The average human height has been trending taller for some time now, but some people are growing exceptionally tall. Journalist Sonka Hinders writes about the tallest woman in history and, more broadly, the experience of being tall.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, humans have been getting taller, a trend that continues in many parts of the world to this day. Yet even before this development, some individuals grew exceptionally tall. While men dominate the list of the tallest people of all time, the women on this list stand out even more.Trijntje Keever was a curiosity, Trijntje Keever was an attraction. Although this is how some historical texts introduce her, Trijntje Keever was, first and foremost, an exceptionally tall woman. The exact numbers are uncertain as Trijntje’s height was reported as either 2.54 meters or 2.60 meters (roughly 8’4” to 8’6”). What remains are the comparisons: At the age of nine, she was as tall as an adult man; later, she was so tall that she could clean the rain gutters without a ladder, they say. According to the recorded data, one thing is certain: She was the tallest woman ever measured.
What’s the Air Like Up There?
Most likely, nobody ever asked Trijntje, “Do you play basketball?” During her lifetime, in the Netherlands in the 17th century, different questions were more likely to come up. The Netherlands has long been known for having the tallest people in the world, a trait researchers attribute in part to the historical importance of milk, which is known to promote growth. In fact, Trijntje’s hometown, Edam, is famous for its cheese.However, Trijntje’s height wasn’t the result of too much cheese. She didn’t take a bite of a tiny cake labeled “Eat me!” like Alice in Wonderland, triggering a violent growth spurt and an ensuing bonk on the head. Another substance responsible for Trijntje’s height was the growth hormone somatotropin, produced by the brain. As is the case with most extremely tall individuals, her body produced more somatotropin than average during her growth phase. The result: gigantism.
Trijntje Keever
| Unidentified painter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Perhaps, passersby asked Trijntje, “So, what’s the air like up there?”, as they might ask a tall person today. But she probably wasn’t asked for her opinion much. Her parents decided to display her as a roadside attraction and at fairs for money. Exhibits showcasing individuals with unusual traits had been a practice since the Middle Ages, especially during the 19th century with its so-called freak shows. At that time, Canadian Anna Haining Bates performed as a giantess for P.T. Barnum (yes, the guy from the film The Greatest Showman, much more questionable in real life than in the movie). In the 20th century, André the Giant became a wrestling star in Canada due to his towering height.
Size Matters
In a way, Trijntje was also a star. She was famous enough to be posthumously immortalized in a life-sized painting, which still hangs in the Edam Town Hall today. Her arms awkwardly stretched in front of the heavy black fabric of her dress, Trijntje’s head almost touches the top of the picture frame, mounted upon a ruffled collar. In addition to the painting, Trijntje’s shoes are displayed in Edam. Trijntje likely never wore high heels; instead, she wore giant shoes — size 54. Even today, Trijntje would probably have to wear custom-made clothing. Despite measurements taken from thousands of people’s bodies to establish standard sizes, many tall individuals still struggle to find pants with sufficiently long legs.And this isn’t the only everyday obstacle, as the main character in the Netflix film Tall Girl also observes. In the movie, the student can’t find a boyfriend due to her above-average height. Size matters in heterosexual relationships. “I’m 6’2”, in case you were wondering,” men write in their online dating profiles. “I can’t find a partner because men are bothered that I’m taller than them,” women confide in their friends. Perhaps, Trijntje also faced this obstacle. Maybe she wished for a family, but her height and her life as a spectacle got in the way.
In the end, Trijntje Keever probably didn’t have time for much else. She died at the age of 17 from cancer. A reduced life expectancy is a fate that often befalls tall individuals, as their height often comes with physical strain and related illnesses. Trijntje’s extraordinary height is even noted on her gravestone. Just like her life, Trijntje’s death seems to have been determined by her height. Perhaps it’s time to write about Trijntje in a different light, focusing on her other traits. And maybe, it’s time to revisit the narratives around other tall people.
09/2023