. Standing tall is a state of mind. If you believe you deserve that tall woman, she's more likely to believe you do, too.

Go for the laughs.

So you don't check off that "tall" box on her ideal man list. No matter. Check off some other boxes, like "funny." People remember how they felt around a date more than how their date looked, so leave that tall lady breathless with belly laughs and your height will seem like an insignificant afterthought.

Bust a move.

No, a tall woman can't cradle her head in that nook between your chin and your shoulder (at least not when you're upright) but you can still lead like a big man on the dance floor. Learn some steps and make her heart race one song at a time. It's not about what you have, but how you use it!  

Compensate with cash.

No woman has ever complained that a man spent too much money on their date. If it's within your means, make the date an affair to remember by pulling out all the stops. Hey, sometimes you have to invest in a relationship to reap the dividends. If being short is limiting your prospects, especially with tall women, spoil the dates you do have and make yourself the most valuable man she's ever met.

Remember your idols.

If you're vertically challenged, it helps to remember you're not alone -- and that your height doesn't determine your potential. Here's a short list of charismatic celebrities under six feet: Prince (5'2"), Kevin Hart (5'4"), Bruno Mars (5'5"), Aziz Ansari (5'6"), Tom Cruise (5'7"),  Mark Wahlberg (5'8"), Robert Downey Jr. (5'9"), George Clooney (5'10"), and Brad Pitt (5'11"). We bet none of them would have any trouble scoring a date, even with a tall woman. (Except Prince. He's dead.)

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February 13, 2017 5:37 PM by Julia Felsenthal

I recently took a photo of my sister and me in a dressing room mirror. We’re trying on matching purple turtlenecks. She’s got her hands on her hips and she’s humoring me, her lips set tightly in a half-smile. I’m gazing at the screen on my phone, intently composing the shot.

Our jeans are similar, and so is our hair, almost the same color and length. But I tower over her. Her head barely clears my shoulder, and my hip aligns with her chest. She could pull her sleeves over her hands; mine, like the sleeves of all my sweaters, end mid-forearm exposing inches of naked wrist.

If you glanced at this photo out of the corner of your eye, you would be forgiven for thinking that I’m an adult and she’s a child, or I’m a man and she’s a woman, or maybe even that we belong to two different species entirely.

My sister is three years older than I am, and seven inches shorter. She is slim and narrow and small, with delicate wrists and ankles. She is also thoughtful, cautious, responsible, the quiet eye of the storm. I am the storm: erratic, moody, restless, and attention seeking. I am six feet tall; broad shouldered; wide hipped; a sprawling, messy human being. I look like I could eat her for breakfast.

I am louder, but I am the younger sister, the follower. I followed my sister through high school, inherited her extracurriculars, her favorite teachers, followed her to college, into her freshman dorm, her choice of major, to New York—the same block, even—and her world of magazines. My mother once told me she thought my life had only become complicated the day my sister decided to have children and went someplace where I wasn’t sure I wanted to go.

A younger sister is not accustomed to breaking ground. When I got my period and couldn’t figure out how to insert a tampon, my sister did it for me. She taught me how to shave my armpits and legs. In my nascent adulthood, I often went over to the apartment she shared with her not-yet-husband to take a bath, and, like a jerk, consistently left my dirty towel crumpled somewhere on the floor. Once, a decade ago, during a panicked time when I couldn’t face anything, least of all my bills, she came over to my tiny studio, sat on my bed, and calmly opened months of mail for me.

I am younger, but I am the bigger sister. That fact has caused each of us consternation at different points in our lives.If you look at photos of us in early childhood, there are endless shots in matching outfits, my sister serious and rangy, me a stout little grinning gremlin. I remember the moment we discovered that I’d grown taller. I was still in elementary school and we were walking side by side down a sunny block in Chicago. I looked in a shop window as we passed and my reflection hovered above hers. She glared at me when I pointed it out and explained how perspective worked. Objects in the mirror may be shorter than they appear. But I was the one further from the glass, nearer to the curb. Later, at home, I lorded it over her, and she cried.

She doesn’t remember any of this, which makes me wonder which of us was more traumatized: the sister who found it so painful to be outgrown, or the sister who would come to hate that she’d grown so much, so fast.

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