heightism

English

Etymology

From height +‎ -ism.

Noun

heightism (uncountable)

1. (informal) A prejudiced attitude about human height that often results in discrimination, based on the belief that unusually short or tall people are inferior and undesirable.

   Hypernyms: sizeism; < bias

   Coordinate term: weightism

   • 1976, Robert Marsh Kloss, Ron E. Roberts, Dean S. Dorn, Sociology with a Human Face: Sociology as If People Mattered:

     It is obvious that the dimensions of inequality could be extended to include a great many differences such as heightism where people who are taller are superior to people who are shorter, and so forth.

   • 2001, James C. Peterson, Genetic Turning Points: The Ethics of Human Genetic Intervention:

     There might be reinforcement of already harmful social evils such as heightism and racism.

   • 2005, Betty M. Adelson, The Lives of Dwarfs: Their Journey from Public Curiosity Toward Social Liberation:

     Given this background, how can dwarfs, beset by beautyism, heightism, and a succession of slights, move toward positive body images and self-esteem?

See also

• short man syndrome

 

Anagrams

• high times