# Height and female candidates **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 12, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407 "2011-08-12T02:08:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/1 "2011-08-12T02:08:55Z")
The height of male presidential candidates seems like it might matter to some degree, and I don’t think there’s any doubt that culturally Americans tend to respect men for being tall. But does that hold true for female candidates at all? Would someone look at [this picture](http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/8/12/1313111651537/Iowa-Republican-debate-007.jpg) from before tonight’s Republican debate and feel worse about voting for Michele Bachmann, who looks tiny between Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty? Are things simply different when women are candidates? ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/2 "2011-08-13T21:44:20Z")
And that is with heels! (pun not intended) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/3 "2011-08-14T00:53:23Z")
Seriously, she looks so much smaller it seems she’s Photoshopped in out of scale. As to the question, well, it made no difference in the straw poll. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/4 "2011-08-14T01:23:59Z")
I think the biggest impact it would have would be the potential trap. If any media personality mentions the height difference, you can jump on it as evidence of sexism. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/5 "2011-08-14T01:50:36Z")
Ah, but it’s like skin color. If it matters to a voter, not a word needs to be said. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/6 "2011-08-14T01:58:07Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Seriously, she looks so much smaller it seems she’s Photoshopped in out of scale. > > As to the question, well, it made no difference in the straw poll. yes she won the straw. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/7 "2011-08-14T18:15:13Z")
Net says she in 5 ft 2. That is not very tall. It does not matter. She is a short idiot or a tall one. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/8 "2011-08-14T23:18:53Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Net says she in 5 ft 2. That is not very tall. It does not matter. She is a short idiot or a tall one. She’s actually pretty short for a Norwegian gal. I’d still hit it. (The crazy ones are always better in bed.) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/9 "2011-08-15T14:42:26Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > I’d still hit it. (The crazy ones are always better in bed.) Until they show up at your job two days later. Not. Worth. It. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/10 "2011-08-15T15:22:44Z")
I don’t think there’s enough data to really answer this one. Historically the taller male presidential candidate usually wins, but that doesn’t mean those candidates are winning just because they’re taller. We don’t even have data from a race between two women of the same party, much less a woman vs. a man in the general election. The only woman who’s come close to winning the nomination to this point is Hillary Clinton, who is around 5’6," and I don’t think many people would say she lost because of her height. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/11 "2011-08-15T16:05:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I don’t think there’s enough data to really answer this one. Historically the taller male presidential candidate usually wins, but that doesn’t mean those candidates are winning just because they’re taller. We don’t even have data from a race between two women of the same party, much less a woman vs. a man in the general election. The only woman who’s come close to winning the nomination to this point is Hillary Clinton, who is around 5’6," and I don’t think many people would say she lost because of her height. What other explanation is possible? It had to be height. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/height-and-female-candidates/592407/12 "2011-08-15T16:15:01Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > Until they show up at your job two days later. > > Not. Worth. It. Good point.