Marie Temara, 28, has been on the taller side most of her life.
When she was a child, she was always at least a head bigger than all of the other boys and girls in her classes.
Even as a baby, she weighed 12 lbs when she was born.
Now as a grown up, Marie, from Palm Beach, Florida, said it’s been ‘extremely difficult’ for her to find a man who’s taller than her.
‘Dating at my height is almost impossible because it is so limited,’ she said.
‘One guy I went on a date with said he was 6’5 on his online dating profile, but when I met up with him, he was at most 5’11.
‘I’ve been told “no one likes tall girls”, I look like a “man in heels”, I’m “too heavy to be a girl” and that “the Giants are looking for a linebacker”.
‘I would never wear heels and would slouch in public. I’d do anything to make myself appear shorter to fit in.
‘However, recently I have started dating shorter guys, and now that I’m open to dating at any height, it is much easier.
‘But sometimes it’s still difficult to find a guy that is OK with me being taller than him.
‘I hope to change the dating stigma that “men have to be the taller ones in the relationship” because height shouldn’t matter.
‘I don’t mind being a foot taller or two taller than any man.’
Marie is actually the shortest member of her family. Her dad is 6’3″, her mother’s 6’5″, one of her brothers is 6’9″, and her youngest brother towers over everybody at 6’10″.
She sadly had to deal with a lot of bullying in school for her height.
She recalled: ‘Kids would pick on me and call me a man or a house because I was taller and heavier than most of the male teachers.
‘I had no friends and other children would taunt me so badly, that I would eat lunch alone in the bathroom stall.
‘Looking back on that, I don’t know how kids could be so cruel to someone just because they look different.’
Marie’s grown into a confident woman in spite of the cruel things she’s been told, but she still has to deal with the practical challenges of being taller than the average woman.
She added: ‘Trousers are never long enough, and I can never find my shoe size, which is a men’s size 12.
‘I have to custom order all of my clothes and shoes, which can get very expensive and time-consuming.
‘Day-to-day things can be a bit more challenging for me such as cars, planes, rollercoasters, doorways, shower heads, toilets, beds, and other household appliances are almost always too small for me.’
But there are also plenty of advantages to her being 6’2″, like being able to see everything at sporting events, having a competitive edge in basketball, and reaching things on high shelves.
There are also lots of men who love Marie’s height.
She said: ‘I get generally positive comments on my height now and many short kings praise me for my long legs, calling me “Mommy long legs”, saying “we are all the same height laying down” and “I’d climb that tree”.
‘Nowadays, I embrace my curves as a plus-size model. I’m proud to be tall and try to inspire others that being tall and different is beautiful.
‘I am now ultra-feminine because I don’t ever want to be called a man again, and I’m trying to change the stigma that being tall isn’t a masculine trait.
‘You can be a tall girl and still be feminine.
‘I just hope to inspire others and show them that being tall, plus-size, and different is beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of.
‘Also, to try and change the dating stigma that short kings and tall queens don’t belong together.’
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
MORE : A guide to dating an over-achiever, for everyone who’s ‘just Ken’
MORE : ‘He was a delicious distraction’: The truth about sex and dating after your partner dies
MORE : Channel 4 launching new dating show encouraging ‘throuples’ after David Hayes ménage à trois
For all the latest Lifestyle News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
