Short men are up in arms over a controversial new feature on Tinder. The dating app has started testing a new feature that allows people who pay for the app to filter potential matches based on height — a move that has sparked discussion online about the challenges short men face. Relationship experts say dating can be more difficult for short men, especially on apps, where height filters cause them to get overlooked right off the bat. They stress that while this can certainly feel discouraging, it’s important not to lose hope, as there are still plenty of ways to meet people open to dating a short man. It’s also important, they add, for daters to be open-minded. There’s nothing wrong with preferring to date someone tall, but it’s important to ask yourself how important a specific trait is to you before turning on a filter that will eliminate potential matches. Dating coach Amy Chan encourages people to find ways of meeting people outside of dating apps, ideally in settings where their personalities can shine. Maybe that’s joining a club or taking up a hobby where you’ll meet other like-minded people. “If you’re someone who uses a height filter, you might want to try expanding it an inch or two and see what happens,” says dating coach Blaine Anderson. “You could be surprised who you meet.”
