BEING LITTLE IN A BIG WORLD
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Transcript of BEING LITTLE IN A BIG WORLD
BEING LITTLE IN A BIG WORLD
why some people are short statured
life from a Little Person’s point of view
challenges that Little People face
advocating for Little People
Any
average statured family
can have a short statured child.
200 types of dwarfism
Causes Include:
Spontaneous genetic mutation
Inherited genes
• The most common form of dwarfism
• It happens in 1 in 20,000 births.
Achondroplasia
• The most common form of dwarfism
• It happens in 1 in 20,000 births.
Achondroplasia
Dwarfism is Not
« an intellectual disability »
« a disease that requires a "cure” »
« a reason to assume someone is incapable »
Our Families
short statured parents can have average and
short statured children
average statured parents can have average
and short statured kids
The Hill Family
• one of the founders of the LPO
• independent businessman
• successful family man
The Hill Family
• one of the founders of the LPO
• independent businessman
• successful family man
The Hill Family
• one of the founders of the LPO
• independent businessman
• successful family man
The Hill Family
• one of the founders of the LPO
• independent businessman
• successful family man
Growing Up Little
They taught me not to be ashamed of being short. There’s nothing wrong with it. Lots of other people have
much bigger problems to cope with.
Growing Up Little
They taught me not to be ashamed of being short. There’s nothing wrong with it. Lots of other people have
much bigger problems to cope with.
Growing Up Little
They taught me not to be ashamed of being short. There’s nothing wrong with it. Lots of other people have
much bigger problems to cope with.
School
“ It’s not all that important how tall you are.
It’s what you’ve got upstairs.”
School
• making it accessible
• respecting the kids’ pride
• working together
Academics
“Just because we are little does NOT mean we are less intelligent.”
Teasing
We are NOT “midgets”
We are “Little People”
The Teen Years
“I don’t try to look like an average sized model,
because that’s unrealistic. But at the same time, all
girls feel that pressure of having to look perfect.”
The Teen Years
The Teen Years
The Teen Years
Please don’t:
• call us “cute”
• pat us on the head
• talk about us to others
• assume we are children because we are little
I love driving. It gives me so much freedom. So much more independence.
Getting a Job
“Some employers think just because
we are little that we have less intelligence,
or that we’re less capable.”
Some Everyday Challenges
• Parking meters
• Banking
• Shopping
• Public Washrooms
Some Everyday Challenges
• Parking meters
• Banking
• Shopping
• Public Washrooms
Some Everyday Challenges
• Parking meters
• Banking
• Shopping
• Public Washrooms
“As little People we automatically have this bond with one another, because of what we
go through; how similar our lives are because of dwarfism.”
“As little People we automatically have this bond with one another, because of what we
go through; how similar our lives are because of dwarfism.”
How You Can Help
• Share what you have learned
• Help prevent teasing
• Give us a chance to prove ourselves when we apply for a job
• Promote better access for Little People in the community
Contact Information
Little People of Ontario
P.O. Box 43058, 4841 Yonge St.
North York, ON
M2N 6N1
email: [email protected]
website: www.lpo.on.ca