Overlooked little men or When small stature is a stigma affecting work, pay and personal life
Although society is gradually turning around and minimally trying to emphasize how much the pursuit of non-existent perfection on the one hand and the condemnation of people because of their physical features on the other hand is harmful to people, we have definitely not yet reached the ideal state. So while being overweight or having acne are no longer the stigmas they once were, small stature is still something that even Meryl Streep can poke fun at in prime time ("I find small people untrustworthy," her character declares in the premiere of the second season of Seven Lovers). And as it turns out, little men do indeed run into big problems in various areas of life, not least the personal one...
Height as a life asset
One might want to wave one's hand at the problems of men of small stature, but the truth is that a lifetime of dealing with allusions to small stature does not add to one's psyche and self-esteem. It is not uncommon for shorter men to have problems in their private lives or when looking for a partner. However, self-consciousness and feelings of inadequacy due to small height are real problems.
"There are a number of studies that show that short men are stigmatised in many ways, not only in terms of perceptions by others, but also in terms of real-life outcomes and achievements," says Joseph Vandello, a social psychologist who specialises in masculinity. "People perceive shorter men, for example, as less capable of leadership," Vandello says, referring also to the fact that the vast majority of all American CEOs of large corporations are over 6 feet tall, just as voters prefer tall candidates for public office, not including the presidency.
"There is evidence to suggest that taller men are paid better in the workplace. And in terms of interpersonal relationships and dating, shorter men are more likely to never marry," Vandello adds. After all, just look at the two currently most popular dating sites, Grindr for gay men and Tinder for straight men. In both cases, it can be stated that the person in question is not interested in being contacted by men under 180 cm. Tinder then even used this topic for an April Fool's joke, issuing a message that it would require height verification from its users so as to prevent men from exaggerating their height for fear of rejection.
Little angry men
Yet some of the stigma associated with small stature, according to research, begins in early childhood, even in kindergarten. Experts have found that teachers perceive smaller boys in the classroom as less academically capable than their taller peers. This, of course, contributes to building a sense of inadequacy that men carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Height is, to some extent, seen as a prerequisite for the fulfilment of the idea of 'true masculinity'. This means that shorter men are often insecure in society, and psychologist Jennifer Bosson speaks directly of what she calls "insecure masculinity". As a result, this manifests itself, for example, in a hypersensitivity to insults, which in turn contributes to the stereotype of short men as angry, resentful, compensating for a Napoleon complex," Bosson elaborates.
The pathological ideal
Unfortunately, it is indeed the pressure of a society that attaches such importance to stature that not infrequently turns small men into angry little men. The scientific evidence then is that they are the ones who, in some cases, commit extremely violent behaviour towards women and are pathologically obsessed with changing their own appearance to fit the strict definition of dazzling masculine beauty.
And so we need positive examples. Tom Holland, the Spider-Man character, is 173cm, as is Kit Harington, who even admitted to allowing one of his taller acting colleagues to ruffle his hair. Kendrick Lamar, on the other hand, is only 167 cm. However, a short man does not necessarily have to be a celebrity to earn respect, esteem and success. Even men under 6'4" can be capable, inspiring and gallant, especially if they simply try to let go of any preconceptions about height. So should everyone else.
