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Becky Thomas with her 5-foot-9-inch journalism professor Grace Lim. (Photo by Megan Sheridan)
Rebecca Thomas, a University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh senior, spoke about her life as a tall girl in her journalism class essay, which was published in the New York Times Web site health section March 24, 2008. Her experience as a tall child coincides with our spotlight effect class discussion because a child starts to develop the concept that everyone is watching his every move at an early age, but Thomas, now a 6-foot-4 woman, developed this concept more rapidly than others. She was 6-foot-3 in ninth grade and began to make friends through sports and to be able to walk around the small town without being stared out. Whenever Thomas traveled outside of her town people would gawk at her height, thinking that she couldn't hear their remarks. Thomas experienced the spotlight effect because of her height, but it has not all been negative; instead it is a basic part of her personal fable that makes her unique. We all have experienced and may still experience the spotlight effect to some extent, but wouldn't it make it more difficult for the child who actually has to deal with everyone gawking at her for a reason? Just a thought…
You can find the article at http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/24/life-as-a-tall-girl/.
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