By Aimee Braniff Cree
**EXCLUSIVE**
STANDING at 6ft 4” this tall lady has embraced dating other women after finding men are too threatened by her height.
Van Essa (23) a student from Iserlohn Germany stands at six feet four inches tall, she wears a UK shoe size 10 and has a 42 inch inseam.
Van always knew she was different and has been the tallest in her class since she can remember even overtaking the teachers in Year Seven.
Van does not come from an overly tall family but she believes it is thanks to her the genetics from her father that she is so tall, her father is 6ft 2” and her mother is 5ft 5”
Van experienced bullying in her childhood but since then her height has made her a confident and outgoing person, she is never ashamed of it and embraces what makes her unique.
“I grew up in a small city with my parents and my two sisters. I graduated from a design apprenticeship and now I´m in high school to get my qualification for university,” said Van.
“I realised I was different even when I was young, I was always tall, even in nursery school. I remember towering over a lot of teachers in only Year Seven.
“In my free time I like to go to the gym, being creative like sewing or tattooing and I also like to do risky things like exploring lost places or doing a tandem jump.
“I am six feet four inches tall, the factors which led to my height was the genetics I got from my father. He was as tall as me but is now a little shorter because of the shrinking that comes with age.
“My sisters and my mother are all normal heights.”
Growing up was difficult for Van and she experienced some bullying and occasionally struggled in love.
“I had a hard time growing up because even people out of my family thought that was abnormal and not acceptable. I also experienced bullying a little,” she said.
“When I was younger, dating was more difficult because I was only looking for men who were taller than me in a small town it’s not that easy.
“But over the years it became less important to me and I also moved so dating is not a problem anymore.
“I also think that being so tall is one of my strengths, which makes me think I get more positive feedback because of it. I´m pansexual and I also like women who often love my height.
“I definitely wouldn’t be that confident, outgoing or enjoy that much attention if I was shorter.
“Much of my life is normal. I still find shoes easily in the shoe shop. However, pants are always too short for me so sometimes a tailor makes them longer or I just wear them a little cropped.
“I have mostly only been called giant, I know they meant it to be hurtful but it compliments me actually I am not offended.
“A lot of people on the internet and even friends call me my goddess and I think it’s really cute.”
Van has a lot of positive experiences being tall and she has this advice to share for those who may not have yet found the confidence with their height.
“A great advantage to my height is being taken seriously. Also being able to take a walk at night with less fear.
“Reaching everything without a ladder. It’s a great conversation starter and I also have a very small fan base which feels great.
“If you do not yet feel confident about your height just surround yourself with tall people and talk about it. Seeing the beauty in other people is sometimes easier,” she said.
“You may see the beauty in being tall in other people and can transfer it to yourself. Also fake it till you make it.
ENDS
