A woman who is six inches taller than her husband has slammed Tinder’s new height filter feature.
At 5ft 7in, Jesika Kamp is considerably taller than her partner, Hunter, and she recalls feeling “shocked” by his stature when they first met, after connecting online.
But the two have gone from strength to strength, and 33-year-old Jesika even says they have the “best sex ever” – aided, in part, by his shorter size.
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With Tinder recently announcing a new filter in which users can block potential matches if they aren’t a favourable height, the couple have spoken out about their own experience.
“It’s ingrained in our brains that men need to be taller, but there’s no actual reason for that,” Jesika, who works in marketing, told Need To Know.
“I understand that people have preferences, but it feels odd [to have a height filter].
“As someone who has dated a few people shorter than me, height never mattered.
“I would have missed out on some pretty great experiences if I prioritised height!
“I know it can feel tough, like you have to explain someone to your friends and family – I’ve been there.
“I felt like I had to warn people so they weren’t caught off guard, but after a while, I was like ‘Why the heck am I doing this when I love this person?’
“Now I openly speak about our height difference with pride.”
Hunter, a dog trainer, was particularly unhappy to hear the news of the dating app’s new system.
He said: “It makes me happy that I’m married and sad for the guys out there, still trying to date.
“Most women will have their height filter set to 6 ft+ – leaving the majority of men cast aside, much less someone like myself who’s in the lowest percentile for height.”
The Arizona, US-based couple met online themselves, connecting on TikTok rather than a dating app, and Jesika didn’t know about Hunter’s height until a couple of weeks of talking.
When they did meet, she was “a little shocked” but soon found that it didn’t matter, though other people were quick to comment.
Jesika said, “I’ve had friends and other people ask me why I’m with someone so much shorter than me.
“We’ve gotten comments asking if he’s my son or ‘if I need a real man’.”
But when it comes to the bedroom, they say there is never an issue.
She added, “Aren’t we all the same lying down?
“In fact, some positions are a lot easier with Hunter being short.
“Honestly, it’s probably the best sex I’ve ever had.”
The couple, who married in 2022, have had to face comments about their visible height difference since they first got together, but say it shouldn’t deter anyone from giving taller or shorter people a chance.
Jesika said: “There’s nothing wrong with preference, but I do think it [favouring taller men] stems from past generations.
“Like how women are taught that they should get married to a man with a good job, be a stay-at-home mother, cook, clean, and take care of the children.
“Times have changed, but some things seem to be deep-rooted.
“I do have plenty of friends who refuse to date a man shorter than them, and that’s fine.
“I’d love to see a dating show or something where height is blind.
“Where people build connections and realise that it truly doesn’t matter.
“If I were on dating apps now, I wouldn’t use the height filter.
“It’s already hard to find your person these days – and the ones that are perfect for you might surprise you.
“[You should] do what makes you happy.
“Don’t let society or social media talk you out of being with your potential person because of social standards.
“Nothing someone else said could change how I feel about my relationship and the person I chose.”
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