Back in June, I posted a video response (see above and also on YouTube) to Joy Nash's Fat Rant video about issues petite women face that aren't too different from women who are larger. In other words, we face size discrimination as well. Recently, I received a reply here at Shorty Stories from an anonymous poster who found her way to my site through another size issues site. Here's what she said:
I linked to this post of yours from the comment you posted on the f-word site. I am 4'10" and less than a hundred lbs and agree that there need to be more choices in clothing for people my size. However, I find your video to be annoying and offensive. How does a long whining session about lack of fashion options compare to the brilliant and articulate (and socially very needed) message of the "Fat Rant"? As deelirium so nicely pointed out, nobody has serious problems with petite people, not in the way fat people are rebuked. I appreciate your effort in trying to have the fashion needs of short people recognized, as I too get frustrated trying to look for stuff that works. But by trying to pull of your video as a take-off from the "Fat Rant" really just makes you look shallow.
First of all, I never intended my video to be whiny and shallow. I just wanted to present my side of the story, a story that isn't really heard, probably because most people feel that slim petites don't "really have issues." While slim, petite people don't face the same type of issues larger people (regardless of height) face, there are other issues as well. Issues that can be found all over this and other petite-related blogs and websites. Short, slim women, especially those in their 20s, are often not taken seriously. And yes, many feel that this is clothing-related. Even the best tailoring won't make a suit jacket fit well AND retain anywhere close to its proper length without petite sizing. Pants can be baggy, even after being hemmed because the rise on a missy length pant is longer than that of petites. Hemming a skirt can make it lose its shape. In many ways, this makes the petite woman look like a child playing dress up with her mom's clothes. Kids are, well, treated like kids. Maybe some people don't care too much about the way their suits fit (or maybe they do not need to wear suits) but there are also many people who DO care and feel that a properly fitted suit gives them more confidence. And confidence is part of the package that helps someone get promoted.
I just found it surprising that a 4'10" less-than-100 lb woman can't see this side of the story. The whole "you'll like it later in life" thing works socially, but it certainly doesn't work professionally.
