I’m a 6ft7 woman the same height as Peter Crouch – blokes always make same joke but I’ve had last laugh making thousands
“I’D love to climb you like a tree,” winks a cheeky passerby as Katie Woolls strides down the street.
It’s not even lunchtime, and she’s already heard five similar lines today.
At an impressive 6ft7 – the same height as footballer Peter Crouch – Katie has always stood out from the crowd.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun from her home in Clapham, London, the 26-year-old says: “Everywhere I go people stop and stare.
“Sometimes I love my height and I’ll walk with a really straight back and other days I hate it and wish I could just blend in.
“When I wear heels, I’m over 7ft tall, so most men are too intimidated to date me, but that doesn’t stop them from shouting cheesy chat-up lines at me.
“Another classic is, ‘We are all the same height lying down.’
“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard that.”
Katie – who’s single and looking for love – says dating is a “minefield” when you’re a 6ft7 woman.
“It’s impossible to find a man my height so I don’t mind a short king,” she laughs. “But guys either fetishize me or are too embarrassed to be seen with me.
“When I was 18 I dated a guy who was 5ft4 – which is pretty small for a woman, let alone a bloke.
“He hated the height difference and didn’t want to go out with me. It hurt and it made me feel like a freak.
“Now that I’m older I won’t put up with that.
“I don’t want some guy who’s going to hide me away, I want someone who’s going to be proud to have me on their arm.”
While the average height for a man in the UK is 5ft8, and for a woman is just 5ft3, Katie’s extraordinary height makes her an unmissable presence.
And while day-to-day life can be a nightmare, she has at least managed to find an upside and turn it to her advantage.
In the space of six months, Katie has amassed nearly 800,000 followers on Instagram and has now quit her office job in sales to work full-time on OnlyFans.
Now, she’s making thousands, saying: “Guys from all over the world inundate me with requests.”
Scared boys at school
Growing up head and shoulders above the rest hasn’t always been easy for Katie.
“In my teens, I was 6ft3 and towered over my peers,” she recalls. “I dreaded the winter months when I had to wear trousers as they were ankle biters on me.
“My peers would snigger and call me names. Teachers would pull me aside and tell me off because my skirt was too short. I couldn’t win.
“I was desperate to fit in and wanted to wear fashionable clothes like my mates but it was impossible. High street clothes are made for people who are shorter than me.
“Even when I was in school I was bigger than the average sized woman. I had to wear weird, baggy clothes and men’s shoes which just made me look worse.
It can be hard for me to fit through doorways, cook at a kitchen sink and even shower
“I never got asked out by boys and just wished I could be more normal.”
Despite society’s assumptions that her height would make her a sports prodigy, Katie struggled with activities like netball and long jump.
“People presumed I’d be good at netball, running, and long jump because of my height, but I was useless,” she admits.
“It was unfair. I wanted some perks to being this tall but there weren’t any – other than being able to change a light bulb without a ladder!”
Too big for the bath
Katie tells how doctors were baffled by her height.
“My mum is pretty tall at 6ft2 and my dad’s 5ft11,” she continues. “My parents took me for health checks to make sure there wasn’t an underlying medical condition. But the doctors said I was fine.
“But I get a lot of back pain and problems with my posture as I’m always bending down to try and fit through doorways.”
Her towering stature means fitting into a world designed for the average-sized person is a constant challenge.
From finding clothes and shoes that fit to navigating everyday tasks like sleeping in a bed or showering, Katie – whose feet are a size 11 – has faced obstacles at every turn.
When I wear heels, I’m over 7ft tall, so most men are too intimidated to date me, but that doesn’t stop them from shouting cheesy chat-up lines at me
“If I stay at a hotel, I have to call ahead to check their beds don’t have edges on them, else I won’t fit,” she continues. “I’m used to my feet hanging over the edges as no beds are made long enough for me.
“I can’t use my bath because it’s too short and I had to buy a bigger sofa so I could actually lie on it.
“It can be hard for me to fit through doorways, cook at a kitchen sink and even shower.
“I’d love an average-sized person to spend a day in my shoes to know what it’s really like to be this tall.”
Drawing attention
But Katie is determined to make the most of her height. In recent months, she’s started to document her struggles on Instagram.
“Life has been crazy,” she continues. “I’ve become a bit of a celebrity online and I’ve been using my newfound fame to raise awareness about the struggles of being exceptionally tall.
“People can be so rude, especially when they’re drunk.
“I avoid going out drinking and socialising because I can’t bear the constant comments and sniggering.
“People point at me and make comments and constantly ask for my picture. It can be quite uncomfortable.
“The other day I went to Italy and everyone seemed so small there. People were following me around and asking for my photo.
“I don’t mind if they ask for my picture but I don’t like people secretly filming me. It’s rude and inconsiderate. How would they feel if someone did that to them?”
The other day I went to Italy and everyone seemed so small there. People were following me around and asking for my photo
Katie Woolls
Public transport can be a “logistical nightmare” for Katie too.
She says: “I struggle to fit behind most chairs on the bus and end up sitting with my legs folded up. People often bump into me because I can’t move my legs out of the way.
“They huff and puff as if I’m being selfish taking up all this room, but I can’t help it.
“It’s the same when I go to the cinema, even sitting down I’m very tall in my seat.
“People moan they can’t see the movie and I should be sitting further at the back.”
Despite the challenges, Katie tries to see the positives to her height.
She says: “I’m pretty useful around the house. I don’t need a ladder to change the light bulbs.
“I can go in my loft without needing a ladder and the top shelves in the supermarket are easy to reach.”
Fans call me an ‘Amazon’
Of her new admirers on OnlyFans, Katie says: “Most of my fans are middle aged men with normal jobs.
“They ask me to wear six inch heels to accentuate my height. It’s totally bizarre but fun.”
Katie says men call her “Amazon” and “goddess” – which she likes.
She says: “The whole Amazon concept is quite new to me – I believe it’s a tall, strong woman who’s a warrior.
“I didn’t even know it existed until I got into social media. I don’t really label myself that way, but my followers do.”
Katie hopes her story will inspire others who are “not the norm” to celebrate their individuality.
“Sometimes, it’s our unique qualities that truly define our us,” she smiles. “I’m trying to make a difference in the world…one step at a time.”