Dear Editor,
Your item titled ‘Presbyterian high calling’ contained some useful (en April 2023) information about what was, I am sure, an important conference. However, I was struck by the closing sentence. It read: ‘Many of the delegates were reported to be impressively tall’.
This may have been intended as a joke, but it does raise a question. Do we find tall people impressive? The answer seems to be ‘Yes.’
It has been widely observed that taller people tend to have a higher social status. Why this the case is not entirely certain but the taller person’s potential dominance in interpersonal situations may well be a factor.
This has led to the use of the word ‘heightism’ – that is, prejudice or discrimination against individuals based on height – a term first coined by Saul Feldman in 1971.
Various studies have shown that tall people have advantages in important aspects of their careers. Most concerning is the link between a person’s height and suicide. At least one study has shown that shorter men are more likely to take their own lives.
As a Christian I believe that we were all created in the image of God. We all have equal value before Him – none more or less than anyone else. We need to be aware of any cultural influences that would cause us to think differently. Do we value tall people more than short people in our churches? It is a question we may need to ask.
If you find that you are more impressed by tall people than by short people, maybe ask yourself: ‘Were there any tall people in the Bible?’ I can think of two: Saul (1 Sam.9:2) and Goliath (1 Sam.17: 4). Both were tall and probably impressive, but neither should be admired.
Yours sincerely,
John Steley By email
