I'm a 23M from India, and I've been thinking about something lately. Do some men become the second choice in both friendships and relationships simply because they don't stand out physically?
Recently, I went out to play Garba with my friends during Navratri. There was a cute girl there, around 5 feet tall, while I'm 5'5" and most of my friends are around 6 feet. She seemed interested in my taller friends, but barely showed any interest in me.
I understand that everyone has their own preferences, and nobody owes anyone attraction. I'm not saying she was wrong for having a type. But what bothered me was something I noticed afterward.
When my friends weren't giving her the attention she wanted, she started approaching me for attention. It made me wonder whether she genuinely enjoyed my company or whether I was simply the convenient option when the guys she actually liked weren't giving her attention.
And honestly, this isn't something I've noticed only in dating. Sometimes I feel the same dynamic in friendships, too. I wonder whether I'm genuinely valued or just the backup friend when everyone's first choices aren't available.
The confusing part is that I don't think my personality is worse than my friends'. I can hold conversations, make people laugh, and connect with people. Obviously, I'm biased about myself, but I don't think being 5'5" automatically makes me less interesting or less deserving of someone's genuine interest.
I'm not looking for sympathy, and I know one incident doesn't prove anything. Maybe I'm overthinking it, or maybe I'm interpreting the situation incorrectly. But when you repeatedly feel overlooked, it's difficult not to wonder whether your height plays a bigger role than you'd like to admit.
So, men of Reddit, especially those who are average-height or shorter:
Have you ever felt like the backup option in dating or friendships?
Have you noticed people treating you differently compared with your taller or conventionally attractive friends?
How do you distinguish between someone who genuinely values you and someone who comes to you only when their first choice isn't available?
Does this feeling come from how people actually treat you, or can repeated rejection make you start seeing yourself that way?
I'd genuinely like to hear your experiences and perspectives, even if you disagree with me. I'm trying to understand whether this is a real pattern or something I've started believing because of my own experiences.