"I want to offer the idea of maybe not 100% embarrassment or even 60% embarrassment, but a nice, gritty little 15% embarrassment. You can respond with, 'Oh my gosh, you're the first person to tell me that.' Give them a little giggle. Give them the opportunity to laugh with you, but they know you're not playing. And if they don't take the hint the first time, you can be direct."
"I agree. If people continue to cross this boundary, be more serious about it. You can say, 'It's not cool. I'm not comfortable with it. Please stop.' If somebody feels a little embarrassed and realizes they shouldn't have said that, that's OK. You're not saying they're an awful person, but you're communicating that what they did is problematic. They should feel a little taste of it so that they stop."
Respond to unsolicited comments about height with a brief, self-directed humorous remark to signal discomfort without shaming the commenter. Offer a mild, performative embarrassment — a small giggle and a line like "Oh my gosh, you're the first person to tell me that" — as a single pass to indicate the comment is unwelcome. If the remarks continue, escalate to a clear, firm boundary such as "Is this catching your attention so much that you have to say something right now?" or "It's not cool. I'm not comfortable with it. Please stop." Brief correction plus escalation encourages respect while minimizing unnecessary embarrassment.
Read at www.npr.org
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