As Aamir Khan opens up about height insecurity, Indian men share thoughts on height, self-worth, and redefining masculinity

The interaction of tallness bias extends beyond idiosyncratic spaces into nonrecreational realms. Mohd Shamim Ansari, 31, a PR Manager, recalls becoming his school’s Head Boy successful 10th grade. “At conscionable 5’2’’, I defied expectations. It taught maine that enactment is astir work and charisma, not stature.”

Hrithik Sahu, 24, too, spoke astir the subtle ways tallness bias manifests successful nonrecreational settings. “During meetings oregon brainstorming sessions, I often felt the request to talk louder oregon asseverate myself much conscionable to beryllium noticed.” He besides recalled a peculiarly telling incident: “During a squad restructuring, my manager overlooked maine for a enactment relation and chose idiosyncratic who appeared much ‘commanding’ — a tall, well-built man.”

The dating country presents its ain acceptable of challenges. Sanchit Sharma, a PR enforcement astatine Mediatronics PR, said, “A lucifer from a dating app told maine successful idiosyncratic they assumed I’d beryllium taller. That hurt.” Over time, helium learned that “what genuinely matters successful relationships goes beyond appearances.”

The media’s portrayal of masculinity adds different furniture to these challenges. “The perfect superhero is ever this tall, unfazed man, super-intelligent and physically intimidating,” Mohanchandra said, adding that helium finds the “‘boys don’t outcry and request to beryllium pugnacious each the time” communicative adjacent much damaging than tallness stereotypes.

Hrithik Sahu, 24, spoke astir the subtle ways tallness bias manifests successful nonrecreational settings. (Source: Hrithik Sahu)

Research and intelligence Impact

According to CNN, a 2020 survey published successful The Lancet aesculapian diary recovered that “of the countries examined, China saw the largest antheral tallness summation betwixt 1985 and 2019.” Meanwhile, Indian men person experienced lone a flimsy summation successful tallness implicit the aforesaid period, prompting questions astir the factors that mightiness beryllium limiting maturation successful India.

In an earlier speech with indianexpress.com, Dr Jagadish Hiremath shed airy connected the factors contributing to India’s marginal tallness increases. “While India has seen economical growth, challenges specified arsenic malnutrition, inequitable healthcare access, and poorness stay barriers to important tallness increases. Malnutrition continues to impact implicit 30 per cent of Indian children, limiting their afloat maturation imaginable compared to their Chinese counterparts,” helium said.

A 2024 survey successful Sex Roles explored the intelligence pressures tied to carnal characteristics, stating, “These results suggest that men higher successful immoderate stereotypically masculine sex relation characteristics person an elevated request to execute socially desirable masculine carnal characteristics, and bash truthful to specified a grade that they are prone to distorting this important facet of their assemblage size.”

The intelligence implications of tallness were besides highlighted successful a 2009 survey published successful Economics & Human Biology. Researchers recovered “fairly robust grounds that taller teen males fare somewhat amended than their shorter counterparts successful presumption of intelligence well-being.”

What intelligence wellness professionals say

Mental wellness professionals stressed that these experiences are acold from isolated incidents. “Societal expectations often necktie masculinity to carnal stature, leaving shorter men susceptible to feelings of inadequacy,” said Sonal Khangarot, licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, The Answer Room. These biases tin manifest successful assorted ways, from “heightened self-consciousness and societal withdrawal to adjacent overcompensation done assertive behaviour,” according to her.

“At conscionable 5’2’’, I defied expectations. It taught maine that enactment is astir work and charisma, not stature,” said Mohd Shamim Ansari (Source: Mohd Shamim Ansari)

Neha Cadabam, elder scientist astatine Cadabams Hospitals, pointed to probe highlighting the factual intelligence effects of what experts word “heightism”. “Research published in Psychological Science highlights that shorter men whitethorn acquisition diminished self-esteem, societal anxiety, and adjacent higher rates of depressive symptoms owed to perceptions that tallness correlates with dominance, leadership, and attractiveness,” she said.

Building resilience, changing perceptions, and uncovering success

For those struggling with height-related anxiety, professionals recommended respective applicable strategies. Khangarot suggested circumstantial breathing techniques: “Deep breathing, specified arsenic the Box Breathing Method—inhale for 4 seconds, clasp for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds—helps unbend the parasympathetic tense system, reducing fight-or-flight response.”

Cadabam listed much approaches for gathering resilience:

• Body neutrality practices: Focus connected what your assemblage enables you to bash alternatively than however it looks.
• Role exemplary identification: Draw inspiration from palmy figures who’ve thrived contempt societal stereotypes.
• Mindfulness exercises: Regular signifier of self-soothing and reassuring techniques.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy: Address distorted reasoning patterns linked to insecurity.

The men we spoke to person besides developed their ain strategies for navigating these biases. Ansari believes authenticity is key: “I’ve learned that being humble, kind, knowledgeable, and persistent tin assistance you emergence supra immoderate societal expectations oregon insecurities. Your actions and dedication specify you acold much than immoderate carnal trait ever could.”

For Aditya Mohanchandra, 38, these insecurities manifested aboriginal successful his sporting career. (Source: Aditya Mohanchandra)

Sahu recovered powerfulness successful humour and self-acceptance. “I started focusing connected improving my connection skills, dressing sharply, and cultivating a consciousness of humour, because, of course, I see my humour arsenic my superpower,” helium said, adding, “Stand-up drama has played a large relation successful this journey. Watching comedians normalise the weirdest insecurities, including things similar height, made maine consciousness little unsocial and taught maine to laughter astatine myself.”

Both experts stressed the request to situation societal definitions of masculinity. “Shifting taste narratives to prioritise qualities similar empathy, resilience, and affectional quality is crucial,” according to Cadabam. She besides said, “Embracing divers definitions of masculinity tin trim intelligence wellness challenges linked to societal expectations.”

“Normalising vulnerability tin animate men to worth themselves beyond societal yardsticks,” Khangarot said, echoing Aamir Khan’s ain realisation that occurrence and self-worth stem from quality and contribution, not carnal stature.