Stereotypes Of Being Tall

Being six feet tall has its perks, but it also comes with some stereotypes and assumptions that have followed me for my entire life. So to begin, I need to clarify what being tall does not mean to me. Height is not what defines me and the activities that I participate in. I am not a ballerina, basketball player, volleyball player, or model, all of which I have been presumed to be at some point in my life. The man in the grocery store who commented on my “long, dancer-like legs” does not know that I despise ballet. The high school basketball coach cannot convince me to do a sport that I have never excelled in nor enjoyed. My mom who begged me to try out for volleyball was not successful in forcing me into a sport that was not my passion. When people tell me I should model, I remind myself that I do not need to be something just because of my height. To me, being tall does not mean automatically filling a stereotype. Although all those people meant well, it was an important step for me to realize that I get to choose what I do. Throughout my life, I have made sure that the activities I pursue are things I love, not just things I might find a talent in. …show more content…
Unfortunately like most teenage girls, I struggled with being confident in my body. In particular, I dreaded towering over people and being taller than everyone in pictures. Even though I longed to be like the other girls, I never wore heels to school dances. Without fail, I was always taller than my date, so wearing heels was never an option. For pictures, I used to bend, lean, or hide in the back to avoid standing out. Living like this was not enjoyable or practical; I lived miserably and self-consciously. The thing that clicked in my mind that stopped these unhealthy habits was a realization of who I am. I only have one life, and this is the body God has purposefully given