#KuToo no more! Japanese women take stand against high heels

TOKYO (Reuters) - A social media campaign against dress codes and expectations that women wear high heels at work has gone viral in Japan, with thousands joining the #KuToo movement.

Nearly 20,000 women have signed an online petition demanding the government ban companies from requiring female employees to wear high heels on the job - an example of gender discrimination, says Yumi Ishikawa, who started the drive.

The #KuToo campaign is a play on the word for shoes, or "kutsu" in Japanese, and "kutsuu" or pain.

Ishikawa, a 32-year-old actress and freelance writer, hopes the petition she submitted to the health ministry on Monday will lead to changes in the workplace and greater awareness about gender discrimination.

She launched the campaign after tweeting about being forced to wear high heels for a part-time job at a funeral parlor - and drew an overwhelming response from women.

"After work, everyone changes into sneakers or flats," she wrote in the petition, adding that high heels can cause bunions, blisters and strain the lower back.

"It’s hard to move, you can’t run and your feet hurt. All because of manners," she wrote, pointing out that men don’t face the same expectations.

While many Japanese companies may not explicitly require female employees to wear high heels, many women do so because of tradition and social expectations.

'THICKHEADED'

Ishikawa said her campaign had received more attention from international media outlets than domestic ones, and there was a tendency in Japan to portray the issue as a health one, not a gender one.

"Japan is thickheaded about gender discrimination,” she told Reuters in an interview. “It’s way behind other countries in this regard."

Japan ranks 110th out of 149 countries in the World Economic Forum’s gender-equality ranking.

"We need people to realize that gender discrimination can show up in lots of small ways," Ishikawa said, from how women are treated by their bosses to expectations that women will do all the housework and child-rearing even if they work.

In decades past, businessmen were expected to wear neckties, but that has changed since the government started a “cool biz” campaign in 2005 to encourage companies to turn down air-conditioners and reduce electricity use.

"It would be great if the country had a similar kind of campaign about high heels,” said Ishikawa.

She said she had been the target of online harassment over the campaign, mostly from men.

"I’ve been asked why I need to make such a big deal about this - can’t I just work this out with your company?" she said.

"Or that I’m selfish, that this is just part of etiquette."

The health ministry said it was reviewing the petition and declined to comment further.

In Britain, Nicola Thorp launched a similar petition in 2016 after she was sent home from work for refusing to wear high heels.

A subsequent parliamentary investigation into dress codes found discrimination in British workplaces, but the government rejected a bill banning companies from requiring women to wear high heels.

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She's tall. She's funny. And she's going to be advising people to, among other things, watch out for teenage hussies, never go bungee jumping naked, never go to Las Vegas without a Baptist and, above all, never send a man to the grocery store. She's Jeanne Robertson, a humorist and inspirational speaker who will appear Sunday at the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk. I knew her, in fact, before she was either Jeanne Robertson or Miss North Carolina (1963), but I never knew her when she was short.

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July 26, 2017 1:00 PM by Julia Felsenthal

"I think it"s incredibly progressive to talk about race in relationships,” says the actress, comedian, podcast host, and former Daily Show correspondent Jessica Williams. "And I also think it"s really progressive not to address it at all.”

I"m sitting with the actress—in person, she"s arrestingly tall and pretty—in a midtown New York hotel room, discussing her latest project, Jim Strouse"s The Incredible Jessica James , available to stream on Friday via Netflix. Strouse wrote the film as a star vehicle for Williams (she also gets credit as an executive producer), after casting her in his 2015 comedy People Places Things . In the new film, she plays the titular character, a 25-year-old theater geek who runs a drama program for New York City public school kids and aspires to playwriting glory. When we meet her, she is smarting from a string of professional and personal disappointments (when she"s not fantasizing about outlandish ways her recent ex-boyfriend might drop dead, she"s papering the walls of her deep-outer-borough apartment with rejection letters from every major theater company in the Western world).

Then Jessica"s friend Tasha (Noël Wells) sets her up with Boone (Chris O"Dowd), a slightly older app developer who is himself reeling from a divorce. They go on a terrible first date that turns into a tentative, maybe-not-so-terrible romance. From this premise springs a quiet, goofy rom-com about learning to recognize the good things that are right in front of your nose.

The Incredible Jessica James distinguishes itself from your average rom-com in myriad ways. There"s a deliberate effort to flip the script on gender dynamics. There"s an appealing hyper-realism to Strouse"s depiction of Boone and Jessica"s awkward, ambivalent courtship. There"s Jessica herself: passionate, slightly clueless, unflappable in the face of rejection, so much so that her abundance of self-esteem can seem at times like millennial self-delusion or even clinical narcissism. (At other times it just seems really, really healthy —and the fact that it"s off-putting may reflect more poorly on the viewer than on the character.)

And then there"s what goes unspoken. Jessica and Boone are opposites: He"s as self-deprecating and gibbering as she is self-assured and unnervingly direct. But their most visible difference—she"s black, he"s white—is never even mentioned in passing. Race certainly crops up: "Look at me,” Jessica says at one point. "I"m tall. I"m pretty. I"m smart. I am a cocoa queen. Obviously I will have a lot of great loves in my life.” It just never crops up between these two characters. "What I loved about Jessica,” says Williams, "is that she"s a black woman, and that is part of her identity. But in this story, it"s relevant and also irrelevant .”

Jessica James premiered at Sundance, so the film was long in the can by the time its star made headlines at the festival, first for delivering a rousing speech at the Park City Women"s March ("Williams is my last name, but it is not my real name. It is my slave name. I am my ancestors" dream. They fought for me to be able to stand up here in the cold-ass snow in front of a bunch of white people wearing Uggs”); then for publicly tussling with Salma Hayek over matters of intersectional feminism at a lunch for women in Hollywood (Hayek"s position: reject victimhood; Williams"s position: for certain women—black and trans women in particular—"it"s not so simple”).

"Race affects everything that I do, and everything that I create speaks to intersectionality,” Williams explains when I ask whether the film"s handling of interracial dating connects to the point she was trying to make at Sundance. "It"s not a hat I can take on and off. It is a fact and it just exists. It"s interesting, because that means, in a way, even if you"re not trying to be political, you kind of are.”

Later, she adds: "In a way, that"s kind of what it can mean to be black.”

We spoke more about her feelings on that incident, about making The Incredible Jessica James , and about why Williams, who left The Daily Show just before the 2016 presidential election went into overdrive, felt it was high time to move on from the satirical news business.

I"m really tall , so I loved that this movie is about an unusually tall woman. You"re 6 feet tall in real life. Has your height shaped your comedy?

Definitely. Height has been very, very central to the development of my personality. I think when you"re a tall girl, you feel a little bit like an outcast. You have to go to the back of the photo. You"re taller than all the boys. I know I felt more like an outsider. And then as I got older I just got used to it. I got like: I don"t date under 6 feet. That"s my policy.

I"m a lot more comfortable with it. The thing that annoys me as a tall woman: Sometimes I"ll be out somewhere and guys who are just around 6 feet are like, "How tall are you? Let"s stand back to back!” It"s like: Why? It"s always some 5-[foot]-10-ass dude, trying to stand butt to butt with you, trying to see who"s taller. It"s like, okay, alright, I"m the physical incarnation of your failures.

Your character operates with this intense self-confidence. It raises the question: Is she some prototypically self-absorbed millennial? Or is she just a person with a really healthy sense of self that we"re not used to seeing onscreen? How did you read her?

I read her as all of those things, actually. I think there"s something to the millennial sentiment of being, like, I"m great. But I think there"s also something really amazing and powerful about being, like, Oh, hey, I"m awesome. It"s a fine line. But I think it"s possible to be both, to not be the most annoying person in the world, to still be very intriguing and fun to watch. I see Jessica James as very layered and dynamic. I feel complicated. My friends feel complicated. All the women in my life feel complicated. So I was really excited to play her for that specific reason.

In anticipation of meeting you, I was re-reading the story that came out about the Sundance lunch where you got into it with Salma Hayek. Did that experience teach you any lessons about Hollywood that you didn"t already know?

I think I took away a lot about me, actually. I was in a really vulnerable position in that room, and I really felt the need to express myself at this massive table. So I think after I felt sad about it, it was like, oh at the end of the day, it was a little bit brave of me to be able to say that. And what I loved most was the response that it got. I really felt like no matter what happened in that room, there were so many women and men who understood what I was talking about and were really supportive. So I did feel a little alone in that situation, but as soon as I was out of it, there was a lot of love.

You left The Daily Show at the beginning of last summer, arguably when things really started to go haywire with the 2016 election. Have there been moments since then when you"ve felt pangs of: I wish I could get back into the satirical news game?

I only think of that when I come across people I used to work with, because I miss them. I worked in the best office ever. But for the most part: hell no. I really like where I"m at right now. I left The Daily Show to go shoot this movie. I really loved the process of making the movie. I don"t have any regrets about the way I left, and when I left, and what I"m choosing to do. Because, f*ck this. I mean that in the most eloquent way possible: F*ck. This.

You mean politics?

Yeah. Yeah.

In the film there"s this scene where Jessica James meets the Tony-winning playwright Sarah Jones and asks her: How do you know when you"ve made it? I"ll ask you the same question: How do you know when you"ve made it? Is it when a director writes a movie for you?

I guess so! I think my answer"s more like Sarah"s, where it"s like: Oh sh*t? I"ve made it? There is no official making it. You"re just in the process of it. But yeah, I guess so. I think you kind of just reminded me. Damn, wow, thank you for the life class. It"s just sort of this process: sitting in this hotel, talking to f*cking Vogue about a movie I shot. It"s more about the process and not about the destin— ashe .

I hate to bring up a sore subject, but it was just announced that Comedy Central isn"t moving forward with the pilot you were developing with comedian Naomi Ekperigin. In this film you play a character who manages, no matter what, to put a happy face on disappointment. Do you deal as well as Jessica James does?

That"s not a sore subject and it was not a disappointment. But I have, however, had a lot of rejection in this industry. I feel like I just need to lick my wounds. I need to acknowledge it. Before, I would have compartmentalized everything in a box, just pushed it away, not thought about it, then have it fester for a long time until it finally breaks out of me in a nonhealthy way. I think now I"m trying to acknowledge whatever my disappointments are, why I"m sad, either go talk to my therapist or go work out or something, try to figure out why it didn"t work. And then pull myself up, dust my f*cking outfit off, and get out there. Just keep moving.

Here"s a really basic question: Did the existence of the Netflix show Jessica Jones ever make you think, Maybe we should rename this movie?

I think originally the character"s name was Jessica Jones. We were like, eh, it"s fine, let"s just go with it. When I do press, people are still like: "So, I love The Incredible Jessica Jones .” I"m like: "That"s our b! We did that!”

Spoiler alert: You appear in a pretty dirty sex scene with Chris O"Dowd. How"d you psych yourself up for that?

Oh my god, I was so freaked out. I"m not somebody who even likes to hold hands in public. I"m mortified. Just the idea of doing a scene like that in front of a bunch of crew. … It"s really hot. There"s cameras and a man holding a boom mike who"s ready to go home. It"s so intense. But at the end of the day it"s like, I"m working. I really was like, deep breath.

Was it toward the end of the shoot?

Nope. It wasn"t like the end of the month, or the end of the year, where I could be like: Good night! Never going to see you guys again. I had to see everyone bright and early the next morning, look "em dead in the face at [craft services].

This interview has been condensed and edited.

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Julie Newmar, 5'11"

Julie emailed me in 2012: "Dear Joerg, Love your website, congratulations. In appreciation, a picture and quote from my new book:

“Tall girls, don’t slump.
Think of how many short guys out there
Would love to have your offspring.
Stand up for them.” 

Julie Newmar

About Julie

As an eleventh generation American and a Mayflower descendant, Julie Newmar has beauty, brains and a charming sense of humor. Born Julia Chalene Newmeyer in Los Angeles, her father, Donald, was an engineering professor, head of the Phys Ed. Department, and head football coach at LACC. He was on the L. A. Buccaneers Wonder Team. Her mother, Helen Jesmer, was a Ziegfeld Follies girl, said by Eddie Cantor to have the most beautiful legs in the Follies. From an early age, Julie studied classical piano, ballet, and every form of dance her mother would drive her to lessons for, graduating high school at 15, then spending a year in Europe with her mother and brother John. On her UCLA entrance exam, she scored a 99, staying only six weeks, switching to Universal Studios as choreographer, teacher, and dance double. Not yet 18, she was the original "Golden Girl," a statue-come-to-life dancing in "Serpent of the Nile," often times seen on MySpace, YouTube, and was one of the brides in the classic MGM musical "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."

"Silk Stockings" was her first role on Broadway at 19. Then the very "Stupefyin’ Jones" in "Li’l Abner." She won a Tony for her first speaking role in the hit comedy "Marriage-Go-Round" (Claudette Colbert and Charles Boyer). A contract with 20th Century Fox provided Marilyn Monroe/Jayne Mansfield-type roles in "The Rookie," "The Maltese Bippy,"… In London, she played the ubiquitous love interest of Zero Mostel in the unfinished film "Monsieur Le Coq." She also toured in the National Company, opposite Joel Gray, in "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off." Her legs were insured for $10 million (except in the event of theft).

Making the transition to TV, Julie had many memorable song and dance routines (a Jonathan Winters Special, The Danny Kaye Show, Mike Douglas Show) but is best known for her comedic as well as supernatural roles. She was the complex and alluring motorcycle babe in two episodes of "Route 66" (a role created for her by Stirling Silliphant) and starred in a "Twilight Zone" episode as The Devil. She was claimed again by Jim Aubrey, President of CBS for the lead in "My Living Doll" as Rhoda the robot, still a cult sitcom favorite.

In 1966, urged by her brother at Harvard, she created the role of Catwoman in "Batman." Her sense of humor and physicality made her this show’s most popular villain. Similarly popular was her appearance as April the Laundress in "The Monkees Get Out More Dirt". On "Wide, Wide World of Sports," she made three parachute jumps. She was killed off in "Columbo" but slayed audiences as Lola in "Damn Yankees." She was given a chapter in the book "Mothers of Invention" for having created "Nudemar," a new design in pantyhose, appearing in People Magazine.

In the 1980s, Julie appeared in nine films of "presumptive" value while raising her son. A mother at 49 and divorced, she attended UCLA and took courses so she could more effectively run her own real estate business. In 1991, Julie took on the Rosalind Russel role in "The Women," then astonished Broadway in a revival of "Li’l Abner," 42 years after performing in the original production as Stupefyin’ Jones in the same costume. In her 60s, she became a modeling sensation in Paris for Thierry Mugler and appeared among the fashion world’s most gorgeous divas in George Michael’s music video "Too Funky."

Few women have had a movie named after them. Julie’s name literally became box office via "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar," a film from Stephen Spielberg’s company. Literary types from John D. MacDonald to Harlan Coben have written characters based on Julie or alluding to Julie’s "special… beautiful and animated… incomparable feminine" personality. She was persuaded by Adam West to re-make Catwoman in his "Return to the Batcave." She also appeared in her own "A&E Biography."

A feud over "quality of life" issues with neighbor Jim Belushi ended amicably in a historic and hysteric guest spot on his show, "According to Jim," which once again proved she’s as active and attractive as ever. Batman’s formidable feline, Belushi’s archly attractive enemy.

From the ‘60s into the 21st century, Julie is still fascinating. "Beauty is her business" as well as her passion for art and design and gardening, which have led to a rose, day lily, and an orchid named in her honor. Her magnificent gardens are first choice for L.A.’s top charity events. "Why not? I live in Paradise."

A book on the oft asked questions "How do you look the way you do?" The answers are few when it comes to makeup and exercise. "It’s the inner life that’s all important". Check it out on JulieNewmar.com – her 2011 book, "The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life on Earth". She is currently writing short stories, magazine pieces, as well as a bi-monthly memoir on the beatitudes of yes, consummate bliss.

Visit Julie Newmar's website

Hello there. My name is Vanessa.

Growing up it was a little difficult always being heads and shoulders above the rest (literally). My first day of kindergarten I had to sit in a bean bag chair because they had to get a desk from 2nd grade for me to fit in. I can laugh about it now but looking back it was a very awkward situation! The Jr. High years were the most difficult I reached my full height of 6'2" in 7th grade and I was literally the tallest girl in the building and probably taller than most of the guys including the teachers! Highschool I was still awkward but coming more into my own and accepting my height and realizing that tall may be different but it can still be beautiful!"

Dating

The dating scene has much improved since highschool. I think when you walk around with more confidence you attract higher quality men. And yes I do wear heels on dates! And thanks to this website I can find many stylish heels in my size!! To love me is to love my height and the fact that Ilike to flaunt it!

Tidbits

"NO I DON'T PLAY BASKETBALL OR VOLLEYBALL! Haha... I get asked that question every day of my life. That and "How tall are you?" but instead of being touchy about it which would get you no where I just try to smile and be polite, afterall, most of the time they don't realize they are being nosey or rude they think they are just making conversation or admiring my height"

I have a little finishing quote that my mother said to me that i stick in the back of mind and take with me wherever i go.. "They may look at you cause you are tall but they keep looking because you are beautiful" and that is for every tall girl out there! Don't always assume they are looking cause you are JUST tall... you are TALL AND BEAUTIFUL!

All the best
Vanessa (6'2")

Jessica's Basics

Name: Jessica
Birthday: July 24th, 1979
Height: 6'3"
Location: United States

How did I deal with being tall when I was young?

I was a head taller than everyone from kindergarten and on until a couple of the guys caught up with me in high school. When I was younger, I always remember feeling different than other people, and I would try my best to fit in, however out of all things that make up your body, height is one that can not be changed! I was always involved in athletics, and being taller initially my body was growing all the time, so I was a little uncoordinated (still am at times!). I enjoyed all sports in gym class except for gymnastics for a month. This is a sport just not made for tall women!

My family is tall. My two sisters and I call ourselves the oreo sisters… I am 6'3" and brunette, my middle sister is 5'11" and blonde, my youngest sister is 6'5" and brunette! I always enjoyed being the tallest girl in the family until one college break I came home and my Mom said "Jessie, your sister is taller than you, stand back to back." …we did, she was a hair bit taller than me, but me with my pride said "she's wearing socks, I'm not!" (ha ha)

Why I love being tall?

It is what has made me who I am today. Going through all the harder times when I was younger gave me an understanding and compassion for other people who do not fit in. I work as a physical therapist, and it requires a lot of compassion and patience. As an added bonus, my patients feel safe with me when we are working on balance because of my size! Another thing that a good friend of mine once said was that if you are tall, you get instant respect. I thought about it and realized that in most cases, it was true.

The type of guys I like

I like a guy that is respectful of me and shares the same beliefs as me. I like a guy with a sense of humor and who has a great smile. I have learned that even guys who are taller but have no personality do not seem as tall to me and I have met guys who are shorter with a great personality who seem larger than life. It is all in how a guy carries himself.

How people treat me in public

When out in public, I do get asked all sorts of favors: "can you reach that for me?", "Wow, you're tall", "I bet your parents are tall", "Did you play basketball?" (I tell them that I did… I have learned that this is how some people start to open up with conversation when they don't know what else to say… they quickly realize there is more to me than my height!)

On shopping for clothes

One time while shopping with one of my roommates at Lane Bryant, back before there were limited options for tall women, I tried on a pair of regular jeans. The sales lady commented "those are cute capris"! My roommate busted out laughing saying "those are regular pants!"

Favorite comeback

I’ve heard someone say "wow, your tall!" with a response of "wow, your bald!"

Other random thoughts on the tall life

One of my patients had both legs amputated and was wearing prosthetics. We were the same height. She went to have them adjusted, and I noticed the next time that she came in that she was much shorter than me. The prosthetist had made her 5'8" to make it easier to get out of chairs. She was so sad that she lost her height, as this is what had identified her for her entire life. The good thing was that it could be adjusted back, but the lesson is to be proud of your height, it is part of who you are!

All the best
Jessica (6'3")

Lora's Basics

Name: Lora
Birthday: 
Height: 6'0"
Location: United States

I am 6ft tall, and being in the Midwest I get alot of stares. There are not many women around this area that are tall so I stick out. I am 28 years old and the tallest person in my family. My thoughts on being tall are this: I can not walk in to a room with out all eyes being on me. I think there is something powerful about a tall women who walks with confidence. She exerts a sexiness that short women can not. Growing up was not easy for me, I got made fun of and there were very few boys who were taller than me. Looking back, I believe alot of it was jealousy, or the fact that they didn't like someone who wasn't the same.

I have dated all kinds of men, shorter, taller, the same height. I do not think it makes one bit of difference as long as you are happy with yourself and your relationship, it will definitely show through. I have a daughter that is 9 years old, she is going to be tall like me. I am trying to teach her that its perfectly ok to be proud and tall. I don't want her to go through the things I did, but I also know that it made me a stronger person. A year ago I would not of been able to submit my picture and ask to be a tall woman of the month. I was very unhappy and overweight.

Since May of this year, I have lost around 40 pounds and have started to find my inner beauty once again. I have thought about modeling, but still don't think I am quite there. Your site gives me great hope, and I think that someday I will be able to do it!

Kind regards
Lora

Sharon's Basics

Name: Sharon
Birthday: December 1st, 1975
Height: 6'1 1/4" Location: Canada

Hi there. I just stumbled across your awesome website! I am most certainly a candidate for your tall woman of the month. I am just over 6'1" (that's without "hair" and without shoes of course) Most days I'm suited up in business attire, so with hair, and shoes, I am always in the 6'6" area. And I love being tall!

I am 34 years old (at the time of writing this), a fun & energetic kinda gal (too much energy, some may say!) and am a Canadian Tall Girl. I spend most days towering over my clients and friends, and checkin' out the tops of their heads.

Surprisingly, when I met with Gene Simmons (Kiss) in Vancouver back in 2009, I had teased him over the phone about being the "Tall Plumbing Queen"  (I am a plumbing sales representative) and surprise, surprise, when I walked into the room, Gene called me by that name, and him and I were of similar height... (he cheated though, because he had his new cow-hide cowboy boots on!!) Too funny.

All the best, Sharon

Name: Janet
Birthday: January 7th, 1964
Height: 5'11"
Location: USA

Hi, my name is Janet. I am 5'11", fun, flirty and 46. I love having the opportunity to be "Tall Woman of the Month" for July of 2011. I was born on January 7, 1964 in Illinois to tall parents. As a matter of fact, tallness was the norm in my family - my mom is 5'11", my dad is 6'2", and both of my brothers stand at 6'3" and 6'5". From early on, I was always the tallest in my class and never thought twice about it.

At the age of 12, when I moved to Ohio, I realized that I was different from other kids. The boys especially were not accepting of my height and I was bullied. I went to an all-girl high school as an escape. I, too, tried to hide my height by slouching, but my mother was always around to pull my shoulders back and say, "Stand up straight!" At the time, I just wanted to be like everyone else and blend in. It took me many years to accept the fact that I am tall, but now I am proud of my height and always display it with confidence! At work, you will often find me running up and down the halls with 2-3 inch heels and I love it. Heels somehow make those incredibly long legs look sexy and are admired by many! When asked why I wear heels, my response is always, "Because I can!" As tall women, we do stand out in the crowd, so why not give them something to look at and learn to appreciate your tallness as I did.

Employed within a school district, I work among basketball and volleyball coaches. I find it humorous when they say that they would love to have me on their team. And let's not forget about all those customers who will express a look of relief when I walk down their aisle at the grocery store because they are in need of an item on a shelf that is out of "their" reach. Without fail, I am always at their aid. However, there are times when I have been tempted to ask them to grab something off the lower shelf for me.

What kind of guys do I like? I especially like tall men. I absolutely love this website!!! It is truly refreshing to hear stories and words of wisdom from other tall women around the world.

Remember to hold your head up high and realize that tall women ARE gorgeous and beautiful!

Name: Kate and Lynn
Birthday: January 5th 1984
Height: 6'2"
Location: USA

This entry is a little unique because I am writting on behalf of my twin sister Lynn and Me (Kate). We are both 6'2" and absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE our height!!!! We were SO lucky growing up to have each other to deal with being so much taller then everyone. Our nickname throughout our entire childhood was The Twin Towers.

As we entered teen years we really began to enjoy our height and flaunt it every chance we got. Since we were always together EVERYONE stared at us and made comments. You learn that height is not ever something you can change and that you should embrace,love, and be confident with the person you are.

Lynn and I have always lived our lives happy to be tall, and confident with our height. Over the years we have dated every type of guy out there...you miss out on a lot of great people if you only date in or above you height. We have dated really tall, tall, average, and short men. It is about the connection you have with someone, not their physical characteristics that determine true love! I have been with my husband for over seven years now and he is 5'8". Lynn has been with her boyfriend now three years and he is 6'2". Being tall is a GIFT and we love it every single day!!!!

Addition (by Joerg): Kate and Lynn also own TallwaterJeans.com. I believe this deserves to be mentioned on here.

Hello there. My name is Andrea Marie. I am 24 and live in South Florida. I'm excited to be the Tall Woman of the Month for June 2007. As a child, always being the tallest in my class was difficult; the other kids always teased me and the boys not only didn't like me, they made fun of me! Not surprisingly I was always recruited for sports because of my height and long extremities. Despite not having the aggressiveness needed in the sport I played basketball. Just to show how unagressive I was, when I would hit the other girls by accident I would apologize! To this day, however, I still really enjoy volleyball, especially on the beach or in the pool.

Overcoming the obstacles I faced growing up was difficult. I was interested in cheerleading and dance yet was rarely chosen to join the team because I was "too tall," and seen as the "big girl" that did not fit in. This only added to my insecurities as a teenager. It took me until college to finally be comfortable with my height. Over time I learned to accept being tall and now it makes me more confident.

I proudly wear heels (and am so glad it is easier to find nice ones in my size!) I like being tall and see it as an advantage. People often tell me that I have a commanding presence when I enter a room. Ironically it used to bother me getting so much attention but now I welcome it. Interestingly enough if someone doesn't remember me as Andrea, but rather as the "tall girl," they still remember me and that's a good thing! My height has definitely proven to be effective in networking.

When people comment on my height I just smile. I wish society would not view height, or anything that is not the norm, as a strange or bad thing, when it is in fact rare and quite beautiful, exactly what makes us unique as individuals.

All the best
Andrea Marie

Jennifer's Basics

Name: Jennifer
Birthday: February 14th, 1980
Height: 6'2"
Location: United States

"Duh, do you play basketball lady?", "How's the weather up there?", "Man, you're tall, what's your shoe size?", "You're so big and strong, I bet you could bench press me." Being a long tall blonde sure does bring out the "duh" factor in people, doesn't it? Just for the record, I don't play basketball, wrestle, I buy my shoes at Nordstroms and I can't, won't and do not want to pick you up and carry you around! Now that the air's clear, I have a few thoughts on what it's like to be a tall person in a small world.

First off, my adolescence was filled with interesting life experiences. I was a drama nerd, color guard, dancer, and reluctant student. I was the only one who could spin a flag while kneeling, toss the flag so high it hit the lights in the field, and kicked about the height of most girls shoulders. Let's just say I stood out a bit.  

Acting was my first love and I have been in drama since my freshman year in high school, and continue it to this day. I'm "SAGED" now, so they pay me to do what I love, cool, eh? I'm always the "biker-babe" with the heart of gold, the scary next door neighbor and the "surprise" behind the door. Being really tall has its advantages! (for some weird reason, I always wind up playing a German girl, I'm still trying to figure out that one.)

I'm not just a pretty face though. I went to college and received a degree in both culinary skills and bakery. I figure you always need a backup plan, and this is mine. (I'll be serving scones in the parking lot after the show.)

I've been called my share of names, but I rarely let it get to me. As a matter of fact, I only remember one time and I yelled so hard at the guy, I think he peed himself (the puddle gave it away). I've been called "Chewbacca" so many times I learned how to do his roar. It's so good I include it in my act. What act you ask? I attribute all my life experiences to the fact that I am now a stand-up comedian! I have carefully written all the comments, remarks and stupidity that has been casually tossed my way and now I use it all in my act! It's great and I will never need therapy!  

I will admit, it can be hard to be different in a "little" world. People act like you chose being tall deliberately, like a vocation. They stare at you, make remarks and assumptions, and the meanest one laugh. (I've yet to get the joke). But I want to tell you with all my heart, I LOVE my height, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Wanting to be average is so boring to me. What would be better in my life? I get the freshest air before it comes down to the little people, I see the view faster and I wouldn't have the "act" I perform today! As I say in the opening of my act "Why date a twig when you can climb the whole tree!!!"

I wish you all the best
And a lifetime of laughter

Jennifer (6'2" and darn proud of it!)

Stacey's Basics

Name: Stacey
Birthday: July 10th, 1982
Height: 6'1"
Location: United States 

Hi! My name is Stacey and I stand at a tall and beautiful 6'1". When I was younger I never really noticed how much taller I was than everyone. It wasn't until my sixth grade graduation that I came to the realization that I was pretty dang tall. The teachers had lined us all up in alphabetical order to walk down the isle and accept our certificates. It was then as I stood towering above the two boys I stood in between that I thought either I'm graduating with the wrong class or I'm just really tall. I haven't always accepted my height. My mom was constantly telling me to stand up straight while she tried to push my shoulders back. Sometimes I would feel really awkward and I would wish that I could be shorter just for a day to know what it felt like.

I remember being in the grocery store ready to check out and I must have been complaining about my height to a friend because the lady in front of me turned around, looked at me and said, " You are beautiful and you are going to LOVE your height". I was thinking yeah right lady you don't know what it's like. But you know what? She was absolutely right. As I got older I have fallen in love with how tall I am. I LOVE IT!!! When I joined the Army when I was nineteen I was put in leadership positions I believe because of my height. I guess there was a bit of an intimidating factor.

I remember the many comments I would get while I was out and about. I was doing a little birthday shopping one year and as I was turning my shopping cart around the corner this little boy was standing there with his mother. He looked up at me with that deer in the headlights look as his mom took his hand and continued walking. But as he was walking away I heard him say to his mom, "That's one big tall monster!" I had to burst out laughing at this one!!! It was sooooo funny cause kids can be so honest at times :) The comment I get the most as I'm sure ALL tall girls get is " DO YOU PLAY BASKETBALL?" Like that's all I'm good for? Come on! I can also reach the top shelf!:) It's good to keep a sense of humor about these type of things. You can't let it get to ya.

I also absolutely LOVE seeing other tall women. A couple of years ago I was with my hubby in Hawaii. We were hangin out at Dave and Busters which is basically an adult's version of Chuckie Cheese. There must have been a volleyball tournament because there were alot of tall women there. I totally felt at home. It was so funny. I whispered to my husband, "Look it's my family :)"

I never dated guys based on their height because to me it shouldn't matter if a guy is taller than me it should matter how much he loves me. Come to think of it I have never dated a guy that was taller than me. My husband who is 5'9" absolutely LOVES my height and loves me for me. All six feet one inches of me :)

I believe as tall women/teens/kids we have been given this great gift and we need to walk with our heads held high and embrace the uniqueness of who we are. Cause you only get one life and one body. BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE!!! :)

All the best
Stacey

Michelle's Basics

Name: Michelle
Birthday: September 24th, 1986
Height: 6'1 1/4" Location: USA

Hi there, everyone. My name is Michelle. I have never been short or regular. From pre-school til high school I believe I had always been the tallest in my grade/class. I enjoy my height a lot more than in the past years, especially in school. During that time in my life I felt left out and totally different from everybody else. My self-image played a big role in that, I'm sure. I am fine with my height now. I've realized that I am tall, and there is nothing wrong about it, thus, I love myself the way I am.

As a woman who wants to work in the mission field, sing, minister and help those who are in need, I believe the height may play a factor... Seems that people generally look up to tall people (literally and non), like they are heroic, strong and in my case barbaric (hence the last name Savage, ha ha). Our height, of course, can bring confidence and strength, but everything else I've named can only be found in our heart.

I must admit that I enjoy all the attention, even though I sometimes feel self conscious of my weight when I am getting looked at, I don't think I've felt badly of my height in years. I desire to be strong, long and gorgeous inside and out. Once I'd decided to believe, love and understand the purpose of my life, nothing pulled me down...We "Tall-ens" are designed to do only what we can do....be you, and you of course are beautiful just the way you stand.

While height is just physical gift, it does bring small gifts and joy each day of our lives. Thank you for allowing me to comment and share myself on this site. I've enjoyed this and hope that it will help other tall ladies feel more comfortable with themselves. 

Sincerely, Michelle

Name: Julianna
Birthday: January 27th, 1992
Height: 6'2"
Location: USA

Hello! My name is Julianna, and I am 6'2" and still counting. I am 18, my birthday is January 27, and I live in the U.S. I would definitely like to say that growing up; knowing that you are different is VERY, VERY hard on a child. You are made fun of, teased, people are scared of you, and it can lead to something serious if you do not know how to find inner happiness with what you have.

It was VERY hard for me to assimilate to my height because I did not get noticeably tall until about the ninth grade, that is when I was taller than every boy and every teacher in my middle school. I would like to say that someone should honor what he or she has, even if they feel like it's a flaw, its apart of you, and you can not alter that. You should love what God gave you, because it is something beautiful.

Not every tall woman has to play basketball, but I feel like tall women have something that normal height women do not possess, I cannot put my finger on it, but I feel like we have something extra in us. I would definetly say the questions im so acustom to hearing are "do you play basketball?", "How tall are you?", "Is your mom or dad tall?". But when it comes to guys, it is definitely hard to get a date because the ones that you might like might be taken, or they are intimidated by you, or they just do not want to be with someone tall. Hearing that from a guy can hurt! Moreover, even the ones who are tall, like the girls that as 5'3"... I never understood that.

Now when it comes to shoe and clothes shopping it's a nightmare. Sometimes because I might see some shoes that I fall in love with, but the shoe size stops at a 10... or I see some very cute and inexpensive jeans, but they're not long enough. I wear a size 12 shoe, so it's very VERY hard to find a nice heel, or a casual sandal. Clothes shopping was worse because my legs are super long... so finding an inseam of 36" or 37" is hard. But as I'm growing up, I'm starting to find places where they sell my size shoe and my length of pants!

Nevertheless, as I said before, dealing with all this comes from having inner happiness. I love myself for what I am, and not how people view me because if you ask anyone who knows Julie, they will tell you she is the most hilarious, open minded, friendly individual you will ever meet. I guess that is how I dealt with my awkwardness around people, I just started mingling with people, I love to socialize and get to know everyone, so therefore if someone is having a problem with herself, whether they are tall or not, I can help them.

Final thoughts

I feel like every young girl should love themselves, and every tall girl should honor what they have, don't be hesitant because of your size, don't be scared, be happy that you are set apart from every other girl on planed earth! Don't be afraid to do things because of your height. Trust me, I know. I'm the tallest out of all my friends and sometimes I get a little upset when were all out and it feels like the attention I get is basically harrassment, and the attention my friends get is admiration... but I don't let it get to me. I stand out for a reason, and so many other tall women do too. Never downplay yourself... beauty comes in many forms. Plus EVERY man wants to climb a tree... even if they don't admit it!

Name: Steffenie
Birthday:
Height: 6'2"
Location: The Netherlands

I am Steffenie, a 17 year old girl from the Netherlands. Yes, the country where all the giants live. And I am one of them. I am 6'2" and proud! When I was younger, I always felt like the weird one. I was the tallest person in my class; I was even taller then all the boys. Luckily when I went to high school, I met more tall people. Mostly guys though. Yet my girlfriends where always so much smaller!

When I am going out of the city, out of the province, people stare. They are used to tall people in the Northern part where I live, but only a bit in the rest of The Netherlands. I remember going to the UK where I constantly bumped my head because the doors in our rented caravan where only 6'1". And standing in a supermarket in France wasn't that great either, I was the tallest person of all the persons standing in the lines to pay their groceries.

Oh well, I am quite proud that I have got some thighs and that I am not a tall stick! I hope I can be a bit of an example for the younger ones, for the teens. You should be proud! All the tiny women would love to have a bit of your height!

About boys... ah, that's a tough one. I was bullied a lot at primary school, not because of my height though, so my confidence wasn't always that "high". Still have got some problems with that, so boys are a though one haha! I always say that I never want to date a guy who is smaller than me, but I recently had this enormous crush on (2) guys who weren't as tall as I am. Woopsie!

Kind regards
Steffenie

Dr. Kathlyn (Kara) Cooney is a professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture at UCLA. Specializing in craft production, coffin studies, and economies in the ancient world, Cooney received her PhD in Egyptology from Johns Hopkins University. In 2005, she was co-curator of Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Cooney produced a comparative archaeology television series with her husband, Neil Crawford, entitled Out of Egypt, which aired in 2009 on the Discovery Channel and is available online via Netflix and Amazon.

The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt is Cooney's first trade book, and it benefits from her immense knowledge of Egypt's ancient history to craft an illuminating biography of its least well-known female king. As an archaeologist who spent years at various excavations in Egypt, Cooney draws from the latest field research to fill in the gaps in the physical record of Hatshepsut. Published by Crown Publishing Group, the book releases on October 14, 2014.

Cooney's current research in coffin reuse, primarily focusing on the 20th Dynasty, is ongoing. Her research investigates the socioeconomic and political turmoil that have plagued the period, ultimately affecting funerary and burial practices in ancient Egypt. This project has taken her around the world over the span of five to six years to study and document more than 300 coffins in collections, including those in Cairo, London, Paris, Berlin, and Vatican City.

She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

Visit her website

Karlie Kloss is one of the top supermodels in the world

• She has been talking about fashion for women her height
• Karlie has given some of her top tips for tall girls

It is fair to say that most of the women in the world love shoes and some women have shoes with ridiculously big heels on them. However, there are plenty of tall women in the world who struggle with big heels on their shoes, as they all tower above many guys in the world and can sometimes feel awkward.

Well, the gorgeous Karlie Kloss is one of the top supermodels on the planet and she has had to deal with being a tall woman for many years now. Karlie has admitted that she prefers not to wear heels as she is very tall already, so she has given some of her top tips to the taller women in the world.

Kloss explained, "I feel like I can conquer the world in a pair of flats. I think I would look like a crazy woman walking around N.Y.C. in heels since I'm 6'1″ and 6'4″ in heels. Plus, I take the subway, so I'd stand out even more! I love being super-tall because I can wear flats on the red carpet. I'm also always running around in sneakers. I probably have at least 50 pairs. Like I love wearing high-waisted trousers to make my legs look even longer."

She added, "And I get to wear amazing gowns at a runway show that nobody else could pull off because it's so long. I definitely do not look good in something that's too short. Everything gets shorter on me! There are definitely upsides to it. If you're really tall, I think you should own it. I think it's great to find what makes you different and accentuate it, and use them to stand out even more."

So, there you have it. If you are a taller woman and are keen to try some things a bit different, then why not take these great tips from Karlie Kloss and adapt them for your own lifestyle.

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Katherine Webb, wife of former Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, is set to appear on Good Morning America to talk about cyberbullying. Webb has experience when it comes to cyberbullying, after being targeted by "skinny-shamers" on the social-media site Instagram. Katherine Webb has been updating her Instagram account with pictures of herself, and the she is shocked by the negative responses she’s been getting that criticize her for being "too skinny."

After posting a picture of herself in a bikini, several of her followers left rude comments such as "someone please give her a sandwich" and "too skinny." As a response to her critics, Katherine Webb posted a screencap of the negative comments on her Instagram account and wrote, "To all of you who think I need to gain weight or eat more, I eat just fine. I am 5'11 so I have a lot more places to put my calories."

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