The celebrated writer and performer, Caroline Biss, have always been open about her height. Born in New York City, Biss was not tall as a child, but by the time she was an adult, had attained an incredibly tall height. After suffering an auto accident in her youth, Biss was told that she would never be a tall woman, and this sent her on a quest to learn more about herself. Searching through her mother’s closet, Biss discovered that there were no pictures of her when she was a child and was comforted by the fact that she looked “normal”. When she began working as a model in the nineteen sixties, Biss began to feel that she could be herself in public, and that feeling gradually transformed into a desire to be taller.
Height and identity, especially when it comes to being perceived as tall or being the same height as someone you love, has been an issue for women throughout history. Many cultures around the world associate height with beauty and sexuality, and in certain societies and times, being considered “tall” were seen as a sign of social success. In America, height gaps between the rich and poor were often justified by pointing to a person’s “big toes”, or lack thereof. In some instances, this is still the case. Height discrimination, such as what is experienced by Biss, often has a long history in America.
For Biss, understanding who you are and what you want out of life is as simple as looking in the mirror. “I am not an old lady who is struggling to find her identity in a sea of sameness,” she says. “I am not trying to prove to anyone that I am something other than me.” Being yourself is not dependent on other people’s judgment, and neither does it mean that you have to fit in with everyone. You can be unique and enjoy your life without having to sacrifice your own sense of self.