Sex
'The Sex Lives Of College Girls' Whitney, Bela, and Leighton

The Sex Lives Of College Girls Claims Short Kings Are Sex Gods. Are They?

A sex expert weighs in.

Katrina Marcinowski/HBO Max

It’s no secret that short kings have sex appeal. Inspired by the likes of Tom Holland and Joe Jonas — two famously hot men of below-average stature dating famously hot, slightly taller women — TikTok coined “short king spring” earlier this year to celebrate what you already knew: short kings are a hot commodity.

This is a new revelation for Bela on Season 2, Episode 3 of The Sex Lives Of College Girls (aptly titled “The Short King”). She and Whitney are at the gym when she meets Wes, a member of the men’s crew team who is noticeably shorter than the rest. When he approaches her, she says, “Are you with the crew team? But aren’t you, like, short?” and he responds, “I’m the coxswain. I make sure the boat finishes first, and I could do the same for you.” The BDE is undeniable, and Bela most certainly notices.

After following Wes on Instagram, she decides he’s “kinda hot.” One evening, he texts her, “Have you thought about the upside of f*cking a guy two inches shorter than you?” The girls discuss this in the cafeteria, deciding that the angles for sex are better with a guy who’s slightly shorter. Sure enough, Bela tests out this theory. “Damn, it’s like we’re a puzzle,” she tells him while hooking up.

Bela later professes to her roommates that Wes’ package is “scientifically superior,” citing the “more efficient” blood flow in smaller guys. “My girl Zendaya was right, shorter guys are where it’s at,” she proclaims. Wes has won her over, and there’s no going back. Could she be she onto something about short kings being better in bed?

Katrina Marcinowski/HBO Max

So, Are Sex Angles Really Better With Shorter Guys?

While the under-5’8” crowd may be thrilled that Bela has finally hopped aboard the short king train, her claims about them being “unexpected sex gods” don’t necessarily hold any weight. “There is no reason that a specific height differential (or lack thereof) will universally improve ‘angles’ or pleasure during sex,” Jess O'Reilly, Ph.D., sexologist and host of the Sex With Dr. Jess podcast, tells Elite Daily. “It’s possible that some people find it easier to maneuver with a partner who is the same height, and if this is their experience, that’s totally valid.” But that also doesn’t mean a height difference is always a bad thing.

“Even the angles of penises, vaginas, and anuses vary from person to person,” O’Reilly says. “And the angles you enjoy when it comes to penetration can vary from day to day (e.g. with your menstrual cycle and cervical position).” Wes’ height apparently works for Bela, and that’s great for them. “But I wouldn’t worry about picking a partner based on height,” O’Reilly adds.

As for that claim about better blood flow? “It is possible that body height affects blood circulation (and in theory, erectile functioning), but I wouldn’t want to overstate this,” O’Reilly says. “There are more important factors than height that affect erectile functioning.” She notes cardiovascular health, age, diet, smoking habits, and stress levels as examples. Wes is on the crew team, so his stamina may well be a result of his active lifestyle rather than his stature.

TL;DR, plenty of short kings are amazing in bed, but it probably doesn’t have much to do with their height. You can have an equally great sexual experience with someone taller. But if Bela is leading the way into short king winter and Wes is the new reigning mini monarch, why stop them?

Expert:

Jess O'Reilly, Ph.D., sexologist and host of the Sex With Dr. Jess podcast