Does height hinder relationships?

LAURA GOULD/Charleston Catholic

By Alexandria Finney
Poca High School

In general, it seems that girls prefer to date guys who are taller than they are, and guys prefer to date girls shorter than they are. But how much does height really matter to teens when they’re choosing a partner?

“I tend to like girls who are shorter than I am,” said Poca senior Robert Rucker “I’m 6’1” so it is rare when a girl is taller than I am, and it would be awkward to date a girl that tall.”

“But if I really cared about the person, I don’t think her height would matter,” he added.

The majority of other guys polled echoed Rucker’s initial sentiment, saying they would prefer to date shorter girls. Most stated that they would never initially approach a girl taller than them with the intent of having a relationship. However, they said that once they got to know the individual, then height would not be a determining factor in establishing a relationship.

“Height should have nothing to do with the relationship if you care about the person,” said Kevin McCoy, a 5’4” senior at Buffalo. “I tend to date girls who are quite a bit taller than I am. You just have to be comfortable with yourself.”

On the other hand, the girls who discussed the subject had a slightly different opinion. Most of them agreed that height was one of the least important factors when they were looking for someone to date, and they said that if they found someone interesting, height would not play into their decision to approach the individual.

“I personally don’t think that height matters that much. When it comes to dating, the way the person treats you is the most important thing — not how tall or short he may be,” said Brittany McComas, a Winfield sophomore.

Poca sophomore Rebecca Gibson agrees. “I don’t think height really matters. If you like the person, you should date them for who they are on the inside not whether or not you can wear heels when you go out with him.”

“Shorter guys are often nicer and more respectful,” said Poca sophomore Alli Santer. “I personally have dated shorter guys, and I am not against dating shorter guys. It’s the personality that matters to me. After all, my boyfriend has a mohawk, and that makes him two inches taller than he really is!”

Of all the teens interviewed, the vast majority emphasized that personality should take precedence over height when choosing a significant other.