martiandawn

Demographic Trivia... and Naked Ladies

Added 2022-03-03 03:43:53 +0000 UTC

The model pictured in the middle of the first image is named Mafalda. While I was configuring the model for use in future stories, I decided that she would represent a typical contemporary Portuguese woman of average height and build. When I Googled the average height of women from Portugal, I stumbled across an intriguing bit of demographic trivia. In 1914, the average height of women in Portugal was 59" - under five feet. That's rather short! At present, the average height of Portuguese women is just over 5' 4". So, the average height of Portuguese women went up by five inches over the course of a century, for reasons that are not clear.

On Mafalda's right (the left side of the image) is a model named Lara. She is exactly five feet tall. You can see just how much taller the average Portuguese woman is today compared to her ancestors of a century ago. On Mafalda's left (the right side of the image) is a model named Arminta. She stands at 5' 11" - which is rather tall by female standards. If current trends continue, will the average Portuguese woman a hundred years from now be as tall as Arminta? It's a fascinating question!

On a side note, I think that I may need to review my diversity hiring policies. A Gorgon might not be the best fit for the staff photographer position...