Ladies, if you prefer your male partners to be a certain height, why is that?

I don’t know about others, but I’m really tall for a girl my age, 5’ 9” and still growing faster than I’d like. I feel uncomfortable dating guys shorter than me.

Dating guys shorter than me wouldn’t really bother me however, my boyfriend is 6’6 and I am 5’7 which means I do get neck ache a lot going up to kiss him and I never wear heels either. I have had boyfriends in the past who are around the same height as me. I first met my current boyfriend when he was sitting down and I didn’t realize how tall he was until we went out later! I do quite like short guys but then a tall boyfriend is useful as you can always find them in a crowd!
Height was not what attracted me to my boyfriend although I do quite like him being so tall now, it is quite nice to feel tiny but protected. He can also lift me up so easily which makes me feel skinny too which I like. I do like to feel petit and skinny. I think tall guys can help women feel like that, short guys not so much, but then short guys can be so cute and less awkward sometimes if you know what I mean.
In summary, tall and short guys are nice….

I don’t like my men to be shorter than me. It just feels awkward. However, tall men are just attractive in their own little way.

Subconsciously, you appeal to us as protectors. The taller, the better equipped to face danger and fight for us when the time arises.

It’s the same reason guys prefer curvy women to skinny. Curvy women look like they have bigger hips for child-rearing.

I like guys who are right about my height. Who wants to strain their neck looking up when they can look directly into someone else’s eyes? Sigh…

I’m relatively tall for a girl, at 5’9”. Standing next to people who are shorter than me, particularly men, makes me self conscious of my own height. So I prefer tall men. Overall, I also prefer tall women. I don’t like feeling like I dwarf my partner. I also suspect, at least in part, that I feel more “secure” when I am with someone that is equal to or bigger than me.

I prefer guys who are between 5’9” and 5’11”. Also prefer dark hair and eyes to blondes. Blue-eyed guys actually make me feel uncomfortable. Weird, huh! Maybe because my dad used to say that blue-eyed people are a quart low.

As a 5’ 7” guy who hates my height as though it were a curse, I’m just gonna subscribe to this and see what’s up… I once loved a girl very much who said I would be perfect for her if I was “just a few inches taller.” That stuck with me :-/

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard No matter how tall you are, you’re still one sexy fucker. ;)

@KateTheGreat haha, I adore you, dollface.

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard The feeling is mutual. ;)

Hmmm. I’m not sure if I’ve ever run into this phenomenon. I’m under 5’ 6” and it would be easier for me to count the few relationships I’ve had with women smaller than me than to count those who have been taller. The vast majority have been taller. So clearly they didn’t have a problem with my height.

Having said that, it is true that taller men are perceived as being leaders and more powerful, if I remember the research properly. Most of our politicians are tall men. Tall men make more money. In general, they have more prestige. And, in a culture that still has some very strong feelings about proper gender roles, as displayed above, tall men feel safer to many women. They enjoy the protection and power and status of taller men.

I think it is something that is instinctual; bred into us. It’s not necessarily something that can be explained because it runs deeper than any cognitive understanding. It’s an emotional preference. The sociological and scientific explanations are all well and good, but they aren’t what women think about when they make these choices. It comes from the gut… or perhaps even lower.

It is kind of interesting, though. A lot of women will tell you they like a guy who is smart and funny. It doesn’t matter how he looks. I’m sure this is true with individuals, but I’ll bet that there are studies out there showing that women prefer taller, more good looking men. However, that may be confounded because good looks are strongly correlated with intelligence, and perhaps even height shares that correlation. In other words, height, looks and intelligence tend to come in the same package.

The world is hardly fair, but it does seem that height confers an evolutionary advantage.

@wundayatta I don’t agree. I have seen some butt-ugly tall guys before, and some dang cute short ones. I think we look at the whole package.

@Skaggfacemutt Of course you look at the whole package. I was speaking on average. That’s what data show us. There is always variation in individual behavior, so you will always see “butt-ugly tall guys before, and some dang cute short ones,” as you so quaintly put it; however, on average, it will be as I have said, your personal experience notwithstanding.

In addition, you will find that most people say they look at the whole package. However, when you measure that “package,” you will find that people generally fit the central tendency in the behavior. Alas, we tend not to be so different from the hoi polloi as we might want to think. A fact that is just as true for me as it is for anyone else. I always thought I was different. Turns out I’m not. Alas.

One of the smartest people I know is only about 5’7”...

Orientation. My father was very tall, first lover etc. I am tall myself. I prefer tall men. Simple

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard dude, that sucks. Sorry :/

Get a room, @Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard and @KateTheGreat!

I recently had this revelation. It is quite NSFW. The past two guys I’ve dated have been very tall, and we have enjoyed being intimate whilst standing up, from behind. With one of them I grew quite fond of this because it could happen in random semi-public places.

I recently met I guy I was attracted to, but he’s pretty much my height. I imagined him leaning me over in the bathroom (e.g.) and the image just wasn’t appealing because he wasn’t towering over me.

So that’s one reason, I guess.

I’m short… 5’2… so meeting guys shorter than me is always initially disconcerting. I would have to really get to know them before attraction kicks in. Other than really diminutive guys, height isn’t an issue, but intellect is.

Tall men in our society have an advantage, in promotions and salary made, even. Some say it’s a sign of good nutrition so there might be a genetic advantage. I don’t prefer tall men, I prefer smart men.

I think it goes back to when we were all hunters and gatherers. I think women prefer the big strong, healthy men over the smaller weak ones. Maybe for survival of the gene pool. Maybe they just like big men. My ideal man would be 6’2 230 lbs.

My husband is 6’2 and I just love how tall and manly he is. I love when he cuddles me and it feels like I am being wrapped up and I can snuggle and rest my head on his chest.

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard, for all I really love tall men, my first husband was 5’8 and I absolutely fell for him. So, if everything is right and the chemistry is there, women will not even notice your height.

I normally prefer tall men because I am quite short, but as long as there and mutual attraction it doesn’t matter how tall they are.