Dawniece's Basics
Name: Dawniece
Birthday: July 18, 1984
Height: 6'1 1/2"
Location: United States
Hey Ladies! Firstly, I want to thank Joerg for this fabulous website. I wish I would have stumbled upon it in middle school. So my story is similar to most of the ladies' here. But I have to thank my grandfather for preaching the importance of standing up, being proud, and letting 'em look. By the time I was in third grade I realized that I was taller than average, but it was amusing. I enjoyed the fact that I could wear my grandma's shoes, and that my third grade teacher had to look up to me. Even the whole "leave her alone b/c she can kick your butt" thing worked in my favor for a while. (I was the oldest child to a family of sisters, so I was the protector). My height only started becoming a problem around fifth grade. I was a talented softball player (pitcher and 1st base), but the league I played for wanted me to play with kids 2-3yrs. older because of my size. My mother didn't agree and neither did I, so I stopped playing.
Then, it was really nerve racking in middle school b/c I was taller than everyone, so boys weren't interested. Older men would come onto me because I was 5'10 at 14, but it was confusing. (Like some of the other ladies stated, people expect you to be more mature just because you are tall). I didn't play basketball, but everyone asked me, and then when I finally attempted to in 8th grade, I made a fool of myself b/c they automatically put me on the good squad due to my height (but I had no fundamentals). Anyway, to cut a long story short. Older people told me to be proud of my height. But my peers saw it as a point of ridicule, or antagonism (though I was one of the nicest people). I was called green giant, grasshopper, lanky, amazon, giant, etc. I'm sure the fact that I couldn't find properly fitting clothes, my hairstyle was too old for me, and I wore huge glasses made me an even easier target.
But I was fine by high school. People still commented on my height, but it didn't phase me. I worked, so I made it a point to buy my own clothes and read the latest magazines for current trends. I even started dating, I found guys near or at my height (6'0) at the time. But shorter guys were interested too, my mother already told me that I would have no problems, she told me that in her experience, lots of men love taller women (she is 5'10). The only self conscious issue I was dealing with was my weight. I was thin looking at 165lbs and 6'0, but my basketball friends were only a couple inches shorter than me at a super small 130lbs (it took me forever to realize that 1. black girls are built differently, and 2. I had a natural athletic build). I either wanted the scale to weigh in that size, or I wanted the beautiful curves my momma had.
I just graduated from college (with distinction and honors), and I am completely confident in myself. After gaining weight my freshman year, exercise finally let it even out, and I am sportin' the curves (I get it from my momma). I stopped growing at statuesque 6'1 1/2, but I love to throw on my fire engine red pumps, because I love me and so do others when they see me strut my stuff proudly. I am over dating men taller than me (that never worked out), and I am happy with my boyfriend of over a year who is only 6'0. When other people ask me my height or make comments, I just flash them a grin, say "yea, and I love it", and keep on going. My grandpa was right, as long I stand tall and be proud, people wont help but stare... in admiration :) God is Good!
All the best!
Dawniece