LogFAQs > #926530488

BanjoBoomer posted...

I think people grossly underappreciate just how poorly short men are treated. We're basically regarded as a lesser class of men (when's the last time a short guy has been elected president? Well before people could see him on TV, that's for sure), our existence is traditionally hidden in media where short male leads are made to look taller (except for goofy comic relief characters) and it's still perfectly acceptable to make jokes at our expense, we're just expected to laugh along or even self-deprecate so we don't come across as insecure.

interesting that you bring that up. I tend to think of a lack of representation in media as a symptom of deeper issues rather than a problem in and of itself -- similar to, say, chest pains being a symptom of a heart attack rather than the problem itself.

increasing diversity in the media without addressing the issues that caused the lack of diversity in the first place is therefore ineffective in much the same way that you wouldn't expect painkillers alone to solve the problem causing the pain.

I'm not sure what sort of core issue would be at play here. My guess is that it's related in some way to an idealized "manly man" stereotype. if that's the case, then any men who deviate from that mold in any way, not just short men, would be harmed by it. this would definitely include trans men.

Being expected to laugh along or self-deprecate is kinda similar to the experiences of a lot of marginalized people, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the offending jokes are anywhere near the same level. And again, if I'm correct that it's related to the "manly man" idea, then presumably there would be similar jokes regarding men who deviate from that mold in any way (including, again, trans men). This rings true anecdotally to me.

Granted, we don't have religious folks thinking our very existence is a sin, but I wouldn't just call it "certain disadvantages". The way tall guys and short guys are treated is radically different. Tall guys don't even seem to realize how much easier it is for them to grab attention and command respect in a room.

I don't think difficulty grabbing attention and commanding respect in a room is at all the same as systemic disenfranchisement, and I also don't think it's unique to short men.

Yet I would never get offended by the fact that a particular women isn't attracted to short guys. People are attracted to what they are attracted to. I didn't choose the fact that my dick gets hard when I think of a dominant woman stepping on my face with her bare feet, and no woman ever chose to be attracted to tall guys. It just is how it is.

it's not about whether specific individuals are offended by these things -- it's about context and the effect that our socialization has on our worldview (which includes who we're attracted to), and how our thoughts and actions reinforce or subvert the societal systems in question.
---

peanut butter and dick