# Am I really short?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 2, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765 "2006-03-02T15:58:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![fretsonfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/779978/32.png) [@fretsonfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fretsonfire)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/41 "2006-03-03T15:13:38Z")

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yup, im a guitar player 😉

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/42 "2006-03-03T15:24:35Z")

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> [@wolf\_meister](#):
>
> In this thread I’m tied with Anne Neville at 5’ 3" height but I guess I earn the dubious “low mark” among all the guys who replied.

I’ve posted this before – and of course, it’s anecdotal – but the greatest “ladies man”/player I ever knew personally was a 5’3" Italian guy. He was beating the girls off with a stick in college.

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**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/43 "2006-03-03T15:52:14Z")

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> [@Anne Neville](#):
>
> The OP should know that there are women out there who don’t care if you’re short. We do exist. I remember in college having a _huge_ crush on a grad student in the astronomy department. He was shorter than me, and I’m 5’3". Height just doesn’t come into the picture when I’m deciding if a man is attractive or not.

And some of us prefer our guys shorter. I’ve been 6-10" taller than some of my dates, and neither of us had a problem with it. The only place I’ve ever seen any actual difficulty with a guy being quite a bit shorter than his date is in certain slow dancing moves-- and that seems to be countered by the close-up cleavage view.

To continue that line of thought to a more private subject, yes, there are cases where if you choose a taller partner, you won’t be able to do certain _positions_ with them. Height alone won’t keep you from any activity you want to pursue, though. (Without going into too much detail, I’ll also add that if you want to roleplay in certain ways, including being commanding or forceful, being shorter than your partner is no barrier to this either.)

If your height causes you to be mistaken for someone younger, you can try dressing more formally, or (if you’re able and dress codes permit) growing some facial hair.

(on preview, I see that **wolf\_meister** says " I would settle for a 100 IQ if in return, I could be 6’ 3"." I’d settle for 140 IQ and 5’3" in a date… but it wouldn’t be settling. _grin_

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**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/44 "2006-03-03T16:20:24Z")

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> [@Anne Neville](#):
>
> [Lands’ End](http://www.landsend.com/) custom-hems all their pants, with inseams down to 26" in all waist sizes for men’s pants. Their stuff generally isn’t cheap, but it is nice.

As long as it’s quality stuff I don’t mind paying a premium. Too often I’m relegated to buying cheap or store-brand department store stuff that barely survives the year and – let’s face it, won’t win you any points on a catwalk. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/45 "2006-03-03T16:51:56Z")

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> [@Mindfield](#):
>
> As long as it’s quality stuff I don’t mind paying a premium. Too often I’m relegated to buying cheap or store-brand department store stuff that barely survives the year and – let’s face it, won’t win you any points on a catwalk. 🙂

If you have a Sears near you, you can try on some Lands’ End stuff in the store to see how it fits other than the length. You will have to order from their website to get custom hemming, though.

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/46 "2006-03-03T22:08:55Z")

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The problem with the custom hemming of pants is that the crotch is still set at the height for a taller person. You end up kind of looking like Hammer. I got so sick of the whole thing I swore off buying pants all-together. My wife points out that I can’t hold out forever on this front (she’s a cunning one, that girl). I have gone a year and a half so far, however. With summer coming up I’ll just wear shorts every day. (I work at a place with a casual dress code). My wife insisted I buy some new jeans last week and she tried to find some at the mall. Ha! She hasn’t brought the subject up again. The fact is most manufacturers just don’t go below a 30" inseam. I have learned to avoid the aggravation by simply not buying anything. Who would enjoy forking over money for clothes that don’t fit?

So what are the pros and cons of being short (for men)? (And 5’7"1/2 at age 16 isn’t short).

Cons:

You get paid less (around $700-$800 per inch shorter than average per year.)  
You are less likely to get married.  
You are less likely to have children.  
You are likely to have fewer children if you do have them.  
You can reach things better.  
You are at a disadvantage in football, soccer, hockey, basketball, baseball, volleyball, most track and field events and even golf.  
Clothes are very hard to find.  
Jokes and insults are common and in many people’s minds, socially acceptable.

Pros:

You are less likely to get divorced (this counts only married men.)  
You fit better in airplanes.  
You are less likely to get back problems (I think. I’ve not seen evidence on this.)  
You have an advantage in gymnastics and wrestling.

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**Author:** ![gunzack89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gunzack89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunzack89)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/47 "2006-03-06T03:24:00Z")

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> [@Captain Lance Murdoch](#):
>
> The problem with the custom hemming of pants is that the crotch is still set at the height for a taller person. You end up kind of looking like Hammer. I got so sick of the whole thing I swore off buying pants all-together. My wife points out that I can’t hold out forever on this front (she’s a cunning one, that girl). I have gone a year and a half so far, however. With summer coming up I’ll just wear shorts every day. (I work at a place with a casual dress code). My wife insisted I buy some new jeans last week and she tried to find some at the mall. Ha! She hasn’t brought the subject up again. The fact is most manufacturers just don’t go below a 30" inseam. I have learned to avoid the aggravation by simply not buying anything. Who would enjoy forking over money for clothes that don’t fit?
> 
> So what are the pros and cons of being short (for men)? (And 5’7"1/2 at age 16 isn’t short).
> 
> Cons:
> 
> You get paid less (around $700-$800 per inch shorter than average per year.)  
> You are less likely to get married.  
> You are less likely to have children.  
> You are likely to have fewer children if you do have them.  
> You can reach things better.  
> You are at a disadvantage in football, soccer, hockey, basketball, baseball, volleyball, most track and field events and even golf.  
> Clothes are very hard to find.  
> Jokes and insults are common and in many people’s minds, socially acceptable.
> 
> Pros:
> 
> You are less likely to get divorced (this counts only married men.)  
> You fit better in airplanes.  
> You are less likely to get back problems (I think. I’ve not seen evidence on this.)  
> You have an advantage in gymnastics and wrestling.

ok, for the pants and inseam and stuff, why dont you just buy pants you like and cuff the bottoms? you could even cuff them in and noone would know the difference…and also, how can you say that you wont get paid as much, and are less likely to get married because your short??? that doesnt make sense…and how can you say youll have less children? did you make that up??? no offense, but none of that is true…even playing basketball! some awesome players were 5 7"-5 8"…

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**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/48 "2006-03-06T04:35:16Z")

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> [@gunzack89](#):
>
> ok, for the pants and inseam and stuff, why dont you just buy pants you like and cuff the bottoms? you could even cuff them in and noone would know the difference

Okay, I’m a gal but I can answer this. I’m 5’1½", and even the “petite” lengths are made for women who are 5"4". If I buy pants that aren’t petite length, the crotch falls somewhere around my knees, and the knees fall somewhere around my ankles. I am not exaggerating. It ruins the lines and it looks like you’re a little kid playing dress-up in big people’s clothes. Hemming them up to what is intended to be the knees does not make them fit - it only keeps you from walking on them. At least with the petites, my clothes don’t look so freakish, but they still don’t fit right. I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be the same way for the men.

Just cuff? You think like a clothing manufacturer.

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**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/49 "2006-03-06T04:44:07Z")

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> [@lorinada](#):
>
> Okay, I’m a gal but I can answer this. I’m 5’1½", and even the “petite” lengths are made for women who are 5"4". If I buy pants that aren’t petite length, the crotch falls somewhere around my knees, and the knees fall somewhere around my ankles. I am not exaggerating. It ruins the lines and it looks like you’re a little kid playing dress-up in big people’s clothes. Hemming them up to what is intended to be the knees does not make them fit - it only keeps you from walking on them. At least with the petites, my clothes don’t look so freakish, but they still don’t fit right. I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be the same way for the men.
> 
> Just cuff? You think like a clothing manufacturer.

This is exactly why I need to learn how to sew.

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**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/50 "2006-03-06T05:22:50Z")

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I grew 2 inches between 18 and 21, at 6’3" I am short for my familly.  
as posted there are some definite draw backs to being tall.

cars, holy crap cars. I am driving my Nissan Altima because the American cars in that price range were to friggin small to drive.  
your rear veiw mirror is a blind spot because you are looking down at the damn thing. also with your head 1/2" from the roof some signs and lights are hard to see because they dissappear from veiw to soon.  
furniture never fits, counter tops are to low, sinks showers backseats, the above mentioned airplane seats all to low or to small.  
hitting your head on all kinds of stuff, esp at certain stores that hang fliers and adds…the people who hand the adds seem to be around 5’ and cant imagine anyone tall enough to have to duck under a 6’ sign.

dont get me wrong I dont mind being tall most of the time but there are days where I seriously wish I was shorter, like when I see people sleeping in the back seat of a car.  
oh yeah California King water beds rule

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**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/51 "2006-03-06T05:29:36Z")

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> [@fretsonfire](#):
>
> yup, im a guitar player 😉

Don’t worry. A guitar player who’s 5’7’’ isn’t going to have any trouble getting dates, if that’s what you’re worried about.

Just wanted to join the crowd to say that unless you’ve got stunted growth due to serious nutritional deficiency, no supplement is going to make you taller. But you’re not particularly short - you may well have an inch or two (or possibly quite a bit more) - but even if you don’t, you’re not all that short for an adult man. Most women (but not all, as has been pointed out) prefer men to be taller, but there’s plenty of women shorter than 5’7’’. You’re not ridiculously short by any stretch (heh) of the imagination; there’s no reason to be upset at being the height you are.

And I’m a tad taller than average, but at 6’ even I’m hardly a giant. Even so, most cars aren’t real comfortable for me, and airplanes are misery.

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**Author:** ![gunzack89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gunzack89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunzack89)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/52 "2006-03-06T20:11:50Z")

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im 5’7" and 16 too…man i hope i grow…i havnt really hit a growth spurt yet, but i cant think that i still have a growth spurt to go through at 16! we’ll see

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/53 "2006-03-06T20:37:43Z")

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> [@gunzack89](#):
>
> ok, for the pants and inseam and stuff, why dont you just buy pants you like and cuff the bottoms? you could even cuff them in and noone would know the difference…and also, how can you say that you wont get paid as much, and are less likely to get married because your short??? that doesnt make sense…and how can you say youll have less children? did you make that up??? no offense, but none of that is true…even playing basketball! some awesome players were 5 7"-5 8"…

Okay, I explained the pants thing in my post so I’m not going back to that.

See [The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06062/663894.stm) from, coincidentally, the same day I made my post. I could find a ton of other cites.

As for the sports, are you kidding? It’s an enormous advantage to be taller. I looked at the rosters for this years NBA All-Star game and none of the “awesome” players you mentioned appeared to have been in it. The shortest player was 6’0," the tallest was 7’6" and the average was 6’8." I looked up the rosters for my hometown teams as well. The Minnesota Twins range from 5’9" to 6’5," the Wild go from 5’11" to 6’7," the T-Wolves from 6’1" to 7’0" and the Vikings from 5’8" to 6’8." The 5’8" guy (who is the place kicker) is the only person of the hundreds on these teams who is (barely) below average height. There are a very few examples of short guys who have been somewhat successful in these sports, but that in no way undermines my contention that it is an advantage to be taller.

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**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/54 "2006-03-06T21:23:32Z")

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At 16 years old I was around 5’5"… by the time I was 20, I had grown to 6’0".

But as has been proven here, anything can happen.

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**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/55 "2006-03-06T21:43:08Z")

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> [@Captain Lance Murdoch](#):
>
> Okay, I explained the pants thing in my post so I’m not going back to that.
> 
> See [The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06062/663894.stm) from, coincidentally, the same day I made my post. I could find a ton of other cites.
> 
> As for the sports, are you kidding? It’s an enormous advantage to be taller. I looked at the rosters for this years NBA All-Star game and none of the “awesome” players you mentioned appeared to have been in it. The shortest player was 6’0," the tallest was 7’6" and the average was 6’8." I looked up the rosters for my hometown teams as well. The Minnesota Twins range from 5’9" to 6’5," the Wild go from 5’11" to 6’7," the T-Wolves from 6’1" to 7’0" and the Vikings from 5’8" to 6’8." The 5’8" guy (who is the place kicker) is the only person of the hundreds on these teams who is (barely) below average height. There are a very few examples of short guys who have been somewhat successful in these sports, but that in no way undermines my contention that it is an advantage to be taller.

I would suspect it depends on the sport, though. I’m not into that sort of thing at all, but wouldn’t it make sense that shorter people might be significantly better at some sports that place different physical demands on the body?

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**Author:** ![gunzack89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gunzack89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunzack89)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/56 "2006-03-06T23:21:28Z")

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ya, alot of sports can give short people an advantage. for example, soccer. some very short men have been very succesful soccer players…and theres many other examples…ya,ok so basketball is probably out of the question but you can do anything you put your mind to…even basketball! the guy who won the slam dunk in 1986 i think it was, was 5’5"…and he won a SLAM DUNK competition…so anything is possible…captain whatever his name is is just trying to be an instigator

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**Author:** ![gunzack89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gunzack89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunzack89)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/57 "2006-03-06T23:23:40Z")

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ya, alot of sports can give short people an advantage. for example, soccer. some very short men have been very succesful soccer players…and theres many other examples…ya,ok so basketball is probably out of the question but you can do anything you put your mind to…even basketball! the guy who won the slam dunk in 1986 i think it was, was 5’5"…and he won a SLAM DUNK competition…so anything is possible…captain whatever his name is is just trying to be an instigator…and by the way, he got all of his “o so interesting statistics” from some byist newspaper website…whatever…i guess all those 7 foot guys are making en extra 12 grand a year than everyone else…haha…im pretty sure there arent any billionares in the world who are over 6’…

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**Author:** ![gunzack89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gunzack89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gunzack89)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/58 "2006-03-06T23:27:15Z")

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sorry for sending the same post twice

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/59 "2006-03-06T23:55:23Z")

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gunzack89 writes:

\> im pretty sure there arent any billionares in the world who are over 6’

I’m pretty sure that this is wrong. It’s highly likely, given that there are dozens of billionaires in the world, that one of them is over six foot. I did a little searching to find the height of some rich men. Bill Gates is 5’10". I couldn’t find the height of Warren Buffett given anywhere. Donald Trump (if he is indeed a billionaire) is 6’2".

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2006, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-really-short/346765/60 "2006-03-08T03:26:49Z")

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I’m about 5’ 7", and I’ll be eighteen fairly soon. I’m somewhat sensitive about my height, since most of the guys (and quite a few of the girls) I know are both younger and taller than I am. Still, don’t sweat it, dude. Height at this age tends not to indicate much about adult height.

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