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