heightism is real- Rachel Roberts

I began the summer with a totally different topic in mind, music and its importance in schools, I had a cute back story and everything, but this all changed on June, 15^th. The day I started the Driver’s Education Program of the Fayette County Attorney. I was forced to go by my mom and I was still recovering from getting my wisdom teeth taken out, but I decided I would be as positive about it as I could. This outlook did not last long. We split into groups and rotated between instructors, and I enjoyed the first two. But the third instructor ruined the entire program for me. As soon as I got in the driver’s seat, he looked at me and began to laugh. “You know you’re going to die if the air bags go off, right?” Yes, that was his first comment. And he laughed about it. By the time I had left, I was in tears from all of the gruesome ways he described my untimely end. The whole week he heckled me about my height and how the air bag would “take my head clean off” or how the steering wheel would “break my ribs and burst my lungs.” And apparently how my hands would also break off in a mild finder binder. All because I am small. He made plenty of short jokes too. By the end of the week, I was terrified and enraged, so I switch my topic to heightism. And yes that’s a real thing. Heightism is a form of discrimination towards people of below average height. Just like racism or sexism, it runs ramped throughout our culture and hurts its targets. I can’t change my height. I didn’t ask to be four foot ten. It just happens. Why should I or anyone else be discriminated against for it? The world isn’t really built for a person of my size and people seem to have no problem pointing it out. Now I promise I’m not just going to stand up here and rant about how I hate being short and condemn everyone above five foot five. I just want to bring to light the issue of heightism and how it is a real and overlooked (no pun intended) form of discrimination that hurts a lot of people. Cars aren’t very safe for us. We are often pay and respected less in professional environments. We are often portrayed as only angry or weak by the media, leading to hurtful stereotypes. But all of these things can be changed, people just have to open their eyes and recognize that 1.) Heightism is a real form of discrimination and 2.) It can be lessened or even stopped all together.

House Bill 315 states that all children 40 to 57 inches tall are required by law to sit in a booster seat. While it’s great that the state recognized how unsafe cars are for kids, what about those of us that can drive? I’m only 58 inches tall, but I can drive. This is problematic because I shouldn’t even be allowed to ride in the front seat if I am just one inch from being in a booster seat. Cars are built for people of average height, they are made for people 63.8 to 69.3 inches tall (Body Measurements). Seats don’t adjust for people who fall very much below this range. The sun visor doesn’t block the sun, causing an unsafe glare and impairing vision (Short People And The Challenges of Driving). There is also the issue of seeing over the steering wheel and dash board (Short People And The Challenges of Driving). The headrest placement increases the chance of whip lash in an accident (Short People And The Challenges of Driving). To reach the pedals most short drivers must sit 2-3 inches from the steering wheel, putting them an unsafe distance away from the airbags; which are meant for people who sit about 10 inches away from them (Short People And The Challenges of Driving). The seat belt shoulder strap can cause serious injuries to the neck in an accident (Short People And The Challenges of Driving). Driving is a risk for many short drivers. An accident that wouldn’t hurt the average sized person could seriously injure a smaller person.

 There are also many negative physiological to being small in size. A 2003 study done by the United Kingdom’s Department of Health surveyed a wide variety of people differing in race, size, and gender on their quality of a life and health (Height Affects How People Perceive Their Quality Of Life). They found that people of below average height scored much lower than average and above average height people. The study also found that as height decreased, so did scores. So someone just below average height would have scored higher than someone 5 inches below average height. For most people in that bracket, even 1 centimeter made a difference in the score. But in the average height bracket, these few inches had little to no effect on their score. Shorter people are more anxious and less self-confident (Anderson, 1). They are often victim to stereotypes such as being less successful, angry all the time, and less athletic (Anderson, 5). These stereotypes are harmful to their mental health causing them to eventually believe these stereotypes themselves. Height has many effects on the way you perceive yourself and others. Taller people are more likely to look more negatively on shorter people, seeing them as less intelligent and less successful (Anderson, 5). Average height people see short people as less athletic and less adapted (Anderson, 6). Shorter people were seen as less “socially attractive” and more “unstable” as well (Anderson, 6). This report also found shorter people to be more aware of their height than taller or average people, causing them to focus more on how they are seen as a lesser person by the rest of the world (Anderson, 4). Shorter children are often more subjected to bullying than any other group (Short People Debunk New Study on Heights). They then begin believing these stereotypes, further harming their self-esteem.  To avoid these issues, some parents opt for growth hormone injections, even when their child is perfectly healthy (Short). These are painful and much of the time only increase their adult height by an inch or two (Short). Much of the time it doesn’t work or has adverse effects (Short). This is an unnecessary step. Why must we change ourselves though unnecessary chemical measures to conform to the expectations of the world?

These stereotypes are often translated into work environments. Shorter people are less likely to be promoted, taken seriously, or be paid as much as their average or above average colleagues. When a short statured person goes in for a job interview, they are less likely to get the job (Anderson, 4). But why? Because, even if we realize it or not, we associate negative stereotypes of weakness with shorter people, thinking that they are not the best candidate for a job (Anderson, 5). The stereotypes are detrimental to first impressions which are crucial to a job interview. We view height as a more socially desirable asset, taller people are seen as more powerful and persuasive (Judge and Cable, 2). They are viewed as more useful and effective in the work force (Judge and Cable, 3). The same principle applies when a shorter person applies to get a job promotion, their height lessens their chance of getting chosen for it (Judge and Cable, 3). Since 1896, we have only elected one president of below average height (Judge and Cable, 7). Even though we aren’t continuously thinking “oh the taller candidate will be a more effective president that the short” the stereotypes and our sub continuous are at work, telling us the taller candidate is much more smart, powerful, and persuasive (Judge and Cable, 7). Companies prefer to have taller salesmen and are willing to pay to get them (Judge and Cable, 6). Police stations prefer taller policemen (Judge and Cable, 8). Ever since I was a little girl I have dreamed of working as Tinkerbell at Disneyworld. She’s a fairy, so she should be as short as possible, right? Nope. The minimum height to be Tinkerbell is 4 foot 11, so I am an inch short (Audition Calendar & Casting Calls). Once a short person gets a job, they are paid less than an average height or tall person. Business professor Timothy Judge of the University of Florida found that for every inch above below average height, another $789 is added onto a yearly salary (Tall People Get Paid More). Judge’s justifies this by saying “If the status accorded to tall people has evolutionary origins—when height signaled strength and power—these same psychological processes may exist today; just in our subconscious.” Employers may not be actively aware of how they treat their shorter employees equally, but it still happens and needs to be addressed. The wage gap should be fixed. If someone my height works just as hard and effectively as someone who is 6 foot 5, then we should be paid equal amounts. The media has picked up on the fact that women who work just as hard as men are paid less, yet when it comes to height, its brushed under the rug and avoided. This is equally discriminatory, and hardly anyone has picked up on it let alone done anything about it.

“Short people got no reason to live” and “Well I don’t want no short people ‘round here” are in Randy Newman’s song Short People. When I originally looked up the lyrics, I was shocked and appalled by the outright hatred of short people expressed. But after further research, I found that he meant for this song to be a satire of the treatment of short people. The outright discrimination addressed in the song is sadly pretty accurate. Short people not only have to deal with bullies in the real world, but also in the way they are portrayed in the media. People with dwarfism are almost always seen as angry, aggressive, and mean. Elf will be aired at least 10 more times before Christmas, so next time you catch it on, wait for the scene where Buddy meets one of the executives in the conference room at his Dad’s children’s book company. The man happens to be a man with dwarfism, who even before he meets Buddy is portrayed as aggressive and demanding. When Buddy meets him, he asks if he’s an elf causing the man to become angry. Buddy keeps calling him an elf and then ends up asking him if he is a “south pole elf.” The man then attacks Buddy. This is just one of the many examples of a person with dwarfism attacking, yelling at, or being angry with someone of average or tall height. It gives them a negative image, people begin associating dwarfism with extreme angry, which is not the case. It’s offensive to portray someone who has a physical handicap like that. And it’s not just in Elf, but also in Enchanted and Me, Myself, and Irene just to name a few. Short guys are often seen as the bad guy. In Shrek, a movie promoting the idea that beauty isn’t about what’s on the outside and embrace who you really are, the antagonist is Lord Farquad, a very short, angry, mean man. The way he is portrayed is funny, but totally contradicts the movie’s massage. All of these examples just validate negative stereotypes about short people that affect people and their views in the real world. These stereotypes are showcased in things that impressionable children see. They see the way short people act and are treated in movies and assume that it is ok for them to do the same. But it isn’t ok, filmmakers must stop using short people in such a negative manor because it just extenuates the negativity towards the people in the real world. The media also shoves height related beauty standards in our faces. The average female model in America is 5 foot 10 and the description “ideal” handsome man includes tall (The Average Woman vs. the Average Model). Both men and women must be on the average to tall side of the spectrum to be considered beautiful. But why can’t we just accept the beauty in all different sizes of people, not just tall? For ladies, this makes shopping incredible hard when companies are more willing to cater to the taller, “prettier” population. I could talk for days about how absolutely nothing really fits me. Shirts are too long, pants are too long (even when they are labeled short), and I have even worn shirts that are on the longer side for normal people as dresses. I have resorted to buying things in the girls’ department in hopes that they will have something short enough. Even though the clothes are labeled as “short” or “small,” for many of us, they aren’t short or small enough.

For many of you this is first time you’ve had this topic brought to your attention in a serious manor. Many of you will leave still thinking heightism is a joke. But you probably haven’t had to put up with a form of discrimination that is hardly recognized as such. It isn’t funny when random people ask you how tall you are or try and guess your height. It isn’t funny when you are 17 years old and you still are given a kids menu. It isn’t funny to tell someone the airbags in their car will decapitate them because they are short. It isn’t to pass someone and then whisper “oh my God did you see how short she was.” This is a form of discrimination and is equally as hurtful as racism and sexism. But like any form of discrimination, it can be avoided. Cars with pedals, steering wheel, mirrors, and seats that adjust to people way below average height would reduce some of the car safety issues. A salary based more of on actual effectiveness and not just perceived effectiveness. Hiring or promoting people who qualify without letting their height factor into the decision. Not making short people the angry bad guys in movies. Correctly sizing clothing and not abusing the label “short” and “small.” These changes can help put an end to this form of discrimination. We just have to look past the height and into what the person’s personality is. Heightism is a form of discrimination just like any other, and it should be taken just as seriously. Height shouldn’t define a person, their personality should.   

 

Works cited

Donaldson James, Susan. “Short People Debunk New Study on Heights.” Abc News. 18 August 2009. Internet. 6 June 2015.

Newman, Randy. Short People. Randy Newman. Lenny Waronker, Russ Titelman, 1977. Vinyl recording. 23 June 2015.

Short. Dir. Edan Alterman. Perf. Edan Alterman. Alma Films, 2008. Short. Arik Bernstein, 19 June 2010. Internet. 29 June 2015.

Judge, Timothy A., and Daniel M. Cable. "The Effect of Physical Height on Workplace Success and Income: Preliminary Test of a Theoretical Model." Journal of Applied Psychology 89 (2004): 1-12. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.

Anderson, Rachel. "The Role of Height, Gender and Self-Awareness in Character Perception: Who Benefits?" Gustavus Adolphus College (2004): 1-22. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.

Elf. Dir. Jon Favreau. Perf. Will Ferrell, James Caan, and Bob Newhart. New Line Cinema, 2003. DVD.

Shrek. Dir. Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson. Perf. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz. Dreamworks Pictures, 2001. DVD

Enchanted. Dir. Kevin Lima. Prod. Barry Josephson and Barry Sonnenfeld. By Bill Kelly. Perf. Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, and Susan Sarandon. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2007. DVD.

Me, Myself, and Irene. Dir. Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly. Perf. Jim Carrey, Renée Zellweger, Anthony Anderson. 20th Century Fox, 2000. DVD

Walt Disney World. "Audition Calendar & Casting Calls." Disneyauditions.com. Walt Disney Parks, 15 Nov. 2015. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.

Webb, Michael. “Child Safety Seats.” Kentucky State Police. 15 June 2015. Web. 13 December 2015.

Roger, Mike. “Short People And The Challenges of Driving.” Drive-Safely. 19 April 2015. Web. 13 December 2015.

Center for Disease Control. “Body Measurements.” CDC. 12 November 2012. Web. 13 December 2015.

Society for Endocrinology. "Height Affects How People Perceive Their Quality Of Life." Science Daily. 18 October 2007. Web. 13 December 2015.

PT Staff. “Tall People Get Paid More.” Phycology Today. 20 October 2003. Web. 13 December 2015.

Christine, Rachel. “The Average Woman vs. the Average Model.” Thoughtful Women. 19 March 2014. Web. 13 December 2015.