In the United States, it is common for Gen Y/Millennials (my generation) to think that Boomers and Generation X had a healthier mating environment in their younger years.
In the late 1980s-1990s United States, you were relying way too much upon your professional job to attract women. While you probably had an above average job at the time (especially for your age as a 20s/early 30s guy), it wasn't enough to offset your height issues. Earlier in 2023, this forum had a thread where an idea was expressed that women were not interested in middle class men, defined typically as 30+ men earning $75,000-125,000 a year in the initial post.
Men in this category, $75k-$125k salary, relatively in shape, drive a good car, has a few hobbies, women do not want. Why? Because this man has standards. Women do not want to work for their men. Women of today want a simp or a millionaire. Simple as that. This is what society aka social media...
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In the 1990s, you were the equivalent of the $75,000 - $125,000 earning man of 2023 who doesn't generate a lot of interest from desirable women.
In the 1990s, you likely would have had to substantially increase your salary to impress women as a 5'5" man. You probably would have needed your direct supervisor's job and salary level at you age to impress similarly aged childless women in the United States.
It was expected that a man with below average height and maybe a slightly above average white collar job would only attract attention from single moms and overweight childless women. That's also been true in the post-2000 USA dating market too.
Even physically attractive single moms in their 30s/early 40s are not great dating prospects. For a younger guy in his early to mid 20s, they might be novelty for something like 6-12 months. That's a casual sex situationship. For a childless 35-40 year old man, a 35-40 year old physically attractive single mother isn't that enticing of an option. Those men would rather have childless 35-40 year olds or childless women under 35.