What is your full name?

Lauren Patricia Bath

How tall are you?

6’4 and 3/4 (6’5 rounding up)

Have you ever struggled accepting your height? Please share your journey.

Being tall has always been a part of my life. Even as a young girl in elementary school I was taller than the rest of my peers, although not by much. I steadily grew taller through high school and continued growing well into my twenties. I have settled in at a good height just shy of 6’5. Both my parents are tall and so it wasn’t a surprise that I passed the 5’10 mark (my mom’s height) and then the 6 feet mark in high school.

I certainly struggled with my height in my teen years and early twenties, often feeling awkward in groups of people as I towered above others. As I finished school and started my career, I really believed that all the things that made everyone different in high school wouldn’t matter. However, I found that even in the ‘real world’ the fascination with my height continued. It’s something that has come up at work, in interviews, in groups, socializing with friends, dating, even house hunting and furniture shopping. I realized that my height wasn’t something I could run away from, and it would always be new and exciting to new people I met in my life.

I made the decision as a young adult to see people’s curiosity about my height as a positive. As a social person, I enjoy meeting new people and comments about my height became an easy way to engage with others. A few years ago I had an epiphany and realized that people ask or comment because height is something that is often coveted. It one of the only physical attributes that people comment on because they wish they had more if it. If you think about it, people don’t comment so much on other physical attributes that are ‘different’ or unique because they are envious. When I realized that, it really made it fun to engage.

Although my height isn’t new and interesting to me, to people that have never seen someone as tall as me, or seen a woman my height, it’s a very interesting experience. I remember the first few times I saw other women around my height and thinking, wow she’s tall. Sometimes when I see another tall woman I comment on her height and my friends often say that I am taller. In those moments, I realize a number of things. I realize just how tall I must look to others; I realize how lovely and beautiful us tall women are and how sometimes you can’t help but look a bit longer because we are FABULOUS; I realize the importance of standing tall and proud. It’s a good reminder to own my height.

What is your current occupation and how has your height influenced your career?

I work for the Provincial government of British Columbia in community development. My height hasn’t played a major role in my career development, other than that it helps me to be memorable and often comes up in interviews as I am often the tallest person in the room.

Outside of work though, I was recently crowned Miss Tall International and my height definitely played a large role and continues to be a benefit for the title.

You were thrown into the spotlight last year when you were crowned Ms. Tall International; can you tell us more about that experience the competition and your reasons for participating?

It’s been such a great experience already. After being crowned Miss Tall International in New Orleans at the end of July, I came home to radio interviews and a feature on the local news here on Vancouver Island.

The opportunity to represent the Tall Clubs International (TCI) Organization comes with some big responsibilities. As the spokesperson for the organization during my one-year reign, I am responsible for spreading tall awareness in the community, increasing membership and representing the organization at media events. My personal passion is girl confidence and as a role model to young women and tall women, my message is about standing tall and proud and finding the courage to rock your height. For me, it’s important to connect with other tall women and young girls to let them know that they aren’t alone in their struggles and that there is a place, a social club, to connect with other tall people.

Can you tell us more about Tall Clubs International and your experience with them?

I decided to attend my first convention in Washington D.C in July 2013 with a few of my fellow club members. I figured that walking into a room of people at eye level would be amazing, intimidating, wonderful, and that I may as well rep my local club and run in the pageant. The women who represent their clubs in the pageant are called Queens. I ran as Miss Sea 2 Sky Peaks Vancouver. It was something totally outside my comfort zone; I never thought I’d ever be a pageant girl and this was something really neat specifically for us tall ladies. If nothing else, it would be a great way to meet other women who shared similar experiences.

Please give us a glimpse in the life of Lauren; what have you been up to since you were crowned?

I have been doing a lot of traveling and promoting lately. I spent a weekend in Las Vegas with the Las Vegas Tall Club and 65 friends from TCI at their annual club weekend. I have been on the local and national radio talking about the Pageant and my new role and I’ve been reaching out and connecting with my tall sisters across Canada and the US.

I have instigated tiara Friday at work and have decided to wear my crown and sash to the office every Friday of my reign. It’s fun and inclusive because I encourage others to wear their bling too. I’d love to start a trend where sparkly bling and office life meet.

I really enjoy connecting with tall women about struggles and successes and am so pleased to have the opportunity to write for The Tall Society because I’m a fan (thanks Bree!).

What is a unique quality or interest that you have, that no one would guess?

I am very passionate about entrepreneurship. I run an online clothing company for tall men called Beanstalk Apparel and through building my own business I have discovered that I am passionate about building and supporting small businesses.

I love chatting ideas and experiences with other people that are business owners or that aspire to be entrepreneurs. There’s something really cool about connecting with others about ideas they have made reality and dreams that people are turning into their realities.

I get so excited when people are actively taking control of their lives and offering something unique to the world; especially when they are passionate about it. Happy people are often living their dreams and it’s very inspiring to talk to those that are both building and have built success for themselves.

Who or what inspires you?

My dad is a significant inspiration for me. I have watched him work really hard all my life. My brothers and myself have developed strong work ethics because of my parents and their values.

To link to the last question, anyone who is dreaming really big and taking steps to turn their dreams into reality inspires me. I have had some really incredible opportunities these last few years and it was the result of realizing that dreaming bigger than you think is possible results in your reality being better than you can ever imagine.

Another big inspiration for me is a my good friend Susan. I met Susan a few years ago through the Vancouver Tall Club and she’s been a beacon of light in my life ever since. Susan has been on an incredible journey of self reflection and transformation and her wisdom is so valuable to me. She has done a lot of the internal work that it takes to find out what makes you happy and what makes you, you. She reminds me to dig deeper and search within myself for answers when I’m frustrated, and to remember to see the Magic everyday. We have a lot of fun together. She is very wise and humble. Having people like Susan in my life is incredibly special.

What are your aspirations for the future? In a perfect world, where would Lauren be 5 years from now?

5 years from now I’d like to have a more active role in Tall Clubs. It’s been so great to me these past few years and I’d like to be able to contribute to keeping the organization, and local tall clubs, strong and vibrant.

Travel is a passion of mine and I’d like to be living or have lived abroad for a year. It’s a big goal for me, one that is sometimes scary and most times exciting. It’s a dream that I’m working on making a reality and I know that I’ll get there.

Hopefully I’ll be settled down and starting a family in 5 years. It seems so far away but it seems the older I get the faster time flies.

And finally, I’d like to continue building connections with tall sisters and expanding my network. I love connecting with other tall women because we have a shared experience that is very unique. If we band together, hopefully we can influence the shoe industry to make cool shoes in larger sizes that are affordable (haha). Really though, its so refreshing to connect with other tall women and it’s a reminder that we are all in this height game together, rocking our awesomeness heads above the rest.

Do you have any words of advice for our Tall Sisters™?

I encourage you to spend some quality time getting to know your yourself. Get to know the tall lovely woman that you are and recognize your strengths. On the days where you don’t want people to look at you and you don’t want to hear about how tall you are, remember that people are envious of what you have and they are asking and looking because they are curious and because they are interested. Remember that you are a fascinating person full of wonder and love and value and Magic.