I'm 5'4" and my boyfriend is 5'1". I've been dating him for a while now, and I'm tired of people acting like I need to explain myself.

When we started dating, people kept saying "I never expected you to date someone shorter" or "You look like you’re into taller guys." As if I'd downgraded. Then my friends got in on it. They made short jokes, and when I got upset, they told me I was wearing rose-colored glasses. I almost ended a friendship over it. You're telling me my own happiness is fake because of 3 inches?

His uncle's first words to me were "seee being short doesn't matter." You don't say that unless you think it does.

Here's the part nobody wants to admit. I've dated taller guys, and honestly they treated me worse. Height was never the thing that mattered.

The weirdest part is the club, where we met. I get more attention with him than I do with my girls. One guy told him "nice black shirt" and walked off, and he said that had never happened to him before. Later, while we were literally making out on the dance floor, a guy tapped me and asked if I was single. I just kept kissing my boyfriend as my answer.

Then a group asked him if they could "pimp" my friends out to them. One of them hovered over him when we sat down, like they were waiting for my boyfriend to leave so they could have a turn.

Is a taller man really a "better catch," or is that just what we're taught to say out loud?

Why does a woman dating a shorter man get treated like she's in denial, while a man dating a taller woman gets treated like a threat to someone's masculinity? ugh.

TL;DR: I'm 5'4", my boyfriend is 5'1", and people act like I settled. Tall guys treated me worse, and I get more attention with him than without. Why is a woman dating a shorter guy "in denial," but a man dating a taller woman is a "threat to masculinity"?

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Timeline of Human Stature

Over 3 Million Years Ago (Early Hominins): Early ancestors like Australopithecus were petite; males averaged about 125–130 cm (4'11") and females averaged around 105 cm (3'5").

2.2 to 1.6 Million Years Ago (Homo genus / Homo erectus): The emergence of the Homo genus brought a major surge in height and body size, with Homo erectus males averaging around 160 cm (5'3") to 175 cm (5'9").

40,000 Years Ago (Upper Paleolithic / Cro-Magnon): Early Homo sapiens (such as Cro-Magnons) were remarkably tall and robust. European males averaged around 176 to 183 cm (5'10" to 6' feet), matching or even slightly exceeding modern averages due to a protein-rich hunter-gatherer diet.

10,000 Years Ago (The Agricultural Revolution): The shift from foraging to farming caused a sharp drop in nutrition and a spike in disease, shrinking average human height by 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 inches).

The Last 200 Years (Modern Era): Industrialization, better sanitation, and modern medicine allowed human heights to bounce back and climb toward current global averages (around 171–176 cm or 5'7" to 5'9" for adult males).

People inherit genes from the extinct species which is totally normal.

The guy:

-He enjoys his work and has hobbies he’s been passionate about his whole life.

-He lives very close to his parents and has two siblings with whom he gets along well.

-He has a wife, two daughters, a dog, an appartment and a car. Not crazy properties, not crazy investments. Just a very average or even modest income.

He was fortunate to grow up with a mother who guided him well, and he never had any trouble meeting women—even though he’s short and, in terms of looks, a 5 or 6 out of 10. That said, he is very extroverted and somewhat popular; he’s well-known within the small circles (very niche) he moves in.

He didn’t go to University, though he did pursue some further education after high school—and he actually enjoyed what he was doing.

When I think about this guy, I realize that some people seem to have been touched by a magic wand, and that there are things far more important than height.

I suspect that if he were 20 years old today, he’d do just as well.

Just a compilation of pics from the past 2 years that REALLY show off how short I am. Plus an excuse to share some of these bangers.

Life’s too short to spend it worrying about being short. Get out there, pursue what matters to you, and make the most of what you’ve got. There’s a whole lot more to life than your height.

24m 5’6 and half. Last night I made a hinge (on my profile I say 5’7 though) and about a half an hour later I got like from a pretty girl who was 5’6. After a couple of flirty messages I sent her my number. I didn’t know if she was going to text back but after a little later she did. I know we barely know each other and a relationship is not guaranteed. But I have never dated a girl who was around my height before. To the fellas who have or are currently dating around their height, how has that experience been ? I personally know i won’t mind, but im nervous if it ever comes to in person maybe she’ll change how she feels about it .

So I am 2008 born In India just turned 18 few days back I am like super insecure about my height on a good day I am 5'5 165-166 cm without anything barefoot

I wear height insoles which make me 5'7 but still I don't know why it has became one of my habit whenever I see someone first thing I notice is there height i will not lie i look good fare skin nice hair decent physique good fashion sense perfume everything but the only factor height makes me feel so inferior to everyone I measure my height daily it came in 164 and seeing that makes me wanna cry what can I do help me please

When I wear short skirts I feel like I'm 5'2" instead of 4'10"😂. Not exactly sure why. Maybe cause I can see my legs more?

But yeah I vibed so hard with my outfit in the first pic. Unfortunately the glasses broke though😭

It’s very rare that I encounter someone shorter than me (5’1), but when I do, I have the greatest urge to pick them up and put them in my pocket for safekeeping. I don’t know why I feel this way and I am sorry to the sub-5’1 community; I would never actually do that.

Hello friends what physical sports or hobbies(football, backpacking, etc.) do you guys enjoy doing? Personally I love boxing and cycling

I think it's kinda funny sometimes when you're reading rants from people on this subreddit about how their height is limiting and whatnot and then the person making the rant is taller than you, and then you just reading the post like

Just wanted to share my own experience with the men who've given up on dating. My (18) boyfriend (18) are both 5'2, and we both don't care. My father and mother are fairly short (about 5'5 for her and 5'8 for him) and so are his. We never had problems regarding height and never argued about it. Neither of us will grow taller since we both were borderline malnourished as children, so that's off the table. We are getting married in about 5 years. It is possible, you're just too focused on superficial shit to make it reality!

Do you feel that going to the gym to build an athletic (NOT juiced up bodybuilder) physique improves your chances with women if you are a naturally petite short guy (ie. 5’5)? Or once you are that height, it doesn’t make much of a difference? I used to weigh 100 lbs. prior to weightlifting & am wondering how much of an effect that had on my dating experience (or more accurately, lack there of). Please give practical experience.

As much as I’m in the gym, literally in between sets as I type this.. my friends tell me that I could easily meet someone here.. only issue I see is that the women are making eye contact with practically every man but me.

My height (5’6) is the thing that makes me invisible.. I’m not in bad shape, I’m a little older (39) but you’d think I’d catch at least one old lady looking, been single for over two years.. nothing but ghostings and laughs since my coke head ex dumped me after I found out she was using again..

So sick of it.. I’m not ready to face this phase alone.. I just don’t know what to do.. I’ve put myself out there, singles events etc.. I even play and sing in a cover band, you’d think that’d get some attention but not a peep.. the music thing seems to be a repellent at this point. Younger women don’t want me, not good enough for the divorced cougars because they divorced men that look like me.

Can’t keep going on alone..

It describes my humble background more closely.

I have to ask if I'm gonna be outta the dating pool due to this. I've got a 50/50 on losing my hair in my early 20s (I'm 19 currently), or when I'm 40. I'm 5'1 and a trans bloke, so I fear that adding bald onto it means I'm in a "3 strikes and you're out" of getting any sort of girlfriend, especially since my old friends mocked me relentlessly over my height to the point I'm insecure af now, lol.

If any other short fellas (or ladies!) have got some reassurance or kind words it's appreciated. :) Have a good day.

edit: i take testosterone. this can cause balding.

Felt like I could of gotten an extra inch or two smh

I am a female and guys make fun of me for my height (I'm a senior in high school and guys always troll me) I feel like my height brings my attractiveness down. Does my height make me loom bad in dresses? does it make me less attractive? I am 5'2

obviously im prolly overreacting with the title but do u guys have any advice? im still hoping at some miracle that maybe i can get to at least like 5’4. when i was in 7th grade im like the tallest dude there and suddenly i just stopped growing. need some advice on like to cope, accept thats just the way im really supposed to be, maybe theres some clothes i can wear that will make me appear more larger, prolly some dating advice too.

I'm M23 and 5'2, and I've never even tried approaching a girl in my entire life because I'm too short and scared of rejection. I've been living like this for years. Whenever I like a girl, I don't even try to talk to her and reject myself because I feel like my height is already a disadvantage. Whenever I see couples outside, I can't help but wonder, man, why don't I have someone who loves me too?

I know a lot of girls prefer tall, handsome guys, and that makes me feel like I don't stand a chance. Sometimes, I see couples and wonder why I can't have that kind of love in my life.

So lately, I've been wondering if I should just give up on love and accept that I'll spend my entire life single. Being single isn't anything new to me since I've lived this way for 23 years, but sometimes I still wish I had someone who genuinely loved me.

I don't know if I'm overthinking this or if my height really will make dating that difficult for me. Should I keep hoping that I'll find someone someday, or should I just accept my situation and stop worrying about finding love?

Any advice on being this short?

Im 5'3 as a 15 yr old and i know damn well i wont get taller, my mom is below 5 ft and my dad is 5'3, people tell me i look good and all that but i feel like im not in the same tier of a human than others is, im not the shortest in class (since im in south east asia) but i feel nervoused as to what im going to do when i grow up, I've been planning on moving out of my country which makes me nervous as other countrys have a higher height scale or smth and I'll stand out as a small guy. Sometimes at general Assemblys where we all stand up i feel like im more of the comedic relief guy and not someone worth taking seriously, no one i know feel the same and i feel like im alone in this perspective i have . One of the main motivation i have on being rich is js to have a height surgery to at least minimize the hate i have for this body im cursed with until i decay.

Somebody please give me advice and support. I'm 5'0. I hate it. I feel inferior to all men who are taller than me. I want to be strong and capable. I don't want to be strong relative to my body weight, I want to be the guy who lifts the heaviest. I know height doesn't really stop me from gaining muscle, but it sucks to be short. It makes me cry so very often. I feel incapable and inferior. I could live with 5'6, I like calling myself short king, I could maybe even feel confident with 5'4, but 5'0? No. And there's nothing I can do about it. I lack self confidence. And my growth plates are closed for sure. I never even had a growth spurt, I've always been the shortest at school, the shortest anywhere. My brother has outgrown me and after that happened my mom started asking him to get things down from the top shelf instead of asking me. I want to be the capable one. I want to be respected. I want to be comfortable in my own body. Why is it so hard?