r/short • u/TheVeganGod • Apr 17 '26
Motivation An advice from a 30 year old dude
So this subreddit keeps appearing on my feed, probably because I’m a short man at 166 cm who follows men’s fashion pages and similar content.
Honestly, if I had found this side of the internet before I started dating in the real world, I probably would have stayed a virgin. According to some of the people here, I should be completely doomed anyway. I’m short, bald, and I have crooked teeth.
And yet I have dated women of different heights, including women taller than me.
I’m also a university lecturer, and I read a lot of research on dating, mate preferences, and social status. So here is the scientific version, not the black pill fantasy version.
Yes, height matters. Preferences are real. Women, like men, can have physical preferences, and pretending otherwise is stupid. But research does not support the idea that one trait like height determines your entire dating future. Actual partner choice is shaped by multiple factors at once, including kindness, intelligence, emotional stability, dependability, confidence, physical attraction, and social or economic stability (Buss & Schmitt, 2019; Thomas et al., 2020).
Research also shows that what people say they want does not perfectly predict who they actually choose when interacting in real life. In speed dating studies, stated preferences often did not line up neatly with actual attraction once people met face to face (Eastwick & Finkel, 2008). In other words, attraction in the real world is messier and more human than internet forums want to admit.
Online spaces and dating apps also distort reality. They push people to judge each other quickly and superficially, which exaggerates traits like height. That does not mean the entire dating market works that way offline (Finkel et al., 2012).
To quote my therapist, life is basically a big Souls game and height is just a debuff. Yes, it can make things harder. Yes, you will probably get your ass kicked a few more times than someone playing on easier settings. But that does not mean the game is unwinnable. It just means you may need more patience, more resilience, and a better strategy. And honestly, where is the fun in beating the game with no debuffs?
I have been rejected plenty of times, and height probably played a role in some of those rejections. I say probably because I do not interrogate rejection or obsess over the reason. I am not going to ask someone to explain why they did not want me. That is their choice. Other people are allowed to have preferences, and I do not need to internalise every rejection as a verdict on my worth. At the end of the day, only you get to decide your value in this world.
I have also been through a period of height insecurity myself. After a recent rejection, I went down the rabbit hole of self loathing, so I do understand how dark that headspace can get. But how we feel is not always a perfect reflection of reality. Feelings, emotions, and thought patterns can spiral, and they can also be challenged and changed. Therapy helped me see that. With the right support, self awareness, and work, the way you think about yourself can improve.
What these spaces often ignore is how much insecurity changes the way a person comes across. Neediness, resentment, bitterness, and defeatism are not attractive qualities, and they can do more damage than being a few inches below average.
That is why the advice to men should not be “give up.” It should be “build a life that makes you attractive in a broader sense.” Work on your confidence. Go to therapy if you need it. Practice mindfulness. Focus on your career, not because women are gold diggers, but because ambition, competence, and financial stability signal drive and maturity. Take care of your physical health. Read more. Volunteer. Join communities. Get involved in causes you genuinely care about. Expand your social circles and meet women in real spaces, not just through algorithms and rage bait.
And if you are constantly hitting a wall, take a break from dating for a bit. Reset. Rebuild your confidence. Get your head straight. Stop treating every bad experience like proof that the whole world works one way.
Most importantly, women are not a hive mind. One woman rejecting you does not mean all women think the same. A subreddit full of bitter men is not an accurate sample of reality. People have different preferences, different priorities, and different reasons for being attracted to someone.
Also, be careful with research in general. Research can help us identify trends, but human beings are more complex than a dataset or a single paper. Averages are not destiny, context matters, and how old the research is matters too. Social norms, dating culture, and the way people meet have changed a lot over time, especially with apps and social media. So use research to inform your thinking, not to reduce yourself or other people to a rigid formula.
The point is simple. Height can be a disadvantage. It is not a death sentence. A lot of men are not being ruined by height alone. They are being ruined by an identity built around insecurity, hopelessness, and too much time spent listening to other defeated men online.
References
Buss, D. M., & Schmitt, D. P. (2019). Mate preferences and their behavioral manifestations. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 77 to 110. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-103408
Eastwick, P. W., & Finkel, E. J. (2008). Sex differences in mate preferences revisited: Do people know what they initially desire in a romantic partner? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(2), 245 to 264.
Finkel, E. J., Eastwick, P. W., Karney, B. R., Reis, H. T., & Sprecher, S. (2012). Online dating: A critical analysis from the perspective of psychological science. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 13(1), 3 to 66. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612436522
Thomas, A. G., Jonason, P. K., Blackburn, J. D., Kennair, L. E. O., Lowe, R., Malouff, J., Stewart-Williams, S., Sulikowski, D., & Li, N. P. (2020). Mate preference priorities in the East and West: A cross-cultural test of the mate preference priority model. Journal of Personality, 88(3), 606 to 620.
r/short • u/Bikerbats • Mar 15 '26
Meta Suggestions
Ok, I'm stuck at my desk with a bum foot that's been plaguing me for weeks now, so I might as well try to make this time at least a bit productive.
So since I ain't going anywhere, let's have a meta discussion about the sub, and I'll take this opportunity to solicit suggestions.
r/short • u/AstrologyBoyfriend • 5h ago
Question Being short and gay also sucks even if you’re super handsome
When I go to gay places I either get tops thinking I’m bottom ( I’m a top ) but 99% of the time no one hits on me but they’ll go hit on my tall gay friend who ain’t even good looking.
I don’t really understand this logic.
How do short gays deal with this ?
r/short • u/Muaythaiguy6567 • 13h ago
Motivation Men under 5'3" can be very attractive to women. 💪
I just want to share a little encouragement for men who are under 5'3" (160 cm) and sometimes feel insecure about their height.
I'm 5'3" (160 cm) myself, and I've been able to date taller women. So please don't convince yourself that you're automatically unattractive or that taller women could never be interested in you.
Of course, some women prefer taller men, and that's completely fine. But women don't all have the same preferences! Some care much more about personality, humor, confidence, kindness, and the way a man treats them.
You don't need to be 6 feet tall to be masculine, lovable, or desirable. You don't have to compete with taller men or prove your worth to anyone.
Your height is one part of you, not your entire identity.
Work on yourself, pursue your interests, take care of your body, develop your confidence, and treat people well. Don't let your height stop you from approaching someone you like or believing that you can be loved.
You won't be everyone's type, but nobody is.
To all my fellow short guys: don't give up on yourselves. You deserve love, respect, and happiness just like anyone else!
r/short • u/Grenvallion • 9h ago
Motivation Real mens height stats. Dont feel bad if you're under 5"8. It's legit normal. You are completely normal. The internet makes you think you arent.
- Global average male height: 171 cm (5′7″)
- US average male height: 175–176 cm (5′9″)
- UK average male height: 175–176 cm (5′9″)
Where does 5′8″ (173 cm) actually sit?
- US: 5′8″ is the 36–38th percentile — shorter than ~62% of men.
- UK: 5′8″ is below the national average (177 cm).
- Globally: 5′8″ is above the world average (171 cm).
Meaning:
5′8″ is not a universal “normal height.”
It’s below average in the US/UK and above average globally.
Short men aren’t unusual — the internet just makes tall men look more common than they really are.
r/short • u/Dry_Examination_6926 • 3h ago
Question 4'10 going into high-school
Pls I need any advice because im going to a new school with a bunch of different people idk. Plus im short as heck and idk what to do and I need some advice.
r/short • u/Opening_Moose7182 • 13h ago
Question Would you rather receive 10 million dollars or magically be 6'2" tall?
r/short • u/Medical_Carob_2755 • 12h ago
Vent Growth blocker for girls
Hey, im a 155cm/5'1 woman in Germany and doctors giving young girls growth stoppers fucking annoys me.
Im not tiny tiny but in Germany im the shortest person in the room most of the time and it annoys me. I hardly get taken seriously and when i hear that doctors are advising parents of young girls who are likely going to be tall like 180cm/5'9+ to take growth blockers. Like for what?? So that they are more attractive?? Isnt that insane? God i wish i got the opposite from doctors.
I might be petty because im mad that im short but it definetely is weird.
r/short • u/dustwindwind • 13h ago
Humor What shoe size are you?
Just thought it’s interesting to compare with your heights!
r/short • u/Old-Property-4762 • 16h ago
Dating Do you ask the women If they don't mind that you are short ?
Of course it screams insecurity if you ask but I got a couple of dates who told me they didn't imagine I was short even it was on my bio.
Tomorrow I have a date with a 5'5 woman and I'm 5'4. I already told her If she doesn't mind being taller than me. I told her I don't give a fuck If a woman is taller than me. Of course she didn't see my real size on the app even it's written.
She said it's the first time for her to be with someone shorter but she seems very open minded. She liked my comment about not caring being with a taller woman.
I'm lucky with this one but a lot of time I spend days, even weeks talking to a woman and she has no idea I'm short. I don't know how to say it without sounding like an insecure guy. (which I'm tbh).
Do you guys have any tricks ? Like you put it in your bio in a funny way idk ?
r/short • u/Dull-District2544 • 11h ago
Question Any advice for a 5'2 guy 20yr struggling with dating and life?
Hey guys, this is my first post here, so bear with me. I'm 5'2" and pretty average-looking. Honestly, I've never really experienced dating. I don't have zero female friends, sisters or cousins, and I barely talk to women. Most conversations I had with girls didn't even last 10 seconds and they also not seem interested anyways. Whenever I'm with my taller friends, I notice girls approaching them for help or starting conversations, while that never really happens to me. I'm not blaming anyone, but yeah, it hurts sometimes. I've kind of accepted that I might end up alone, but I'd still like to enjoy my life. Any advice on talking to women or dating? Also, recommend me some movies, shows or books that short guys like me could relate to. I'd appreciate some honest advice.
Vent I'm not "settling" for a shorter guy, and people's reactions prove height is still the biggest double standard in dating
I'm 5'4" and my boyfriend is 5'1". I've been dating him for a while now, and I'm tired of people acting like I need to explain myself.
When we started dating, people kept saying "I never expected you to date someone shorter" or "You look like you’re into taller guys." As if I'd downgraded. Then my friends got in on it. They made short jokes, and when I got upset, they told me I was wearing rose-colored glasses. I almost ended a friendship over it. You're telling me my own happiness is fake because of 3 inches?
His uncle's first words to me were "seee being short doesn't matter." You don't say that unless you think it does.
Here's the part nobody wants to admit. I've dated taller guys, and honestly they treated me worse. Height was never the thing that mattered.
The weirdest part is the club, where we met. I get more attention with him than I do with my girls. One guy told him "nice black shirt" and walked off, and he said that had never happened to him before. Later, while we were literally making out on the dance floor, a guy tapped me and asked if I was single. I just kept kissing my boyfriend as my answer.
Then a group asked him if they could "pimp" my friends out to them. One of them hovered over him when we sat down, like they were waiting for my boyfriend to leave so they could have a turn.
Is a taller man really a "better catch," or is that just what we're taught to say out loud?
Why does a woman dating a shorter man get treated like she's in denial, while a man dating a taller woman gets treated like a threat to someone's masculinity? ugh.
TL;DR: I'm 5'4", my boyfriend is 5'1", and people act like I settled. Tall guys treated me worse, and I get more attention with him than without. Why is a woman dating a shorter guy "in denial," but a man dating a taller woman is a "threat to masculinity"?
r/short • u/Foreign_Look8668 • 13h ago
Vent I hate big cars... So, so much.
Parking is awful and I look small as hell driving a Ford Ranger😭. I never liked big cars cause I'm used to my Spark's size but now borrowing my father's care confirmed it.
r/short • u/RubAlternative5509 • 1d ago
Motivation Next time you berate yourself over your height remember that there is nothing wrong with you
Timeline of Human Stature
Over 3 Million Years Ago (Early Hominins): Early ancestors like Australopithecus were petite; males averaged about 125–130 cm (4'11") and females averaged around 105 cm (3'5").
2.2 to 1.6 Million Years Ago (Homo genus / Homo erectus): The emergence of the Homo genus brought a major surge in height and body size, with Homo erectus males averaging around 160 cm (5'3") to 175 cm (5'9").
40,000 Years Ago (Upper Paleolithic / Cro-Magnon): Early Homo sapiens (such as Cro-Magnons) were remarkably tall and robust. European males averaged around 176 to 183 cm (5'10" to 6' feet), matching or even slightly exceeding modern averages due to a protein-rich hunter-gatherer diet.
10,000 Years Ago (The Agricultural Revolution): The shift from foraging to farming caused a sharp drop in nutrition and a spike in disease, shrinking average human height by 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 inches).
The Last 200 Years (Modern Era): Industrialization, better sanitation, and modern medicine allowed human heights to bounce back and climb toward current global averages (around 171–176 cm or 5'7" to 5'9" for adult males).
People inherit genes from the extinct species which is totally normal.
r/short • u/BriefRelationship448 • 1d ago
Dating I'm (34M 5'8") dating an amazing woman (29F 5'11"). I think her outlook is much more common than social media & dating apps would lead you to believe.
galleryIt's my first time dating taller and it's such an eye-opening experience. She has a stunning face, perfect body, two bachelor's degrees, a masters, and a successful career. The profile of someone who has an incredibly wide range of options for potential partners. But our height difference is completely meaningless to her.
In our entire time of dating, height has only come up three times. First was when we first started talking and we exchanged profiles/pictures to check for mutual attraction (2nd pic). The second time was when a convo about physical preferences came up (1st pic). And the third time was in person when I asked about her friends (she's in the fashion industry so most of her friends are very tall) and she told me many of them have dated shorter.
I've never considered myself short or had insecurities with my height, but I've definitely seen all the memes/posts on social media so it was on my mind when I approached her. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that many attractive girls do not hold the same views that are propagated throughout dating apps / social media and thought I'd share here.
r/short • u/Bubbly_Attorney2999 • 8h ago
Dating Height matters way less in dating than social media makes it seem
I believe a man's height doesn't matter as much in real life as social media makes it seem. Don't get me wrong, height is definitely one of the factors that can matter when it comes to attraction, but it's nowhere near as important as people online make it out to be.
Bollywood actors like Salman Khan and Aamir Khan are reportedly around 5'6" and 5'5", respectively, yet millions of women were crazy about them during their prime.
On the other hand, I've known plenty of men who struggle to attract women because of their looks or personality. Even during my school days, the boys who were good-looking, had great personalities, and—most importantly—were confident enough to approach girls often had girls interested in them.
If you have good looks, a great personality, and confidence, I believe many women would prefer you over a tall guy who lacks those qualities. In many cases, you just need to be a little taller than the woman you're interested in, which many men of average height already are.
Height can matter, but it doesn't matter nearly as much as social media makes it seem.
r/short • u/This_Wrangler_166 • 1d ago
Motivation Happiest man I know is quite short - 165 cm (5'4)
The guy:
-He enjoys his work and has hobbies he’s been passionate about his whole life.
-He lives very close to his parents and has two siblings with whom he gets along well.
-He has a wife, two daughters, a dog, an appartment and a car. Not crazy properties, not crazy investments. Just a very average or even modest income.
He was fortunate to grow up with a mother who guided him well, and he never had any trouble meeting women—even though he’s short and, in terms of looks, a 5 or 6 out of 10. That said, he is very extroverted and somewhat popular; he’s well-known within the small circles (very niche) he moves in.
He didn’t go to University, though he did pursue some further education after high school—and he actually enjoyed what he was doing.
When I think about this guy, I realize that some people seem to have been touched by a magic wand, and that there are things far more important than height.
I suspect that if he were 20 years old today, he’d do just as well.
r/short • u/KindlyError9677 • 2d ago
Awesome! Short shenanigans (5’4, m19)
galleryJust a compilation of pics from the past 2 years that REALLY show off how short I am. Plus an excuse to share some of these bangers.
r/short • u/SeparateBug43 • 2d ago
Motivation 5’5” out here living my best life
galleryLife’s too short to spend it worrying about being short. Get out there, pursue what matters to you, and make the most of what you’ve got. There’s a whole lot more to life than your height.
r/short • u/SupremeChef30 • 1d ago
Dating Matched with a girl almost my height
24m 5’6 and half. Last night I made a hinge (on my profile I say 5’7 though) and about a half an hour later I got like from a pretty girl who was 5’6. After a couple of flirty messages I sent her my number. I didn’t know if she was going to text back but after a little later she did. I know we barely know each other and a relationship is not guaranteed. But I have never dated a girl who was around my height before. To the fellas who have or are currently dating around their height, how has that experience been ? I personally know i won’t mind, but im nervous if it ever comes to in person maybe she’ll change how she feels about it .
r/short • u/Sudden-Virus4551 • 1d ago
Heightism I am 18M Very much insecure about my height
So I am 2008 born In India just turned 18 few days back I am like super insecure about my height on a good day I am 5'5 165-166 cm without anything barefoot
I wear height insoles which make me 5'7 but still I don't know why it has became one of my habit whenever I see someone first thing I notice is there height i will not lie i look good fare skin nice hair decent physique good fashion sense perfume everything but the only factor height makes me feel so inferior to everyone I measure my height daily it came in 164 and seeing that makes me wanna cry what can I do help me please
r/short • u/blondieuu • 1d ago
Vent 5’7” and idk if I actually want to be a woman or if this is just cope for being an undesirable short guy
I’m 20 and 5’7”. Never been in a relationship, pretty insecure about my face and body, and lately I’ve been feeling like shit about myself in general.
A big part of it is my height. I keep wondering how different I’d feel if I was taller or just better looking. But there’s also this other thing I’ve been dealing with for a long time. I’ve had thoughts about being a girl since I was a kid, even before I really understood sex or relationships. Those thoughts still come up now sometimes when I’m not thinking about anything sexual, and sometimes when I am.
Part of me thinks I’d feel a lot more comfortable being a guy if I actually liked how I looked and wasn’t this lonely. Another part of me wonders if I’d still want to be a woman even if I was confident and happy with myself. I’m scared this is just my brain trying to escape how undesirable I feel as a short guy who no one wants.
I don’t want to dismiss these feelings as nothing, but I also don’t want to make some huge decision based on the hope that becoming someone else would fix everything I’m unhappy about.
For anyone who’s been stuck in self-hatred or height insecurity for a long time… how did you start figuring out what was real vs what was just you wanting to escape yourself? Did working on your self-esteem change how you felt about other stuff, or not really?
Not looking for anyone to tell me who I am. Just want some honest perspectives because I don’t really have people I can talk to about this