Height discrimination

Heightism is a form of discrimination based on height. In principle it can refer to unfavorable treatment of either unusually tall or short people. In practice heightism almost always takes the form of unfavorable treatment of shorter people and more favorable treatment of taller people (particularly tall men); the exception to this being that taller women generally have a harder time dating than shorter women (see dating and marriage section). Examples of this are the above average heights of the great majority of US presidents and CEOs.

Heightism and bullying

Shorter persons are more likely to be victims of bullying. Not surprisingly, a bully will normally target smaller persons on the grounds that they are perceived to be less able to defend themselves physically. Because bullying during childhood and adolescence often undermines the victim's self esteem, some researchers speculate that the lower levels of achievement of shorter persons (particularly men) in later life may be partly or largely explained by this lower self esteem rather than by discrimination.[1]

Heightism in employment

With the possible exception of some manual labor jobs and some professional sports, a person's height would not seem to have an effect on how well they are able to perform their job. Nevertheless, studies have shown that short people are paid less than taller people, with disparities similar in magnitude to the race and gender gaps. [2] [3] Generally, height discrimination takes the form of covert discrimination, with people being passed over for promotion or denied jobs in the first instance.

A survey of Fortune 500 CEO height in 2005 revealed that they were on average 6 feet tall, which is 3 inches taller than the average American man. Fully 30% of these CEOs were 6 foot 2 inches tall or more; in comparison only 3.9% of the overall United States population is of this height.[4] Equally significantly, similar surveys have uncovered that less than 3% of CEOs were below 5'7" in height, and that 90% of CEOs are of above average height. [5]

Surprisingly, epidemiological studies have shown that intelligence is positively correlated with height in human populations (see Height and intelligence). This does not imply that many short people are not highly intelligent, or that changes in physical height have a direct effect on cognitive ability. Indeed, intelligence is believed to be influenced by many different factors, and individuals with a wide range of intelligence can be observed at any given height. A recent study using four data sets from the US and UK found that after controlling for difference in cognitive test scores, there was no detectable independent effect of height itself on adult earnings, indicating that the height premium in adult earnings can be explained by childhood scores on intelligence tests[6]^[1].

However, others believe that height has a significant independent impact, pointing to specific instances of height-based discrimination[7]. Subjectively, many short persons report they are not taken seriously in the work place or by their peers because of their smaller stature[8]. Objectively, surveys of attitudes do reveal that people both perceive and treat people of shorter stature as inferior, [9][10] and that economic differentials exist which may be the result of height discrimination[11] The relationship between height, cognitive ability, and discrimination based on height remains a subject of debate.

Heightism in politics

Short candidates are disadvantaged in electoral politics at least in the United States (where statistics are available for study). Of the 43 U.S. Presidents, only five have been more than an inch below average height. Moreover, of the 54 US presidential elections only 13 have been won by the shorter candidate, and only 11 times has the shorter candidate received more popular (as opposed to electoral) votes. Quantitative studies of U.S. Senators and Governors have also shown that they are on average several inches taller than the U.S. population at large.[12]

Non-electoral politics are more difficult to study as outcomes based on height are more difficult to quantify. Nevertheless, a number of powerful dictators have been below average height. Examples include Engelbert Dollfuss (4'11), Deng Xiaoping (5'0), Kim Jong Il (5'3), Nikita Khrushchev (5'3), Francisco Franco (5'4), and Josef Stalin (5'5). Contrary to popular impression, Napoleon Bonaparte at 5'6.5 was slightly above average height for the time he lived. Adolf Hitler was also taller (5'8) than has generally been assumed from fictional representations and some photographic records.

Heightism and conflict

Heightism is cited as one of the underlying causes of The Rwandan Civil War, in which approximately one million people were killed. It is believed that one of the reasons that political power was conferred to the minority Tutsis by the exiting Belgians was because they were taller and therefore (in the eyes of the Belgians) considered superior and more suited to governance."Heightism rears its ugly head"

Heightism in dating and marriage

Heightism may also be a factor in dating preferences. For most women, the height of a man is a major factor in sexual attractiveness. The greater reproductive success of taller men is attested to by studies indicating that taller men are more likely to be married and to have more children, except in societies with severe gender imbalances caused by war. [13] [14] Quantitative studies of woman-for-men personal advertisements have shown strong preference for tall men, with a large percentage indicating that a man significantly below average height was unacceptable. [15]

Conversely, studies have shown that women of below average height are more likely to be married and have children than women of above average height. Some reasons which have been suggested for this situation include earlier fertility of shorter women, and that a shorter woman makes her partner feel taller in comparison and therefore more "manly."[16] Consistent with this, taller women are actually more likely to accept a shorter man as a partner.[17]

It is unclear and debated as to the extent to which such preferences are innate or are the function of a society in which height discrimination impacts on socio-economic status.

Heightism in the media

In the media, heightism can take the form of making fun of short men in ways that would be unseemly if directed at skin color or weight (especially female weight). Examples of characters whose short stature is exploited for comic value are:

Lord Farquaad from Shrek
Bob from Becker
Louis De Palma from Taxi
Bud Bundy from Married... with Children
Radar from M*A*S*H
Spence from The King of Queens
Gimli and other dwarves from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The portrayal of short men in the media is in general negative. Short men are either ridiculously unsuccessful in regards of career and/or romance (e.g. Spence and Bud Bundy) or they are unlikeable tyrants in need of compensating for "something" (e.g. Lord Farquaad). A notable and rare exception are roles played by Michael J. Fox (especially Mike Flaherty from the TV series Spin City, where a short man is portrayed as an attractive and likeable person, who is successful both in romance and career).

"Archaeology Today" sketch in Monty Python's Flying Circus deals with heightism[18] in which an interviewer humorously admits to assessing his subject's credibility based on their height.

In a 2006 cartoon episode of Family Guy, the second coming of Jesus is depicted, with Jesus very obviously being much shorter than the (modern) crowd he speaks to. In the show, this causes uncertainty and surprise among the crowd.

In the cartoon series Invader Zim, the alien race of the Irken had a class system based entirely on height, the empire being ruled by those of the greatest stature, literally referred to as the Almighty Tallest.

Similarly, shorter men are often denied leading roles. Although some famous cinema actors such as Alan Ladd and Tom Cruise have been short in real life, in their fictional depictions they have been presented as taller. This distortion reinforces the cultural prejudice that taller men are inherently superior to shorter men, and that taller men are in some sense more worthy of dominant social roles, and that short men are less so.

Randy Newman's song "Short People" deals with Heightism in a satirical, light-hearted manner as a protest against bigotry in general. Nevertheless, some people find this song offensive.[19] (Needless to say, Newman stands over six feet tall.)

Resources for short adults

The National Organization of Short Statured Adults is committed to the open discussion of heightism and sponsors a free message-board at http://heightism.aimoo.com In addition, Steve Goldsmith operates the Short Support website at www.shortsupport.org which has been providing the short community with valuable resources on heightism related topics.