Bending the truth slightly isn't an uncommon practice when it comes to online dating.
While some might make themselves younger in order to attract the opposite sex, others include throwback photos of themselves claiming to look the same now.
In a surprise turn of events, however, one dating-app using woman has admitted to telling a not-so-tiny white lie about her height, after being told by former flames that her tallness is 'intimidating'.
Cecelia Mowczan, 29, claims seeing the majority of women being shorter than their male love interests in movies gave her the impression that it'd look odd for her to ever date a smaller guy.
Advert
The Manchester-born woman admitted: "I would never date anyone shorter than me so this would cut out a big chunk of the dating pool.
"If a guy that was shorter than me, I would say no. Lots of tall men also don't want a taller woman."
Revealing she'd claim on her dating profile that she was 6'3", she recalled men in the past warning her not to wear heels to as not to emasculate them.
Cecelia said: "If you are confident in yourself, they shouldn't feel like this. Men on dating apps have also told me that my height is intimidating before they have even met me too."
Advert
Cecilia's concerns over her appearance didn't just affect her dating, however, as she recalls feeling out of place at school due to her staggering height.
"I think I was at least a head taller than all of the boys in primary school," she remembered. "When I went to secondary school I was probably six foot already. I remember boys in year 10 would compare themselves to my height because I was already taller than them.
"I was never bullied about my height at school but I always felt different. I often slouched and bent down in photos to fit in and I would never wear heels.
Advert
"Every single time I leave the house people will stare. It still affects me but it affected me a lot more when I was younger."
When she turned 23, however, the accountant sought to turn her perception over height around, and underwent therapy.
Since then, she said she has had the confidence to embrace her physique in every way, and it's already had a huge impact on her relationship prospect.
Two years ago, she came across 5'11" 28-year-old William Davies after meeting him in a house-share.
Advert
Within a matter of days, he'd asked her on a date and though she admits she was hesitant of agreeing to go, she's glad she did.
Now, she describes her much smaller partner as her 'soulmate', claiming he's a big fan of her stature.
"At first, even though everything else was perfect, I was unsure about dating him because he was shorter than me," she admitted.
Advert
"But then I thought it was stupid to miss out on my soul mate and a future relationship because he was a few inches shorter than me. At first when we went out I wouldn't let him hold my hand as I was worried about what people might think but after two-and-a-half-years it doesn't affect us at all."
Cecilia added that she likely wouldn't have met William if they'd both been on dating apps, being that she wouldn't have matched with someone of his height.
She continued: "I know this sounds rude but he was shorter than me and before I met him I would never date anyone shorter than me."
Embracing her height now, she has gone on to create a TikTok account with the aim of helping fellow tall ladies feel empowered.
"[I] try and be a role model to other girls in the same situation as me and give exposure to height gap couples too," she professed. "TikTok wasn't a thing when I was younger but when I was younger I would have loved to have seen other women showing off their height and being confident.
"I also think if I had seen couples with a height difference online and had the exposure to it, I would have been more open to dating shorter men a lot earlier."
Good on ya, Cecelia!
Topics: Beauty, Sex and Relationships, Real Life
Rhianna Benson