You might think that short people are cute, but the everyday struggles we tiny humans face are not cute at all. Here are just a few of the many problems short people encounter — we hope that no matter what height you are, you can empathize with our struggles.
Clothes rarely fit you right:
Sure, your significant other’s sweatshirt may be deliciously oversized, but it’s a bit weird when they are seven inches taller than you. Your attempt at being cute by wearing their sweatshirt ends up looking like you have no pants on. This leads to a fun game I like to call “Sweatshirt or dress?”. Hint: the game is as fun as it sounds. Not to mention the struggle of shopping at Victoria’s Secret for a comfy pair of sweatpants. Um, hello? Not everyone is 5 foot 7 and above. Regular sweatpants are way too long, enough to make us trip. What is this pool of cloth at our ankles supposed to be? When you spot the cropped sweatpants, there is a flutter of hope in your heart, but the cropped sweatpants deliver the same disappointment, ending uncomfortably at our shins when they should end at our knees. These problems apply to pants and skirts everywhere — the ultimate question to ask while shopping is “Do I love this piece of clothing enough to go to the tailor and get it hemmed?” Ultimately, this may even end up in shopping for clothes in the kids section. Oh well. It is cheaper, at least.
No one takes you seriously:
First, there are those corny, overused jokes and all the name-calling. “How’s the weather down there?”, they say, as if a difference of three inches in altitude really creates a significant difference in temperature. Some have the audacity to ask, “Have you always been that short?” Haha, not funny. Have you always been that tall? Then there are those who think you are soooo adorable, because you are so tiny, so petite. Since when did height determine personality? Lastly, a lack of height makes taking a leadership role or gaining credibility and respect around others a major struggle. Your smaller stature and voice just make you seem like you might be younger or more inexperienced than you really are. You’re just that adorable, bubbly munchkin over there. “Sizeism” is a huge problem too — no pun intended!
Personal space is nonexistent:
People have the impression that because we are under 5 foot 5 our heads immediately serve as armrests. That statement could not be any more false. Also, please do not touch my hair unless I specifically ask you to, which I will not. Ever. Head pats are straight up demeaning, and let’s not forget the occasional cheek squishing. I do not want your hands on my face. Most importantly, the biggest struggle of being short is never being able to hug over someone else. When you see bæ at school, all you want to do is run up to them and give them a huge hug, but instead you to awkwardly shuffle up to them and slide your arms under theirs.
Everything becomes an unnecessary adventure
When countertops become counter bottoms, you know the struggle is real. But at least your grocery store endeavors turn into ersatz rock climbing adventures. Before you had the guts to climb the shelves at the grocery store, you had to wait for an unintimidating tall person to wander over, so you could ask them to get something for you. They never say no, but the pure awkwardness in those ten seconds make sure you think twice about whether you really need your favorite yogurt. When you eventually find the courage to scale the shelves, you find that there is literally a whole new world of cereal you have never experienced before. You never know what you will discover.
