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Sizing Someone Up~ Atreides ~ From a guy’s perspective, looks most certainly do count. While we may try valiantly to deny it, this is hardly a secret to the women socializing on-line. While looks may not matter nearly as much once a couple has met and gotten to know one another, getting at least as far as that first meeting seems to create a moral dilemma for a woman with less than a perfect body. So, how do women deal with that inevitable question: "What do you look like?" Let's assume that she's ruled out lying. After all, what happens when you meet after describing your body as a Baywatch, when in fact the whole bay is just a tad closer to the truth? The answer should be obvious: you fudge. I would have to estimate that better than 90% of the women I met on-line either had never stepped onto a scale, or didn't know the definition of the word "pounds." What else could explain the extraordinary diversity of the answers I received? The most common two responses are "average" and "weight proportionate to height." Average can cover a multitude of sins (usually of the chocolate variety). According to the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, the desirable weight range for a 5'4" (subtracting heels) woman ranges from 117 pounds to 155 pounds, a 32% range. The reference becomes even less meaningful when viewed against actual demographics, rather than MetLife's desirable ranges. The proportionate tag is still more obscure, particularly to a cynic like myself. When I hear a woman describe herself as "weight proportionate to height," my mind naturally construes her as having a weight proportionate to someone standing 6'2", even if she's actually only 5'2". Some women preferred saying they're a "size eight" or "size twelve," knowing full well what a mystery such labels are to most guys. Hell, even dress designers can't quite manage standard sizes. For instance, 1980's size 14 is something like today's size 8. Facts like that give a whole new definition to the term "inflation." This works both ways, too. Lest I get labeled a lecherous male, women quite often apply similar criteria to us males. It is certainly no fun reading that a woman will only consider a guy who's over 6'2", when I'm 5'9". Advice? As trite as it may sound, be honest. Be prepared and willing to trade photos -- if not immediately, then within the first few e-mails. Sure, it could possibly bring a speedy end to the correspondence. Yet, better then rather than after a large emotional investment in one another. Resource: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Height & Weight Tables |
