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“Beautiful… but too tall”: these persistent clichés that tall women are tired of hearing© @sdy.cheeks/TikTok
“You would be perfect… if you were a little smaller,” “Your height scares men,” “Aren’t you afraid to wear heels?” These remarks, often trivialized, reveal an implicit norm about femininity linked to height. For tall women, beauty remains conditional, but more and more of them are rejecting this constraint.
Many celebrities have already addressed this topic. Actress Gwendoline Christie ("Game of Thrones"), for example, has often spoken about the difficulty of making a career out of her "unusual" height. American actress, producer, model, singer, and dancer Zendaya, who is 5'11" tall, has also admitted in interviews that she had a long-standing insecurity until she learned to stand up straight and assert her presence.
It's time to rethink norms and deconstruct the idea that femininity rhymes with small size, or standardized size. This societal conditioning is not based on any biological or emotional truth: it is simply inherited from a patriarchal imagery where men must dominate, and women must be small. However, this paradigm is obsolete.
Being a tall woman should never be seen as a "flaw to be compensated for." Not in relationships, not in the professional world, not in cultural representations. These women have the right to be visible, confident, and present without their size always being a topic. It is imperative that we stop commenting on bodies that don't fit into boxes and finally recognize that beauty is measured far beyond inches.
“Beautiful… but too tall”: these persistent clichés that tall women are tired of hearing
Story by Anaëlle G.
“Beautiful… but too tall”: these persistent clichés that tall women are tired of hearing© @sdy.cheeks/TikTok
“You would be perfect… if you were a little smaller,” “Your height scares men,” “Aren’t you afraid to wear heels?” These remarks, often trivialized, reveal an implicit norm about femininity linked to height. For tall women, beauty remains conditional, but more and more of them are rejecting this constraint.
Tall and female: a combination still considered atypical
In the collective imagination, height is a valued attribute... but among men. Among women, on the contrary, height is often perceived as a threat to the expected gentleness and socially valued discretion. To be tall is to exceed, physically and symbolically, the limits of what society considers feminine.Deep-rooted stereotypes
There are many stereotypes surrounding tall women: too conspicuous, ungraceful, unsuited to motherhood, or perceived as "masculine." At school, on the street, in fashion, or among heterosexual couples, these stereotypes die hard. Even simply wearing heels can become a "rebellious" act.Invisibility in fashion and the media
Ironically, while runways showcase slender models, the daily lives of tall women are fraught with obstacles. For example, ready-to-wear brands rarely offer pants or sleeves long enough, and outfits designed for their body shape are often relegated to "special" collections. In films, tall women are rare or caricatured. And when they do appear, their height often becomes their only distinguishing feature.Many celebrities have already addressed this topic. Actress Gwendoline Christie ("Game of Thrones"), for example, has often spoken about the difficulty of making a career out of her "unusual" height. American actress, producer, model, singer, and dancer Zendaya, who is 5'11" tall, has also admitted in interviews that she had a long-standing insecurity until she learned to stand up straight and assert her presence.
Take back the place they are denied
Beauty knows no size. The body-positive movement, while long focused on curvy figures, is finally expanding to include plus-size women, who are often overlooked in the fight against gender stereotypes.It's time to rethink norms and deconstruct the idea that femininity rhymes with small size, or standardized size. This societal conditioning is not based on any biological or emotional truth: it is simply inherited from a patriarchal imagery where men must dominate, and women must be small. However, this paradigm is obsolete.
Being a tall woman should never be seen as a "flaw to be compensated for." Not in relationships, not in the professional world, not in cultural representations. These women have the right to be visible, confident, and present without their size always being a topic. It is imperative that we stop commenting on bodies that don't fit into boxes and finally recognize that beauty is measured far beyond inches.
