Yesterday I went to volunteer as an advocate at DPSS which is basically a place where low-income and indigent residents go to get government assistance. Sadly, a lot of claims get denied on technicalities so some of the legal aid clinics sponsor these volunteer days where volunteers go in and help clients understand the forms and advocate for their legal rights.
Anyway, I come from a very poor background so I am by no means judgmental toward or uncomfortable around people who are extremely poor. However, the room filled with primarily homeless men who were staring at me the whole time and occassionally cat-calling me made me rather uncomfortable.
It was one of the few times where I really wish I was not an extremely tall, blonde. I went there with the intention to help people, and instead I felt more uncomfortable in my skin than I have in a long time and couldn't wait to get out of there.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Low Vents...
Today I'm in a suit and heels because I have to actually go to court (usually I'm in business casual with flats), and when I parked on my usual floor in our underground parking garage, and climbed out, I couldn't stand up straight because I had parked in a space right under a huge vent, and I was too tall with my shoes on.
The parking attendant nearly died laughing as I tried to walk over to him scrunched down to hand him my keys.
The parking attendant nearly died laughing as I tried to walk over to him scrunched down to hand him my keys.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Different Height Stereotypes.
I wonder if it is "worse" to a be a really tall female, or a really short male?
In terms of finding dates, if you want to stick to the "girl is shorter than the guy" stereotypes, I think it is much harder as a girl because there a lot more short girls out there than there are really tall guys. However, a lot of short girls do have that ridiculous requirement that they will only date guys over 6ft, even though they are only 5'1 to 5'4. So the short guys tend to get the shaft :/
In terms of how you're viewed by society, the more I think about it, the more I realize as hard as it is to be a 6'4" female and deal with the kinds of reactions I get sometimes ("I've never seen a woman so tall. .... You are HUGE!..." etc. Plus, on occassion the fact that almost all tall guys are usually with short women makes me think something is wrong with being so tall), I think it's actually harder to be a short guy. Because as a tall girl, if you stay in shape and dress well people will think of you as elegant/long-legged/sexy, etc. And it's not necessarily the most ideal to be short as a woman. Short women often wish they were taller, had longer legs, etc.
However, being tall does seem to be a pretty ideal factor for males, much moreso than females. So, as a male, if you are really short, it seems like that would have more identity-issues to work through than being a super-tall female. This is probably demeaning but I often feel bad for my short male friends, especially when I have to be around them and make them feel even shorter.
Ultimately, this entire post is pretty ridiculous. People come in all shapes and sizes and 99% of it can't be helped. I don't know when and why we created these ideas that the men are supposed to be tall, and the women are supposed to be short(er) and that either tall women or short men are weird and/or unfavored. Tall women and short men are rare(r), and therefore unique. As I often say to my fellow short and tall friends when in mixed company, being tall or being short is cool... being "average" is boring ;)
And lets just be honest.... short men often have way better personalities than tall men. Tall men automatically get like 50+ bonus points in most women's minds because being tall is so desirable, so it seems they don't have to work to hard at developing a decent personality. I've met so many DULL, DULL, DULL! tall men, and so many really entertaining, fun, and interesting short men. I like to analogize the situation to the really hot/cheerleader type girls. Sometimes, you meet a girl with the whole package (hot and a good personality--I have several girl friends who fit in this category) but you also run into really attractive girls that couldn't carry on a conversation to save their lives because usually they don't have to.
Anyway, through all of this shallow conversation... my point is that I'm realizing that height plays way more of a role in relationships and interactions than it should.
In terms of finding dates, if you want to stick to the "girl is shorter than the guy" stereotypes, I think it is much harder as a girl because there a lot more short girls out there than there are really tall guys. However, a lot of short girls do have that ridiculous requirement that they will only date guys over 6ft, even though they are only 5'1 to 5'4. So the short guys tend to get the shaft :/
In terms of how you're viewed by society, the more I think about it, the more I realize as hard as it is to be a 6'4" female and deal with the kinds of reactions I get sometimes ("I've never seen a woman so tall. .... You are HUGE!..." etc. Plus, on occassion the fact that almost all tall guys are usually with short women makes me think something is wrong with being so tall), I think it's actually harder to be a short guy. Because as a tall girl, if you stay in shape and dress well people will think of you as elegant/long-legged/sexy, etc. And it's not necessarily the most ideal to be short as a woman. Short women often wish they were taller, had longer legs, etc.
However, being tall does seem to be a pretty ideal factor for males, much moreso than females. So, as a male, if you are really short, it seems like that would have more identity-issues to work through than being a super-tall female. This is probably demeaning but I often feel bad for my short male friends, especially when I have to be around them and make them feel even shorter.
Ultimately, this entire post is pretty ridiculous. People come in all shapes and sizes and 99% of it can't be helped. I don't know when and why we created these ideas that the men are supposed to be tall, and the women are supposed to be short(er) and that either tall women or short men are weird and/or unfavored. Tall women and short men are rare(r), and therefore unique. As I often say to my fellow short and tall friends when in mixed company, being tall or being short is cool... being "average" is boring ;)
And lets just be honest.... short men often have way better personalities than tall men. Tall men automatically get like 50+ bonus points in most women's minds because being tall is so desirable, so it seems they don't have to work to hard at developing a decent personality. I've met so many DULL, DULL, DULL! tall men, and so many really entertaining, fun, and interesting short men. I like to analogize the situation to the really hot/cheerleader type girls. Sometimes, you meet a girl with the whole package (hot and a good personality--I have several girl friends who fit in this category) but you also run into really attractive girls that couldn't carry on a conversation to save their lives because usually they don't have to.
Anyway, through all of this shallow conversation... my point is that I'm realizing that height plays way more of a role in relationships and interactions than it should.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Tall Bonding.
At a work event this weekend.... while this is not a glamor shot of anyone in the photo, to give you a little perspective I (the girl in the yellow shirt) am 6'4".
Friday, July 11, 2008
Tall Perks.
I've decided to make a post about some of the things I consider to be perks about being tall (in the midst of all of the things that many people consider to be "negative" things about being tall or just difficult).
- Seeing over crowds (this is especially helpful when needing to find exits, bathrooms, specific people, tables, standing at concerts, etc.)
- Being able to breathe over crowds (although "heat rises" I've noticed that in crowded situations the air is significantly less hot and sweaty up around my face... I love breathing in the fresh air up there ;))
- People always remember me (of course, this can be a blessing and a curse).
- Reaching top shelves, and clothing in stores that is hanging up out of an average person's reach... no need to wait for assistance!
- I can walk a lot faster because I have much longer legs (this is especially nice in airports when I'm in a hurry)
- Conversation starter- I never have to figure out something to say to complete strangers, they almost always start the conversation asking about my height. While some people may consider this annoying, I think it saves me a lot of work ;)
- Attention. Sometimes it's nice :)
- Occassional other special perks. For example, when I was in DC trying to look at the constitution, the guard told me to come over to her and asked the other people to get out of the way. I thought I was in trouble but she just wanted to ask me how tall I am and whether I'm a model.... and I got a nice clear view of the Constitution :)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Nebraska?
Last night I was with a group of coworkers outside of the infamous Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles in Hollywood, where we had just had an excellent dinner (...of chicken and waffles!). This really overweight, short man was sitting on a bench staring at us as we were walking away and said,
"Where are you guys from? Nebraska?"
We responded that we were from Los Angeles, and walked away extremely puzzled. We were an extremely diverse group and all dressed pretty differently so we couldn't figure out why someone would think we were all from the same place, and such a random place like Nebraska. The best we could come up with was that about 4 out of 20 of us were on the tall side, white, and blonde (a guy about 6'5, me at 6'4, a 5'10 girl and a 5'8 girl). I told them about how I often get asked if I'm from random european countries, and we all realized that is probably what the man was referring to. He saw several tall people and assumed we couldn't be from southern california, and to him Nebraska is probably just as far away as Europe (he looked like one of the local, never-been-out-of-California types).
"Where are you guys from? Nebraska?"
We responded that we were from Los Angeles, and walked away extremely puzzled. We were an extremely diverse group and all dressed pretty differently so we couldn't figure out why someone would think we were all from the same place, and such a random place like Nebraska. The best we could come up with was that about 4 out of 20 of us were on the tall side, white, and blonde (a guy about 6'5, me at 6'4, a 5'10 girl and a 5'8 girl). I told them about how I often get asked if I'm from random european countries, and we all realized that is probably what the man was referring to. He saw several tall people and assumed we couldn't be from southern california, and to him Nebraska is probably just as far away as Europe (he looked like one of the local, never-been-out-of-California types).
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