Height difference between spouses is a subject of great interest in Turkish culture and society. For this reason, many articles on different aspects of marriage have been written by individuals with various nationalities. One such article written by Juliana Findikoglu who is the owner of a weight-loss center in Antalya, Turkey has caused quite a stir within the weight loss community and beyond. In her article, she addresses the issue of marriage within a Turkish perspective-one which is very different from that of western cultures where the marriage relationship is considered to be sacred and almost always with the intentions of reproduction of children.
In her article, Findikoglu claims that ‘height difference’ should not be seen as something to be concerned about, but rather as a positive feature of a potential partner’s physique which adds to his or her attractiveness. Height is perceived to be a very important factor by Turkish and western cultures. This is because of the association of marriage and the home with attaining a certain stature. For instance, a Turkish man is expected to be 6 feet tall. If he happens to be less than six feet, then this will be seen as a curse by Turkish women and even by western men, who are more attracted to women with tall heights.
The major point of the article however, revolves around the question of beauty. Height is not something which is judged by physical dimensions, but rather it is judged by the eye. According to Findikoglu, this is why taller men are more likely to get into politics as opposed to men with short height such as sports figures. This is because a tall person is considered to have the eye of others-someone who is confident enough in his/her profession to attain that position of high office.