A 31-year-old Australian politician had her legs lengthened when she was a 23-year-old lawyer. Hajnal Ban traveled to Russia for the operation, where they broke her legs in four places and stretched them one millimeter every day. After nine months, she had grown about three inches to around 5’4″. Ban said she decided to have the operation because she had been called a midget in school and believed her height would have a damaging effect on her career. We think her attitude is the only thing that would have hindered her. Annika and I are around the height that Ban was before she got the surgery — hovering just above the 5′ mark. Would we like to have a few more inches so we don’t have to ask for help when we want a box of Melba crackers from the top shelf at the grocery? Of course! But our height doesn’t make people take us any less seriously.

“I think it’s all about how you carry yourself,” Annika says. “I usually have a serious expression, so people assume I’m either about business or angry. Plus, a big mouth makes up for what I lack in height. Maybe this politician should have looked a little deeper, instead of assuming people weren’t taking her seriously because of her height.”

Your stature is more a result how you carry yourself than how tall you really are. Tyra told Fo as much on “America’s Next Top Model” last night. Tall people can appear short, too, depending on how they work what they’ve got. It’s a shame that Ban felt so bad about herself. The months of pain she went through — and possible life-altering complications — to be three inches taller seems absurd, especially when the same effect can be achieved with a great pair of heels, perfect posture, and a confident attitude. [The Times, The Telegraph]

Original by: Catherine Strawn