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%

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chinatown,

I knew that stating a eugenics program by China would cause controversy and get real ugly, so I was hesitant at first - but unfortnately, people were laughing and brushing this off as a joke. Joke for joke, insult for insult, I had to stop compromising in the face of reprimand, and stand up for my real opinion.

Then you asked me the real reason why I believed in eugenics, so I was being honest. I even gave credible references to support by point (someting a Goldsea poster rarely, if ever, does).

So this is my honest opinion, and this is where I am.

B. Lee Saturday, April 20, 2002 at 22:43:49 (PDT)

To: I like taller women, definately

I agree, the article I was looking to find talks about it throughly...

Being taller gives you a stronger mentality...not necessarily in power, but in confidence as well.

Who said that short girl's aren't stubbourn and confident? It's a peeve that I'm not taller, but believe me, I'm even more stubbourn than a mule.
Your gf just happens to be tall and confident, which is a wonderful thing. =)

On the other side of the coin, there are many tall people who are insecure about their height and well...what can I say....

bebegirl:

That sure sounds tempting!!! Although it sounds sort of suspicious...=)

H T Y Saturday, April 20, 2002 at 12:51:59 (PDT)

I think 5'6 is the perfect height for any color woman and the perfect height for any color man is 6'2.
Viet guy in Houston Friday, April 19, 2002 at 20:20:14 (PDT)

Its not how short or tall one is, its how proportion one is to their height. also, height really doesn't matter if your butt ugly. i find all sizes beautiful (females). if your between 5'2" to 6', your good. don't let "preceived height" determine or drive down your self-esteem. attitude over altitude! remember, were all the same height in bed!
the preacher Friday, April 19, 2002 at 18:56:51 (PDT)

T.H. Lien,

No, the Chinese government isn't stupid. Even before the one-child policy was adopted, they've done studies to find the impact of baby girls lost to the preference to a boy.
They keep very close statistics of the boy to girl ratio; most of the statistics of these ratio imbalances are from the govt itself.

They've even tested their policy. In the Washington Post article, in three villages in Shaanxi, the ratio of boys to girls born was 114:100 in 1979-83, when the one-child policy first was started, 98:100 in the lenient period of 1984-87, to 145:100 in the 1988-93 period, when the policy was strictly enforced. Studies by the Bureau of Civil Affairs in Hunan province in 1990 came up with a similar link.

At one point (1984-87), the ratio was even. The Chinese govt exerted their power again to raise the ratio again. They're just playing a genetic game. They can make it equal, like they did in the past, but they have another agenda. Perhaps in 20 years, when the population declines enough, will they even out the ratio again.

"In a period of instability and change like in modern China, the worst thing a society can possibly suffer is to have an excess of unmarried (and mostly unemployed men). "
Even with a nationwide 117:100 male:female ratio, that's still 85% of men who should be able to find a mate (statistically speaking). That's still a good majority of men in society, and they probably have the jobs to afford marriage. So most of society is still content. The other 15% of men are in the minority, and are unemployed and miserable.

"Large groups of unemployed guys with beer bottles in hand is a pretty good recipe for a riot."
However, beer bottles are no match to the soldiers, guns, tanks, prisons, and torture camps the govt has in store for any rioter. It doesn't look like the rioters are going to overthrow the government.

B. Lee Friday, April 19, 2002 at 17:52:41 (PDT)

chinatown,

Assuming you've been to China, I have a few questions to ask you about China.

1) Have you noticed a highly disproportionate ratio of males/females, especially in the rural areas?

2) Have you ever witnessed female infanticide?

3) How often have you read articles in the Chinese media criticizing the Chinese government.

B. Lee Friday, April 19, 2002 at 17:23:27 (PDT)

chinatown,

What am I trying to ultimately accomplish in all of this? I would like to see the Chinese government take greater responsibility in their god-like power to control birth, and develop more ethical guidelines that conform to worldwide standards, not just the Chinese govt's feelings.

Sure, China has a population problem, but unfortunately the govt has decided to manipulate its power by influencing who lives or who dies. The abuses going on in China is abominable. Aborting a fetus because of gender is flat-out wrong. If China enforces its one-child policy, the govt should take very close care that it is applied fairly (in other words, do not target a certain group for elimination), and humanely and with dignity toward all living beings.

Am I being sino-pathic for asking for that?

Unfortunately, the govt gets a big "F" grade for its negligence and unethical policies.

B. Lee Friday, April 19, 2002 at 17:15:21 (PDT)

I would have to say short goes best with a woman. I am an asian male towering at 6'1 and would definetly prefer short woman over tall. The short ones seem to be more spunky and more outgoing while the tall ones seem too manly to me. I wouldn't want a woman that would be taller than me because it would make me look more feminine. Women in general should be at or smaller than male mates so it doesn't hurt our egos.
wang zhi zhi Friday, April 19, 2002 at 15:28:22 (PDT)

"there's a boom in prostitution, which results in STD epidemics"

oh brother, don't get me started on the HIV/AIDS epidemic sprouting up in china.

"intent on establish an air of hysteria that focuses on lowering American public opinion of China"

the best way is not to give any credibility to their claims. i refuse to answer any of his wacko theories about eugenics and population control except when referenced in a scientific journal like the scientific american, but i gave my reply and he just went off topic.

there'll always be detractors.
anthropology student Friday, April 19, 2002 at 12:40:34 (PDT)

I agree that I wouldn't want to date a man that was too tall. I'm 5'4 and once dated a guy that was 6'4 and it was just awkward, not that he wasn't a nice person. My guy now is 5'9 and it's a perfect match, though of course I chose to date him for his personality, not his height. :) Anyway guys, don't worry so much if you're not really tall, I honestly don't think of it as a big part of someone's attractiveness. As long as you're not really really short, (under 5'4) and you have a nice personality, good manners, have a nice face and treat a girl well, then you will do fine.
my thoughts Friday, April 19, 2002 at 11:42:36 (PDT)

Short Order girl,

Start working out. Go running, get fit, do some light weight-lifting. that will increase your confidence, and consequently the way people perceive you -- not as a timid little woman-girl, but a real woman.

Good Luck Friday, April 19, 2002 at 11:37:52 (PDT)

To azn college guy:
Thank god there are still some guys out there that find women with curves attractive! I don't see how men find stick-thin legs with no curves or muscle attractive. So many AF's diet and exercise really hard to be stick-thin, do any other asian men find curvy women attractive?
curious Friday, April 19, 2002 at 09:16:18 (PDT)

Short Order Girl,

Advice:

1) Don't squeak (high pitch voice) when you talk.
2) Stop seeing yourself as "cute and helpless" (just cute is fine).
3) Don't end every sentence as if it was a question.
4) Work on your intellect -- brains can overpower the symbolic notions of power (height and size).
5) Remember that: Height=power is purely symbolic. It is not real. What is real is _actual_ power, not _symbolic_ power.
6) Work on your self-esteem; learn to be assertive without being a b****.
7) If you need further advice, just give me a ring. (I also have great tips for girls with unmanageable hair)
po Friday, April 19, 2002 at 07:54:38 (PDT)

Beijing Angelique,

You are kicking yourself for being 1" too short? That is quite superficial, given that a woman 5'5 is already taller than the statistical average for women, particularly asian women. Perhaps this envy would be better directed at intellectual, spiritual or aesthetic potentials. Besides, unlike men, a woman can alter her height quite easily with shoes.

While there is an advantage for guys beings taller (it allows them a larger pool of women), the exact opposite occurs when a woman is taller (it shrinks the pool of available men).

All things being equal, why would a woman want to do that?
po Friday, April 19, 2002 at 07:49:41 (PDT)

H T Y,

You want to be 5'10?.. Where have you been living, in the land of giants?

I have a little news for you: those taller women you envy, they're not 5'10. It is only your exaggerated sense of awe that makes them look like giants.
po Friday, April 19, 2002 at 07:48:11 (PDT)

Has anyone heard the latest statistics that TALL people get on the whole a/b $5,000. - $8,000. a year more salary than the shorter people in business?

Hummmm! Interesting the association with success & perhaps intelligence to ones height.
Yes! Friday, April 19, 2002 at 07:46:16 (PDT)

WM Married,

Do you also use your height to intimidate puppies and small children?

What do you/wife do when the "short" person who should be cowering at your frightening height don't fall for your "I'm taller, I'm scary" ego trip tactics? Do you then raise your voice and roar like a lion?

po Friday, April 19, 2002 at 07:40:51 (PDT)

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