Height advantage: The tall women who are embracing their stature (2024)

Standing at 183cm, with size 13 feet, I am well acquainted with the "tall" label.

According to statistics I'm a rare breed, falling in the upper 99th percentile for height for an Australian woman.

There have been times when this has felt a little isolating.

But I've noticed something: there are more of us out there than I first realised.

Recently I discovered a social media group for tall Australian women, and felt overjoyed.

Growing up, I seldom met another female as tall as me — perhaps if I had, I wouldn't have felt the need to stoop down to try to "fit in".

I want my young daughter and other girls to grow up feeling empowered and confident about their beautiful stature.

Height advantage: The tall women who are embracing their stature (1)

Rather than feeling awkward about what makes us stand out, we should embrace it.

My six-foot stature has led to some amazing experiences, like being randomly talent-scouted for a rowing program at the South Australian Sports Institute based solely on my height (not so much on my rowing abilities, as they later discovered).

There's a lot I love about being tall — not least that I get the best views in crowds, have a natural advantage in sports, and rarely find anything out of my reach.

I find it empowering and I quite enjoy looking eye-to-eye with tall men — who often exude confidence and status — and giving them a bit of a run for their money.

So, I decided to speak to other tall women to find out what they love about being above-average in the height department.

Shakira Onwuka, 181cm

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Medical researcher Shakira Onwuka is no stranger to turning heads wherever she goes.

As a teenager, she was discovered by a modelling agency in the United States.

"Being tall has opened so many doors … [because] people notice me, and I stand out," she said.

"It adds to my ability to be seen as a leader.

"I do a lot of public speaking for work and it helps me to command a room.

"I feel like it goes with my whole personality, being a bold, courageous sort of personality. It's like a full extension of my internal being."

Ms Onwuka said she grew up feeling "out of place" and apprehensive about her height, before finding her confidence through modelling.

"I reached six feet tall at 14 … then I was approached by a modelling agency," she said.

"I just started to embrace being tall, I was around so many other tall young women who were very confident, which added to my confidence, so I felt that, 'Wow I can just be who I am'.

"I started to see it as something that was very beautiful and an advantage in life."

Penni Lamprey, 184cm

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Penni Lamprey is the founder of Australian tall clothing label Miss G and Me, which she named after her daughter Grace.

She wants her clothing to empower women to feel comfortable and confident, something she embodies.

"Society shows us and tells us that our husbands should be taller — they're not always, they don't have to be," she said.

"If you want to wear the heels, wear the heels."

Ms Lamprey said she experienced many natural advantages as a tall woman.

"[I love] my ability to cut through a crowd very well. Whether it's a buffet, a sale, a concert, I'm a little bit of a busybody and I will be at the front — and I get there quite easily," she said.

When it comes to unsolicited height-related comments, Ms Lamprey has some sage advice: random remarks, she said, merely "highlight" the "insecurities" of the people who make them.

"You're not intimidating; they are intimidated," she said.

"Your height doesn't define you, and you certainly are not responsible for how others feel about their height."

Lucy Austin, 190cm

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Lucy Austin is a powerhouse in the goal circle for the Adelaide Thunderbirds.

"I did lots of one-on-one sessions to help get up and use my height as my advantage," she said.

The 22-year-old's intense training regime has not only shaped her game, but her confidence too.

"It took a long time for me to learn to love being tall — I think I learnt that through netball, it just helps me to thrive and use my height as my strength and that's helped off the court as well."

Ms Austin also wants other girls to feel comfortable in their bodies.

"A big thing I want to tell young girls is to really own your height and, as hard as it may seem, don't compare yourself to others, you can get really caught up in that," she said.

"Just own it, everyone is different and has their own strengths and abilities and yours is your height, so it's awesome because you get to stand out in a crowd.

"Use it as a positive rather than a negative and that will help you thrive and flourish … really be empowered by it rather than shying away from it."

Blue Van De Cruze, 182cm

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Blue Van De Cruze has lived in Melbourne, Germany, and the United States.

"I can't help but stand out a bit," she laughs.

The diversity and inclusion project officer loves the practical advantages of being tall.

"My partner and I are both tall and when people come over they always note that we've got things in the kitchen cupboards high up that we can take advantage of," she said.

"One thing I really love is the sense of presence that being tall gives me and just feeling like I can really have ownership of the spaces that I'm in.

"I just have this innate sense of confidence that comes with being tall, it's really grown with me into my womanhood. It's kind of an inner strength."

Ms Van De Cruze said that, growing up, she was lucky to have positive role models who helped build her confidence.

"There are a lot of tall women in my family, so I had that modelled from other beautiful, strong, powerful women that were also really tall, so it didn't feel foreign for me," she said.

"I really grew up noticing that I stand out — and it being a really positive thing."

Posted, updated

Height advantage: The tall women who are embracing their stature (2024)

FAQs

What are the advantages of tall women? ›

Tall women are perceived to be strong, smart and to possess leadership skills. Research proves that tall women as a group earn more money. They are better at many sports. Tall women look great in almost any outfit—and those legs!

How is being tall an advantage? ›

Taller people tend to have more self-confidence. Greater performance in sports when wearing sneakers with increases and less physical fatigue. Improve your physical posture, as it allows you to eliminate weight from the base of the spine, and you will be more upright when walking straight.

How important is height to a woman? ›

To recap, in general, yeah, women prefer taller men. While most women will end up with a taller guy, most women will also end up with someone who doesn't fit their exact, desired height difference. This is due to a finite dating pool and the availability of tall, or really-tall, men.

Why are tall women considered more beautiful? ›

Taller women may also appear more athletic than shorter women. Taller women have longer legs to run further while using less energy. Individuals who are more athletic seem to be more attractive to members of the opposite sex. Last but not least, society has painted tall, thin models as the “ideal” image of femininity.

Why do women love tall? ›

Some women prefer tall guys because the height difference makes them feel protected and safe. Women often prefer tall guys because they're portrayed as masculine in the media. Tall women will often go after tall guys because they feel comfortable when their partner is similar to them.

Is there an evolutionary advantage to being tall? ›

The 'breaking point' of a population is reached much earlier and smaller individuals with their reduced demand on resources have an evolutionary advantage. On the other hand, taller hominids have the advantage of looking further than smaller ones to scout out resources and detect predators.

Is height an advantage in dating? ›

In theory, it's great to be a tall man, and it seems preferable to be short if you're a woman. So far, so good. But we started out with a graph that showed most couples' heights are distributed normally. Women aren't exclusively attracted to giants, and it's worth being sceptical of those who tell you otherwise.

What is the average height for a woman? ›

Average Height of Women in America vs.

In the United States, the average height of female adults over the age of 20 is about 5 feet 3.5 inches.

Can a short man satisfy a tall woman? ›

For a woman, it's not really about a guy's height. It's about how a guy's height makes her feel: namely feminine, smaller, safe. A shorter man can give her those same feelings by adding muscle at the gym, carrying himself with confidence, using his voice in a dominant way, or getting great at flirting.

What is considered tall for a woman? ›

See if you're 5'9" or taller.

Though this measurement can change depending on your age and what country you're from. For example in Baltic countries, this is only a few inches above the average, whereas, in countries like Mexico, where people are shorter, this is quite a tall height for a woman.

Is 5 foot 7 tall for a woman? ›

The average height of women 20 and older is 5 feet, 2 inches, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Payne is 5 feet, 7 inches, which is considered either tall or small, depending on which friendship group she is with.

What height is most attractive for a woman? ›

What Is the Most Beautiful Height for a Woman?
  • 180. 5'3" (160 cm) ...
  • 105. 5'6" (168 cm) ...
  • 5'5" (165 cm) Viewed as the most common height for women, offering a good balance. ...
  • 5'7" (170 cm) Often considered the ideal height for fashion models. ...
  • 5'9" (175 cm) ...
  • 5'2" (157 cm) ...
  • 5'8" (173 cm) ...
  • 5'4" (163 cm)

What height do guys like in a girl? ›

A study on women's and men's height preferences found that women are most satisfied when their partner was 8 inches (21cm) taller. Men are most satisfied when they are 3 inches (8cm) taller than their partners. Another study found that among men, 13.5 percent prefer to date only women shorter than them.

What is the ideal female body height? ›

The British Fashion Model Agents Association (BFMA) says that female models should be at least 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) tall and proportionately around 34–24–34" (86–61–86 cm).

What is the psychology of tall women? ›

After studying the results of a questionnaire applied to different women from Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US, psychologists concluded that women with a height above average are perceived as being more assertive, career-minded, and dominant.

Do guys prefer tall girls? ›

“Our results partially corroborate previous findings, namely that women generally prefer taller men, and men generally prefer shorter women, relative to their own heights.

What is the genetic advantage of being tall? ›

In an evolutionary context, there are both selective advantages to being small and selective advantages to being large (20). Large body size tends to be associated with higher fecundity, reproductive success in male vs. male competition, greater protection against predators, and ability to combat cold climates.

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