There’s a lot of negativity on this blog. Some of it is just because I tend to blog when I’m feeling particularly frustrated. Some of it is legitimate, due to the sometimes not-so-fun aspects of being short in a world tailored for tall people.
But it’s not all bad news. There are some pretty awesome things about being short, too.
1. Looking younger, longer. I’ve been asked for ID well into my 30s. Most people guess my age as quite a bit younger than I am. That used to annoy me, but these days, it’s flattering.
2. Hemming is easier than lengthening. You won’t end up with flood pants, ever.
3. That awesome feeling when you intimidate someone twice your size. Don’t mess with a woman who’s petite and pissed off. Just saying.
4. Saving a fortune on groceries. We petites have correspondingly petite calorie requirements. I splurge on the good stuff — fancy cheese, craft chocolate — and I still manage to save hundreds of dollars on groceries per year, compared to what tall people spend.
5. Lower centre of gravity provides an advantage in sports ranging from gymnastics to skiing to martial arts.
6. Here, take the front row. People never mind when you push in front of them in crowds. When I was a teenager, I *always* managed to get the front row at standing-room only rock concerts, with my taller friends happy to stand behind me.
7. No leg room? No problem. You’ll always be more comfortable than tall people in limited leg-room situations like cinemas or trains.
8. It might be a dating advantage. This one’s up for debate, but some studies have shown that heterosexual women have an easier time dating when they’re short. Of course, this could be just because taller women are choosier about not wanting to date short men — height prejudice is a serious issue against guys too, folks. But either way, we never have to worry about being taller than our date. (Not that this is something anyone should worry about, because, really?)
9. Lower risk of cancer. Some studies have shown that, all else being equal, the taller you are, the higher your risk of getting certain types of cancer. I’m not sure if this is true, but, hey, I’ll take it!
10. We may even live longer. There’s some evidence to suggest it, anyway.
So let’s take a moment to say it, fellow short ladies: I’m petite and I’m proud!
