Asian American Attitudes toward Height | Asian American Poll

AA ATTITUDE TOWARD HEIGHT
(Updated Saturday, Jun 6, 2026, 12:07:54 AM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Assuming you are an Asian American, how important is height in your assessment of a person's attractiveness?
It's a key element of attractiveness. | 20%
It's one of many factors I consider. | 44%
It's less important than other personal qualities. | 28%
I am not attracted to tall people. | 8%

Assuming you are an Asian American, which best matches your feelings toward your own height?
I'd like to be 3 inches taller. | 43%
I'd like to be an inch taller. | 27%
I'm happy with my height. | 26%
I'd like to be an inch shorter. | 4%

HOME | PERSONALITIES | FEATURES | NEWS

© 1996-2025 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.

Angelique,

Nikkei is the Japanese word for Japanese American, or more appropriately overseas Japanese. I think that it is analogous to huaqiao (or riqiao in this case). Issei, nisei, sansei and so forth are all Nikkei.

I feel like Sancho Panza at work because I spend most of my time trying to prevent some of my supervisors from engaging in reckless behavior but letting them feel like they are still in control (reckless behavior means anything that causes me headache or severe overtime). Learning how to manage your managers is a crucial skill when you are at the bottom of the totem pole.

Garcia Marquez is great. 100 yrs & Cholera are among my favorite books. May I suggest the poet Octavio Paz if you enjoy Latin American writers. Did you say you were a teenager. Wow, I didn't read Garcia Marquez and Cervantes till my mid-20s.

----------------------------------------

The Economist article mentioned that one reason for the height discrimination in fields that involved contact with foreigners was that the Chinese government thought it was unseemly for a Chinese official, lawyer, diplomat or such to have to look up (physically) at a foreigner.

Of course, Time and the Economist have their own biases and I doubt any Western newsource can be 100 percent objective about Chinese affairs. Still I'm reminded of those pictures I saw when Clinton went to visit China a few years back. There is a famout shot of Bill and Jiang Zemin walking down the red carpet at the airport surrounded by the Chinese military honor guard. The Chinese soliders in the guard were amazingly tall, they towered over Bill (who is not so short himself I think). Obviously, honor guards in all countries are chosen for aesthetic reasons but I wonder how much thought really went into picking soldiers that would both physically impress and intimidate the Americans?

Man of Lha-sa(mancha) Friday, March 29, 2002 at 07:28:59 (PST)

girl,

There's a lot of truth to what you say. I have seen plenty of short girls who are more attractive than tall girls. Height is only one aspect of physical attractiveness. The face is more or less equal in importance to the body (it depends on what you care more about).

However, I have been told since I was a little girl that I am pretty...I have a pretty FACE, that is. When I grew up and reached my full adult height of a measly 5'0, I was pretty unhappy for awhile. I am still told that I am pretty, but never am I told that I am hot or beautiful. I attribute this to my short stature. How can I be sexy when I have short legs?

Anyway, my point is this: I agree with you that "if you're pretty, you're pretty" and that "height ain't gonna matter that much if you don't have the face to go with it". However, height is a factor that many people consider regarding physical attractiveness. And, being really really short (like I am) may not be offset by a pretty face.

But you're normal height, so you don't have to worry about anything. I'm a midget, so I do have a cause for concern.
Cute Chinese Girl Friday, March 29, 2002 at 00:20:04 (PST)

Another scary thought. The Chinese government is involved in a eugenics program to breed a taller race. By allowing heightism to take place, shorter people have a considerably harder time finding a job, and can't support a family. Over time, the Chinese race becomes taller because the taller citizens have the money and power, and can afford to support families.

Any thoughts?

B. Lee Thursday, March 28, 2002 at 19:17:27 (PST)

I hope all of you read this Times magazine article about height in China. Doesn't this tell you guys something? We Chinese are making fools of ourselves! This is an American magazine printing the damn article, so now the whole world knows about how insecure we are about our height. It's pathetic that tall diplomats are picked because they have to compare to Westerners. The idea that tall is beautiful is a Western idea - we are not white. We have our own beauty, just because we Chinese ARE NOT TALL, does not mean that we ARE NOT ATTRACTIVE. I think Chinese people need to grow up, and realize that our appearence is very different from that of Westerners. Other Asians such as Indians or Persians have similar features to Westerners, but we are different and I PREFER IT THIS WAY!!
CANTONESE WARRIOR Thursday, March 28, 2002 at 19:10:40 (PST)

I know a good number of Chinese Americans and Chinese visitors, and they never mentioned anyone being discriminated in China for being short. FOP, you do have a point that the westernized media is overexaggerating again against Asia. Does anyoneone care to set a mediawatch campaign of western news articles on Asia to verify accuracy? I posted the link because it was quite startling, and relevant to this forum.

Suppose a minimum height requirement of 170cm (5'7") for men and 160cm (5'3") is set for every job in China. If that excludes 30 to 40 percent of the population, there would be so many people affected that a major uproar would undoubtedly result, and legal action would certainly be taken.

If anyone has had experiences like this in China, or knows of anyone, then please do share your experiences.

B. Lee Thursday, March 28, 2002 at 19:05:00 (PST)

to "girl" I agree, most men I know would pick a shorter girl with a pretty face than a tall girl with a not so pretty face any day. When I look at people the first thing I look at is their face, if you're dating someone you have to look at their face all the time so you better like it! :)Though I wish I were taller (I'm 5'4) it's not going to happen, and I accept myself at my height. Would I be "prettier" if I were 5 inches taller? Who's to say? My boyfriend thinks I"m just fine the way I am. Anyway if I were 5'9 I'd tower over him and I don't think he'd like that! :)
agree Thursday, March 28, 2002 at 10:10:53 (PST)

Man of Lha-sa(mancha):

Hi...

What is Nikkei...??? It sounds cool but I don't know what it is...?? So you are an ABC...? I'm very impressed that you know about Nurhachi then :)

You negelected my other question too!!!!!_!!!!!Last time you said that your job makes you a Sancho Panza....
How's that...???

Speaking of S.P, do you like Spanish/Latin Lit.?? I feel that you would really like some of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's work. A lot of "Magical Realism".

P.S--I know that you are as tall as a windmill...

I am too!!!!!
Beijing Skyscraper Angelique Wednesday, March 27, 2002 at 20:44:55 (PST)

That article in Time Asia is scary. However, I ve not heard from anyone in/from China complaining about getting rejected by companies for being too short. There might be few people who resorted to such a drastic measure to increase their heights. I doubt that there are a large number or an increasingly large number of people undergoing surgery like that. Can anyone verify the source. The author of that article seems to be a westerner and we know western media are always biased against Asian. The article might have tainted the truth.
FOP Wednesday, March 27, 2002 at 19:10:14 (PST)

T.H.Lien,

Do you happen to know anything about the Chinese Ex-Soviet style height increasement program? I m curious
FOP Wednesday, March 27, 2002 at 18:57:28 (PST)

1. Kate moss is not 5'10". she is only 5'7".

2. for all the girls bragging about their height, good for you. but seriously, i'm only 5'2" and look fine being ONLY 5'2" . i don't think being 5'7" would make me more pretty. let's face it...if you're pretty, you're pretty. if you're ugly, you're ugly. your height ain't gonna matter that much if you don't have the face to go with. same for the guys.
girl Wednesday, March 27, 2002 at 13:09:53 (PST)

NEWEST COMMENTS | EARLIER COMMENTS