The good ole “how tall is the man you are dating” question. When this topic first came up as a writing piece, I placed my head in my hands and chuckled, having some very real flashbacks of my past experiences in the dating realm. Dating is already hard, but when you are 5 inches taller than the average man, let’s just say that things get very interesting very quickly.

“Hmmm, you look like a tall glass of milk and I’m thirsty” and “I sure would love to climb that mountain” – these are the kind of solicitations that us tall women hear DAILY. There isn’t a day that goes by that a new line isn’t posed from a new angle. Now I can laugh and crack a joke in return, but in my adolescence I was irritated, frustrated, underwhelmed, and annoyed at what was shaping up to be dating suicide. Did I need to date someone taller than me? Would I be comfortable in a relationship if I was taller?

Trust me, I have asked myself and still ask myself those same questions, but the real anguish was happening before I truly understood what dating is all about. I would be remiss if I told you I wasn’t attracted to men of a certain bodily frame, and yes, I have dated men well over 6 feet. However, looking for a mate isn’t solely about their physical nature. While genuine attraction between both parties is imperative, a person’s height, at the end of the day, is just that: their height. Their level of consciousness, beliefs, intellect, and heart mean so much more than their wingspan. And boy, have I seen some nice wingspans. ☺

Once I became more confident in my own skin, dating men of any height became as easy as pie. And ohhhhh, what a joy that has been! Some of the best men that I have dated were shorter than me. Their personal qualities are ones that I respect, adore, and yearn for, and I am glad I didn’t pass them up. I will tell you confidently that there are phenomenal men of all statures waiting to treat you like a queen. Don’t miss out on a wonderful experience simply because of a social construct or your own initial discomfort. Just because it seems more “mainstream” for a man to be taller than his female partner, so what? I promise that the right man, a good man, won’t care. You don’t want to date men whose interest in you is contingent on you being shorter than them. Ick. Do the things and be with the people that interest you. It’s hard at first, I know, but you only live once, so promise yourself that you will, at the very least, enjoy these beautiful moments without letting insecurity interfere, especially when you have that awesome man in front of you who’s eager to put heights aside and have a beautiful relationship with you.

My dating advice? Walk tall, be carefree, be open, and enjoy being loved. Your experiences in the dating world should be exciting, uplifting, and fulfilling. Don’t ever let a few inches get in the way of that.

With Love,

Tyi