Height, Power, Politics and the Office

Most CEOs are tall men. We know that. Stats show that. But little is acknowledged when it comes to women. Take a look at your office. Out of all the women in senior management positions, how many are petite? Or even on the shorter side of average? This is especially the case in jobs that are historically male-dominated. This makes it especially hard for petite women, especially young-looking petite women to break the glass ceiling. Sure, one might say that it's great to look young, because one will appreciate it once she hits middle age. But what good is it when everyone is a senior manager and you're not?

Does this have to do with what the shorter person wears? Or does it have to do with the lack of power a shorter person is perceived to have? Both? When it comes to clothing, it’s simply because the clothes don’t fit properly. Unless a petite woman wears something that is specifically cut for her height, no amount of alterations is going to make her suit (or whatever garment she’s wearing) fit properly. Jacket sleeves can be shortened, but the length of the jacket can’t be shrunken without altering its shape. And that could cost someone an arm and a leg anyway. Pants can, of course, be hemmed, but it can still look baggy because the rise of a “regular” sized pant is longer than that of petite sizes. In other words, it can look sloppy, which translates to “not too professional.” And what about the lack of power? In our society, the taller you are, the more powerful one is seen. Historically in the United States, the taller candidate is more likely to win the presidency. Of course, there have been exceptions. Since the dawn of television in the 1950s, only Richard Nixon (1972 election: Nixon was 5’11 ½” while his opponent, George McGovern, was 6’1”), Jimmy Carter (1976 election: Carter was 5’9” and his opponent, Gerald Ford, was 6’1”) and George W. Bush (he was shorter than his opponent in both 2000 and 2004. George W. Bush is 5’11” and Al Gore is 6’½” and John Kerry is 6’4”) have been shorter than the runner-up. And out of these three candidates, one resigned, another only lasted one term and the third is very controversial. In this upcoming US election, the popular and heavily favoured Barack Obama is 6'1" or so, while John McCain is a mere 5'7". John McCain is the one who is getting made fun of.

In the world of beauty, height is also praised. Short people, especially short women, are seen only as cute, while the tall are “glamourous” and “beautiful.” Taller actresses are also more likely cast in serious and dramatic roles. Tall women, even with normal, proportional legs, are described as leggy, yet a 5’2” woman with a 31” inseam won’t be (women who are 5’2” on average, wear pants with a 28” or 29” inseam.) Doesn’t make sense, does it?

Height and the US Presidential Race...COMING SOON!

Just to give you a heads up that I'm working on an article on height and the presidential elections.

Did you know that John McCain is a shorty, at 5'6" and his opponent, Barack Obama is 6'2"?