If you’re a tall guy, many people assume that, well, since you are tall, you must be attracted to women that are tall.
Except, is that actually true? Do taller guys really tend to be more attracted to taller women, or is that some sort of weird sociological thing that we do, where we feel the need to group “likes” together?
Let’s evaluate.
Being A Tall Guy With A Tall Woman
If you’re a tall guy, there certainly are upsides for dating a tall woman. For starters, taller women are generally seen as more powerful. Author John Dobson asserts, “Both men and women judge a tall female on first sight as more intelligent, assertive, independent, and ambitious.”
It also makes many day-to-day things a whole lot easier. Hugging, kissing, posing for photos, or even wearing his T-shirt isn’t a crazy, confusing, or comical chore when you’re within a few inches of each other in height.
Being A Tall Guy With A Short Woman
When you’re with a shorter woman, you feel more like her protector. As a man, that can feel like an important responsibility and part of a traditionally masculine archetype.
On the flip side, women tend to prefer this height dynamic for very similar reasons — they feel safe and also feel more feminine.
5-foot-tall actress Hayden Panettiere definitely doesn’t have to worry when she’s out with 6’6” boxer, Wladimir Klitschko. Even if you overlook his bone-crushing punching power and his piston of a jab, his size difference alone is enough to signify safety.
Men Tend To Prefer Being Taller Than Their Partner and Women Prefer To Be Shorter
The one general trend the prevails is that both men and women prefer the man to be taller than the woman in a relationship. The key is how strong those desires break down along gender lines.
A study from Rice University and the University of North Texas showed that 37% of male respondents prefered being the taller partner and 55% of female respondents prefered being the shorter partner.
This man-taller-than-woman dynamic was the most popular choice in the survey, but you see that it wasn’t an overwhelming percentage.
So, Do Men Prefer Taller Women?
There are pros and cons to a tall man being with a tall woman. At the end of the day, there are so many more factors that go into a relationship (compatibility, values, etc.) that greatly override height.
