As I may have mentioned before, all of us Chez Grace are taller--much taller--than average. Every once in a while we run into people who just have to make stupid comments about it.This weekend Portia and Babs attended a wedding shower for one of their friends. The shower was given by friends of her fiance's mother and apparently all of the rest of the group were very short. When Babs came over yesterday she said that she was amazed that many of them made remarks about how tall she and her sister are and asked them how that was for them. (Babs is "only" 5'10" while Portia is 6'1".)
"I wouldn't make remarks to someone who is short like that," she observed. We had a talk about other experiences like that we have all had. I reminded her that in our society height is really an advantage for women as well as men, as lots of studies have pointed out. Still, fielding remarks and questions about your personal appearance from strangers you have just met always makes us feel awkward.
When I was Babs and Portia's age, I was very self-conscious about my height, but now I tend to forget about it unless someone feels called upon to remind me of it, like I hadn't noticed. What? I'm tall??? You're kidding!! Gosh, thanks for pointing that out.
Remember Randy Newman's song "Short People"? I bet it was written by a tall gal who'd had one too many questions about whether she played basketball in high school.
7 comments:
There are many days I would give anything to be as tall and commanding as you are!
Asthe Daddy of an 11 year old girl who is 5'8' tall, I watch for tall women who carry themselves well (no stooping). When we see them, I always point them out as models.
I want my young horse lover to know that she need not be embarassed about her height.
Sounds to me as if your daughters are well grounded. Congratulations, Mom.
Great photo.
I always thought I was 5'10'' until I was recently measured at the doctor and I was only 5'8''!!!!
I was quite disappointed!
My mother was 5'11"; my father was 6'3"; and both my sisters hover near six feet.
I am only 5'5" and I think tall is beautiful!
I also think your daughter has lovely manners -- no surprise there.
My daughter also has height issues, albeit from the opposite direction. At 5'1", she gets "short" comments regularly, and often has a time getting people to take her seriously as an adult.
Apparently the acceptable height range necessary to avoid comments from the Socially Clueless is very narrow.
The Lovely Daughter at 4'11.5" gets short comments constantly. I have to admit that she even gets them from me, because whenever she comes home, usually after an absence of several months, my 5'3" self is astonished by how small she is.
I have always told her she will make one amazing trial attorney some day. When her little self waltzes into a courtroom with her high high heels, her pastel suit, and her blonde hair and blue eyes, certain people will fail to take her seriously. And then she will stand up regally and open her mouth and they will be sorry they didn't.
GG-
The Lovely Daughter will knock them dead in a courtroom. There's nothing like breaking a stereotype to keep your opponent off guard!
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