What does ‘Short King Spring’ mean on TikTok? Phrase takes over platform after celebrity couples embrace height differences

The time for unending vertical limits on men is gone. It is now “Short King Spring”. The recent viral phrase on TikTok might signal a massive shift in societal expectations and understanding of masculinity. Not completely caught up? Well, let us explain.

A common expectation of men in dating and romantic setups is to be taller than their partners, especially in heterosexual relationships. We have all seen men mention their height, especially if they are over 5'10", in their profiles on dating apps.

But thanks to a slew of celebrity couples like Zendaya and Tom Holland, where the latter is shorter than the former, there seems to be a slow shift in the dating trend. Noticing, acknowledging, and promoting this change on mainstream social media platforms will be a massive boon to society.

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Evolution of the term 'short king'

It might surprise you to know that the term is not new, but one that has been floating in the internet void for quite some time. In 2018, comedian Jaboukie Young-White tweeted about it for the first time.

But the term has gained more attention since a TikTok trend involving women addressing their boyfriends/husbands/partners as 'short king' on camera and capturing their reactions. As one would expect, the responses were defensive.

This trend was further substantiated with women claiming to prefer dating short men from now on. "'Short kings' is the new wave, sorry to y'all giraffes," a user on TikTok wrote. With several women hopping on the same wagon, TikToker Jaida Boodram's comment announcing "short king spring is here" was an instant hit.

But, as is evident, this trend has a lot to do with celebrity couples’ sighting that features men shorter than their girlfriends/wives/partners. Contrary to what some rules of society would have us believe, these men carry themselves without any insecurity or hesitation— their partners towering (with/without heels) beside them.

Though there have been couples in the public light who have not cared about their height differences— Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban instantly come to mind. But the recent nod given to the height indifference seems to be a more significant shift towards normalizing the same in society in the age of social media.

A 5”10 Zendaya’s arm wrapped around his 5”8 beau Tom Holland while on a stroll, clad in a red gown, a 5”9 Sophie Turner standing with her 5”7 husband Joe Jonas at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, have been the recent couples championing the trend.

A TikTok trend like the "Short King Spring," which gets replaced by another in a matter of hours, is by no means a measure of the changing norms of our society, especially with regards to gender-role expectations. However, it would still be an intriguing media case study to see how this trend plays out.