What Every Tall Person Should Know About Short People

You'll meet a lot of people who happen to be short in life. But just because they're short, doesn't mean that you can make assumptions about them. Here are some things that you should never assume about short people:

• never assume that someone who happens to be short is okay with being short.
  Just because someone has been short all their life doesn't mean that they like being short, or won't be offended when you make fun of their height. Sure, they may laugh it off as a joke, but sometimes there's nothing else to do. They're not going to bawl right in front of you, but it still may get to them that their height is important, when that's exactly the opposite of what they've been trying to tell themselves.
  

• never assume that a vertically-challenged person won't make the sports team, or isn't interested in sports because of their height.
  Short people make the teams too! We can play volleyball and basketball like the rest of them--we only have to try harder. That's why it's wonderful to see someone who isn't as tall as most people on sports teams, because you know that that player is good and dedicated to the sport, or else they wouldn't have made the team in the first place. If you assume someone is good, it would be a much better thing than assuming someone is bad.
  
• never assume that telling a short girl, "Well, at least you don't have to worry about being taller than the guys," actually helps someone better.
  What is that supposed to mean, exactly?! Sure, there will alwayz be someone shorter or taller than you, but in saying this, the short person can take this in two ways: that there's actually a good side to being this short (rarely taken) or, that they're so short, there can't possibly be anyone else who is shorter than them, and will stay that height. (most commonly taken.) So just don't say anything.
  
• never assume that you can make someone shorter than you feel better, or that you know what they're going through.
  Even if you're a short person too, you won't be able to make someone who's even shorter than you feel better if they're stressing about their fixed height, because it won't work. You couldn't possibly know how they feel, because you yourself would be part of the problem. You're taller than them, and they envy you for that. It would be like trying to comfort a friend about her parents being too poor to buy Christmas gifts while you are opening your presents right in front of her! How could she possibly feel better!?
  
• never assume that someone short is still growing.
  That is one of the cruelest things someone could say to you. Not only are you short and not growing anymore, but people expect you to still grow, and when you say, "I've already stopped growing" sheepishly, they reply surprised, "Really? Are you sure? Oh no, you still have to be growing..." like you haven't checked and hoped and preyed to grow. They make things worse with that question, and don't seem to believe that anyone could stop growing at that height. Like that makes someone feel better.

use elevator

Back to To Assume...