I always find it funny the way the human mind deals with the vast variations in form and construction of various other members of our species.
I'm not a tall man (163cm/5'4" on a good day), and not imposing in any manner (I spend more time with books than I ever have with physical activities--although I'm trying to get better at that), and it's interesting the way I usually get treated. Women tend to immediately shove me directly in the friend-zone (not that I mind, of course, as that's where I want to be), and most men take an odd condescending dislike to me. It's a rare thing to be treated as an equal straight off the bat by one of my own sex.
At least, it's rare in person. I have the quirk of having a quite deep and commanding voice if I chose to use it (my normal speaking voice is deep, but I don't generally sound commanding or authoritative). In my work, I regularly phone people and try to get them to do things that give them more work. If I use a standard speaking voice (yes, I've experimented with this; my job is immensely dull, give me a break) I get put roughly on par (in sharp contradistinction to when I'm visible to them), and things go fairly smoothly when I speak to most men. When I put on my I'm-in-control voice, I seem to get placed above to some degree--or at least, shit gets done with less repeating myself.
My boyfriend, at about 2m/6'6" tall, and wider than our refrigerator, gets immediate respect from essentially every person he comes across. He's on a number of occasions tried to convince me that I need to be more assertive when speaking to people (I tend towards a more diplomatic than assertive stance to these things), and many times I've told him that it doesn't work. Because of my stature (which isn't something I'm upset about, I should add--it's just how I am, and those who dismiss me for it can fuck a wrench for all I care) it's always an uphill climb for me to reach a level of respect he begins an interaction with--and I'll still never reach that point for physical prowess, regardless of whether it's salient or even true that I'm at a lower level than the person I'm speaking to.
And so, dear reader, you're probably wondering what the point of this whole rant is, eh? Well, there's not much of a point. I just wanted to share a couple of observations with anyone reading, and who knows, perhaps when you, as a taller person, or as a man speaking to a woman, think about how the interaction is proceeding, you'll remember this post. Just because your biology tells you something, doesn't mean you have to listen to it; try listening to those around you first. You never know what you'll discover.
I'm not a tall man (163cm/5'4" on a good day), and not imposing in any manner (I spend more time with books than I ever have with physical activities--although I'm trying to get better at that), and it's interesting the way I usually get treated. Women tend to immediately shove me directly in the friend-zone (not that I mind, of course, as that's where I want to be), and most men take an odd condescending dislike to me. It's a rare thing to be treated as an equal straight off the bat by one of my own sex.
At least, it's rare in person. I have the quirk of having a quite deep and commanding voice if I chose to use it (my normal speaking voice is deep, but I don't generally sound commanding or authoritative). In my work, I regularly phone people and try to get them to do things that give them more work. If I use a standard speaking voice (yes, I've experimented with this; my job is immensely dull, give me a break) I get put roughly on par (in sharp contradistinction to when I'm visible to them), and things go fairly smoothly when I speak to most men. When I put on my I'm-in-control voice, I seem to get placed above to some degree--or at least, shit gets done with less repeating myself.
My boyfriend, at about 2m/6'6" tall, and wider than our refrigerator, gets immediate respect from essentially every person he comes across. He's on a number of occasions tried to convince me that I need to be more assertive when speaking to people (I tend towards a more diplomatic than assertive stance to these things), and many times I've told him that it doesn't work. Because of my stature (which isn't something I'm upset about, I should add--it's just how I am, and those who dismiss me for it can fuck a wrench for all I care) it's always an uphill climb for me to reach a level of respect he begins an interaction with--and I'll still never reach that point for physical prowess, regardless of whether it's salient or even true that I'm at a lower level than the person I'm speaking to.
And so, dear reader, you're probably wondering what the point of this whole rant is, eh? Well, there's not much of a point. I just wanted to share a couple of observations with anyone reading, and who knows, perhaps when you, as a taller person, or as a man speaking to a woman, think about how the interaction is proceeding, you'll remember this post. Just because your biology tells you something, doesn't mean you have to listen to it; try listening to those around you first. You never know what you'll discover.