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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Recently, a colleague of mine, a successful psychologist 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. The issue she struggles with is the same issue many other tall women deal with as they look for a good romantic partner.When we talk about tall women, there's what many people think of as 'sexy-tall,' the range of height where women are, say, 5'8" or 5'9". These women have the best of all possible worlds: They're tall to the point that it's easier to stay thin or carry weight well, but not so tall that they face the stigma of men not wanting want to date a tall woman. Tall women who experience romantic discrimination the most are approximately 5'10" and taller.

Read the full article on the eHarmony Blog website

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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Teni the Label

Teni The Label launched December 2021 with a mission to focus on simple and classic designs specifically for tall women.

With our founder being a tall woman herself, we understand the pain points experienced by tall women, which we further validated through market research. So we don’t just add inches, we develop pieces factoring in the measurements of a tall woman’s overall frame.

We aim to offer trousers that cover ankles, tops that cover wrists, and dresses with the right hemline for a taller woman.

From the whole team, thank you for your support and we welcome you to explore the collection.

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)

Studies have demonstrated an unconscious bias against short men and many tall women feel uncomfortable standing out from the crowd. In a world designed for people of average height, those that fall outside the norm can find life hard, writes Amanda Smith.

Read the full article on the ABC News Australia website

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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The Princess Who Stood On Her Own Two Feet

by Jeanne Desy

A long time ago in a kingdom by the sea there lived a Princess tall and bright as a sunflower. Whatever the royal tutors taught her, she mastered with ease.

She could tally the royal treasure on her gold and silver abacus, and charm even the Wizard with her enchantments. In short, she had every gift but love, for in all the kingdom there was no suitable match for her.

So she played the zither and designed great tapestries and trained her finches to eat from her hand, for she had a way with animals.

Yet she was bored and lonely, as princesses often are, being a breed apart. Seeing her situation, the Wizard came to see her one day, a strange and elegant creature trotting along at his heels. The Princess clapped her hands in delight, for she loved anything odd.

"What is it?" she cried. The Wizard grimaced.

"Who knows?" he said. "It's supposed to be something enchanted. I got it through the mail."

The Royal Wizard looked a little shamefaced. It was not the first time he had been taken in by mail-order promises.

"It won't turn into anything else," he explained. "It just is what it is."

"But what is it?"

"They call it a dog," the Wizard said. "An Afghan hound."

Since in this kingdom dogs had never been seen, the Princess was quite delighted. When she brushed the silky, golden dog, she secretly thought it looked rather like her, with its thin aristocratic features and delicate nose. Actually, the Wizard had thought so too, but you can never be sure what a Princess will take as an insult.

In any case, the Princess and the dog became constant companions. It followed her on her morning rides and slept at the foot of her bed every night. When she talked, it watched her so attentively that she often thought it understood.

Still, a dog is a dog and not a Prince, and the Princess longed to marry. Often she sat at her window in the high tower, her embroidery idle in her aristocratic hands, and gazed down the road, dreaming of a handsome prince in flashing armor.

One summer day word came that the Prince of a neighboring kingdom wished to discuss an alliance. The royal maids confided that he was dashing and princely, and the Princess's heart leaped with joy. Eagerly she awaited the betrothal feast.

When the Prince entered the great banquet hall and cast his dark, romantic gaze upon her, the Princess nearly swooned in her chair. She sat shyly while everyone toasted the Prince and the golden Princess and peace forever between the two kingdoms. The dog watched quietly from its accustomed place at her feet.

After many leisurely courses, the great feast ended, and the troubadors began to play. The Prince and Princess listened to the lyrical songs honoring their love, and she let him hold her hand under the table - an act noted with triumphant approval by the King and Queen. The Princess was filled with happiness that such a man would love her.

At last the troubadors swung into a waltz, and it was time for the Prince and Princess to lead the dance. Her heart bursting with joy, the Princess rose to take his arm. But as she rose to her feet, a great shadow darkened the Prince's face, and he stared at her as if stricken.

"What is it?" she cried. But the Prince would not speak, and dashed from the hall.

For a long time the Princess studied her mirror that night, wondering ,what the Prince had seen.

"If you could talk," she said to the dog, "you could tell me, I know it," for the animal's eyes were bright and intelligent.
"What did I do wrong?"

The dog, in fact, could talk; it's just that nobody had ever asked him anything before.

"You didn't do anything," he said. "It's your height."

"My height?"

The Princess was more astonished by what the dog said than the fact that he said it. As an amateur wizard, she had heard of talking animals.

"But I am a Princess!" she wailed. "I'm supposed to be tall." For in her kingdom, all the royal family was tall, and the Princess the tallest of all, and she had thought that was the way things were supposed to be.

The dog privately marveled at her naivete, and explained that in the world outside this kingdom, men liked to be taller than their wives.

"But why?" asked the Princess.

The dog struggled to explain. "They think if they re not, they can't...train falcons as well. Or something."

Now that he thought for a moment, he didn't know either.

It's my legs," she muttered. "When we were sitting down everything was fine. It's these darn long legs."

The dog cocked his head he thought she had nice legs, and he was in a position to know. The Princess strode to the bell-pull and summoned the Wizard.

"Okay," she said when he arrived. "I know the truth."

"Who told you?" the Wizard asked. Somebody was in stay in irons.

"The dog."

The Wizard sighed. In fact, he had known the creature was enchanted.

"It's my height." she continued bitterly.

The Wizard nodded.

"I want you to make me shorter." she said. "A foot shorter, at least. Now."

Using all his persuasive powers, which were considerable, the Wizard explained to her that he could not possibly do that.

"Fatter," he said "yes. Thinner, yes. Turn you into a raven, maybe. But shorter, no. I cannot make you even an inch shorter, my dear."

The Princess was inconsolable. Seeing her sorrow, the King sent his emissary to the neighboring kingdom with some very attractive offers. Finally the neighboring King and Queen agreed to persuade the Prince to give the match another chance.

The Queen spoke to him grandly of chivalry and honor, and the King spoke to him privately of certain gambling debts.

In due course he arrived at the castle, where the Princess had taken to her canopied bed. They had a lovely romantic talk, with him bedside holding her hand, and the nobility, of course, standing respectfully at the foot of the bed, as such things are done.

In truth, the Princess quite lovely when she was sitting or lying down.

"Come on," he said, "let's get some fresh air. We'll go riding." He had in mind a certain dragon in these parts, against whom he might display his talents. And so the Prince strode and the Princess slouched to the stables.

On a horse, as in a chair, the Princess was no taller than he, so they cantered along happily. Seeing an attractive hedge ahead, the Prince urged his mount into a gallop and sailed the hedge proudly.

He turned to see her appreciation, only to find the Princess doing the same and holding her seat quite gracefully. Truthfully, he felt like leaving again.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you," he said coldly, "that ladies ride sidesaddle?"

Well, of course they had, but the Princess always thought that was a silly, unbalanced position that took all the fun out of riding.

Now she apologized prettily and swung her legs around. At length the Prince hurdled another fence, even more dashingly than before, and turned to see the Princess attempting to do the same thing. But riding sidesaddle, she did not have a sure seat, and tumbled to the ground.

"Girls shouldn't jump," the Prince told the air, as he helped her up.

But on her feet, she was again a head taller than he. She saw the dim displeasure in his eyes. Then with truly royal impulsiveness she made a decision to sacrifice for love. She crumpled to the ground.

"My legs," she said, "I can't stand." The Prince swelled with pride, picked her up, and carried her back to the castle.

There the Royal Physician, the Wizard, and even the Witch examined her legs, with the nobility in attendance. She was given infusions and teas and herbs and packs, but nothing worked. She simply could not stand.

"When there is nothing wrong but foolishness," the Witch muttered, ",you can't fix it."
And she left. She had no patience with lovesickness.

The prince lingered on day after day, as a guest of the King, while the Princess grew well and happy, although she did not stand. Carried to the window seat, she would sit happily and watch him stride around the room, describing his chivalric exploits, and she would sigh with contentment. The loss of the use of her legs seemed a small price to pay for such a man.
The dog observed her without comment.

Since she was often idle now, the Princess practised witty and amusing sayings. She meant only to please the Prince, but he turned on her after one particularly subtle and clever remark and said sharply "Haven't you ever heard that women should be seen and not heard?"

The Princess sank into thought. She didn't quite understand the saying, but she sensed that it was somehow like her tallness. For just as he preferred her sitting, not standing, he seemed more pleased when she listened, and more remote when she talked.

The next day when the Prince came to her chambers he found the royal entourage gathered around her bed. "What's the matter?" he asked. They told him the Princess could not speak, not for herbs or infusions or magic spells. And the Prince sat by the bed and held her hand and spoke to her gently, and she was given a slate to write her desires. All went well for several days. But the Prince was not a great reader, so she put the slate aside, and made conversation with only her eyes and her smile.

The Prince told her daily how lovely she was, and then he occupied himself with princely pastimes. Much of the time her only companion was the dog.

One morning the Prince came to see her before he went hunting. His eyes fixed with disgust on the dog, who lay comfortably over her feet.

"Really," the Prince said, "sometimes you surprise me."

He went to strike the dog from the bed, but the Princess stayed his hand. He looked at her in amazement. That night the Princess lay sleepless in the moonlight, and at last, hearing the castle fall silent, and knowing that nobody would catch her talking, she whispered to the dog. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"You'd better get used to the idea," said the dog. "The Prince doesn't like me."

"He will never take you away." The Princess hugged the dog fiercely. The dog looked at her skeptically and gave a little doggy cough.

"He took everything else away," he said.

"No," she said. "I did that. I made myself...someone he could love."

"I love you, too," the dog said.

"Of course you do." She scratched his ears.

"And," said the dog, "I loved you then."

The Princess lay a long time thinking before she finally slept.

The next morning the Prince strode in more handsome and dashing than ever, although oddly enough, the Princess could have sworn he was getting shorter.

As he leaned down to kiss her, his smile disappeared. She frowned a question at him: What's the matter?
"You've still got that thing," he said, pointing to the dog. The Princess grabbed her slate.

"He is all I have," she wrote hastily. The lady-in-waiting read it to the Prince.

"You have me," the prince said, his chin high, "I believe you love that smelly thing more than you love me."

He strode (he never walked any other way) to the door.

"I was going to talk to you about the wedding feast," he said, as he left. "But now, never mind!"

The Princess wept softly and copiously, and the dog licked a tear from her trembling hand.

"What does he want?" she asked the dog.

"Roast dog for the wedding feast, I'd imagine," he said. The Princess cried out in horror.

"Oh, not literally," the dog said. "But it follows." And he would say no more. At last the Princess called the Wizard and wrote on her slate what the dog had said.

The Wizard sighed. How awkward. Talking animals were always so frank. He hemmed and hawed until the Princess glared to remind him that Wizards are paid by royalty to advise and interpret - not to sigh.

"All right," he said at last. Things always come in threes. Everything."

The Princess looked at him blankly.

"Wishes always come in threes," the Wizard said. "And sacrifices, too. So far, you've given up walking. You've given up speech. One more to go."

"Why does he want me to give up the dog?" she wrote.

The Wizard looked sorrowfully at her from under his bushy brows. "Because you love it," he said.

"But that takes nothing from him!" she scribbled. The Wizard smiled, thinking that the same thing could be said of her height and her speech.

"If you could convince him of that, my dear," he said, "you would be more skilled in magic than I."

When he was gone, the Princess reached for her cards and cast her own fortune, muttering to herself. The dog watched bright-eyed as the wands of growth were covered by the swords of discord. When the ace of swords fell, the Princess gasped. The dog put a delicate paw on the card.

"You poor dumb thing," she said, for it is hard to think of a dog any other way, whether it talks or not. "You don't understand. That is death on a horse. Death to my love."

"His banner is the white rose," said the dog, looking at the card intently. "He is also rebirth." They heard the Prince's striding step outside the door.

"Quick," the Princess said. "Under the bed." The dog's large brown eyes spoke volumes, but he flattened and slid under the bed. And the Prince's visit was surprisingly jolly.

After some time the Prince looked around with imitation surprise. "Something's missing," he said. "I know. It's that creature of yours. You know, I think I was allergic to it. I feel much better now that it's gone."

He thumped his chest to show how dear it was. The Princess grabbed her slate, wrote furiously, and thrust it at the Royal Physician. "He loved me," the Royal Physician read aloud.

"Not as I love you," the Prince said earnestly. The Princess gestured impatiently for the reading to continue.

"That's not all she wrote," the Royal Physician said. It says, ,"The dog loved me then."

When everyone was gone, the dog crept out to find the Princess installed at her window seat thinking furiously.

"If I am to keep you," she said to him, "we shall have to disenchant you with the spells book."

The dog smiled, or seemed to. She cast dice, she drew pentagrams, she crossed rowan twigs and chanted every incantation in the index. Nothing worked. The dog was still a dog, silken, elegant, and seeming to grin in the heat. Finally the Princess clapped shut the last book and sank back.

"Nothing works," she said. "I don't know what we shall do. Meanwhile, when you hear anyone corning, hide in the cupboard or beneath the bed."

"You're putting off the inevitable," the dog told her sadly.

"I'll think of something," she said. But she couldn't.

At last it was the eve of her wedding day. While the rest of the castle buzzed with excitement, the Princess sat mute in her despair. "I can't give you up and I can't take you!" she wailed. And the dog saw that she was feeling grave pain.

"Sometimes," the dog said, looking beyond her shoulder, "sometimes one must give up everything for love."

The Princess's lip trembled and she looked away.

"What will I do?" she cried again. The dog did not answer. She turned toward him and then fell to her knees in shock, for the dog lay motionless on the floor. For hours she sat weeping at his side, holding his lifeless paw.

At last she went to her cupboard and took out her wedding dress, which was of the softest whitest velvet. She wrapped the dog in its folds and picked him up gently.

Through the halls of the castle the Princess walked, and the nobility and chambermaids and royal bishops stopped in their busy preparations to watch her, for the Princess had not walked now for many months.

To their astonished faces she said, "I am going to bury the one who really loved me."

On the steps of the castle she met the Prince, who was just dismounting and calling out jovial hearty things to his companions. So surprised was he to see her walking that he lost his footing and tumbled to the ground. She paused briefly to look down at him, held the dog closer to her body, and walked on.

The Prince got up and went after her.
"What's going on here?" he asked. "What are you doing? Isn't that your wedding dress?"

She turned so he could see the dog's head where it nestled in her left arm.

"I thought you got rid of that thing weeks ago," the Prince said. It was difficult for him to find an emotion suitable to this complex situation. He tried feeling hurt.

?What you call ,,this thing", the Princess said, "died to spare me pain. And I intend to bury him with honor." The Prince only half-heard her, for he was struck by another realization.

"You're talking!"

"Yes." She smiled.

Looking down at him, she said, "I?m talking. The better to tell you good-bye. So good-bye." And off she went. She could stride too, when she wanted to.

"Well, my dear," the Queen said that night, when the Princess appeared in the throne room. "You've made a proper mess of things. We have alliances to think of. I?m sure you're aware of the very complex negotiations you have quite ruined. Your duty as a Princess..."

"It is not necessarily my duty to sacrifice everything," the Princess interrupted. "And I have other duties: a Princess says what she thinks. A Princess stands on her own two feet. A Princess stands tall. And she does not betray those who love her."

Her royal parents did not reply. But they seemed to ponder her words.

The Princess lay awake that night for many hours. She was tired from the day's exertions, for she let no other hand dig the dog's grave or fill it but she could not sleep without slippers and stole through the silent castle out of the gravesite. There she mused upon love, and what she had given for love, and what the dog had given.

"How foolish we are," she said aloud. "For a stupid Prince I let my wise companion die."

At last the Princess dried her tears on her hem and stirred herself to examine white rose she had planted on the dog's grave. She watered it again with her little silver watering can It looked as though it would live.

As she slipped to the castle through the ornamental gardens, she heard a quiet jingling near the gate. On the, bridge there was silhouetted a horseman. The delicate silver bridles of his horse sparkled in the moonlight. She could see by his crested shield that he must be nobility, perhaps a Prince. Well, there was many an empty room in the castle tonight, with the wedding feast canceled and all the guests gone home.

She approached the rider.

He was quite an attractive fellow, thin with silky golden hair. She smiled up at him, admiring his lean and elegant hand on the reins.

"Where have you come from?" she asked.

He looked puzzled. "Truthfully," he replied. "I can't remember. I know I have traveled a long dark road, but that is all I know." He gave an odd little cough.

The Princess looked past him, where the road was bright in the moonlight.

"I see," she said slowly. "And what is your banner?" For she could not quite decipher it waving above him. He moved it down. A white rose on a black background.

"Death," she breathed.

"No, no." he said, smiling. "Rebirth. And for that, a death is sometimes necessary."

He dismounted and bent to kiss the Princess?s hand. She breathed a tiny prayer as he straightened up, but it was not answered. Indeed, he was several inches shorter than she was. The Princess straightened her spine.

"It is a pleasure to look up to a proud and beautiful lady," the young Prince said, and his large brown eyes spoke volumes.

The Princess blushed.

"We're still holding hands," she said foolishly. The elegant Prince smiled, and kept hold of her hand, and they went toward the castle.

In the shadows the Wizard watched them benignly until they were out of sight. Then he turned to the fluffy black cat at his feet.

"Well, Mirabelle," he said. "One never knows the ways of enchantments."

The cat left off from licking one shoulder for a moment and regarded him, but said nothing. Mirabelle never had been much of a conversationalist.

"Ah, well." the Wizard said. "I gather from all this - I shall make a note - that sometimes one must sacrifice for love."

Mirabelle looked intently at the Wizard. "On the other hand," the cat said at last - "sometimes one must refuse to sacrifice."

"Worth saying." said the Wizard approvingly, "and true. True" And then, because he had a weakness for talking animals, he took Mirabelle home for an extra dish of cream.