We all have struggles, and many people wish their biggest problems were finding jeans that are long enough and trying to squeeze into an airplane seat.
Meanwhile, I’ve always wished I were six feet, and envy women who are even taller than this (though my preferred height isn’t exactly “giant” caliber, yet at the same time—a little bit of me envies the women of “My Giant Life.” I don’t feel sorry for these super Amazons, especially since two play my sport, volleyball).
TLC’s “My Giant Life” focuses on four women ranging from 6-6 to 6-9, though one of the “women” is actually a 16-year-old girl who, at 6-6, may still grow another several inches.
“My Giant Life” is sure to be a hit show. What’s always stunned me is how women who are only (yes, “only”) 5-9 can feel self-conscious about their height.
I don’t get this. I was at the gym today. Even though I’m 5-8, I was dwarfed by one man after another in the free weight area. I don’t mean by muscle size, but by height.
So if a woman is 5-9, even close to six feet…she wouldn’t exactly stand out—at least not from where I come from.
And by the way, if someone asks if you play basketball because you’re so tall, don’t be a schmuck and ask them if they play miniature golf.
This is as old as the hills, and if it ever was a clever come-back, it certainly lost that zing decades ago. Be a good sport and give an honest answer.
If someone comments, “Gee, you’re so tall,” don’t be snarky by saying something like, “Oh, thank you for pointing that out; I had no idea!” After all, even very tall women are capable (as is the rest of the population) of pointing out the very obvious.
If you’re blessed with generous height, have you never pointed out the obvious before? Perhaps you commented to a stranger in the supermarket line with her preschooler, “Wow, your daughter has such curly hair!”
Chances are, you’ve said the following to at least a dozen women: “Oh, you’re so thin!”
Maybe you’ve said to someone in the park or on the sidewalk in your neighborhood, “Gee, your dog is huge!”
These are all examples of pointing out the obvious. Here’s another one that you may be guilty of: “Wow, your eyes are so blue!”
Yes, it could get very annoying, but that’s no reason for being a schmuckaroo. After watching “My Giant Life,” you’ll have a new perspective on your height.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
