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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/17/dwarf-wrestling-disability-dwarfanators-achondroplasia-dwarfism
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Dwarf wrestling mocks my son’s disability – are we back in the Victorian era? | Dwarf wrestling mocks my son’s disability – are we back in the Victorian era? |
| (4 months later) | |
| October is dwarfism awareness month, when the restricted-growth community and their families spread awareness of their condition around the world. So, as the mother of a little boy diagnosed with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, you can imagine my shock when I saw a Facebook advert for “midget wrestling” touring the UK this autumn. | October is dwarfism awareness month, when the restricted-growth community and their families spread awareness of their condition around the world. So, as the mother of a little boy diagnosed with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, you can imagine my shock when I saw a Facebook advert for “midget wrestling” touring the UK this autumn. |
| A week or so ago, I was made aware that the Dwarfanators are coming from the US to tour UK venues. I cried as I read the webpage advertising the show and felt it perpetuated the stereotype that people with dwarfism are only on this planet to provide entertainment for an average-height audience. | A week or so ago, I was made aware that the Dwarfanators are coming from the US to tour UK venues. I cried as I read the webpage advertising the show and felt it perpetuated the stereotype that people with dwarfism are only on this planet to provide entertainment for an average-height audience. |
| Two years ago, there was a pivotal moment in our parenting journey when we stood silently over our eight-month-old baby’s wriggling body in the doctor’s office. There was a long silence and I was running the words “everything is fine, he’s completely normal” through my head. Finally, the doctor said: “Yes, he does have very short arms doesn’t he.” | Two years ago, there was a pivotal moment in our parenting journey when we stood silently over our eight-month-old baby’s wriggling body in the doctor’s office. There was a long silence and I was running the words “everything is fine, he’s completely normal” through my head. Finally, the doctor said: “Yes, he does have very short arms doesn’t he.” |
| This was the beginning. Days and nights of crying; whole-body X-rays that lasted hours while we pinned our baby’s hands, hips and arms out on metal plates; watching him struggle and gasp as he was put to sleep for MRI scans; blood tests; sleep studies; physical examinations and the constant interest of medical students and doctors. | This was the beginning. Days and nights of crying; whole-body X-rays that lasted hours while we pinned our baby’s hands, hips and arms out on metal plates; watching him struggle and gasp as he was put to sleep for MRI scans; blood tests; sleep studies; physical examinations and the constant interest of medical students and doctors. |
| After a few months, my little boy was diagnosed with achondroplasia. We had no idea this could happen to parents of average height, but in more than 80% of cases, achondroplasia isn’t inherited – it is caused by spontaneous gene mutations. We were thrown into a different world, a loving and supportive world of little people and their families who welcomed us with open arms and answered every question we had. | After a few months, my little boy was diagnosed with achondroplasia. We had no idea this could happen to parents of average height, but in more than 80% of cases, achondroplasia isn’t inherited – it is caused by spontaneous gene mutations. We were thrown into a different world, a loving and supportive world of little people and their families who welcomed us with open arms and answered every question we had. |
| Over the past two years, we’ve come to terms with the fact that Rufus will be much shorter than average. Other than that, he’s expected to live a completely “normal” life. The part we are dreading is how others will react to his size. Will there be bullying? Will people shout across the street? Will they physically abuse him? I had hoped that in 2018 we were becoming more understanding of differences and disabilities. But when I read the online comments related to the dwarf wrestling tour and witnessed the countless jokes and jibes, I despair. | Over the past two years, we’ve come to terms with the fact that Rufus will be much shorter than average. Other than that, he’s expected to live a completely “normal” life. The part we are dreading is how others will react to his size. Will there be bullying? Will people shout across the street? Will they physically abuse him? I had hoped that in 2018 we were becoming more understanding of differences and disabilities. But when I read the online comments related to the dwarf wrestling tour and witnessed the countless jokes and jibes, I despair. |
| How is my son supposed to live a “normal” life when there is “entertainment” that takes advantage of his disability and shows that violence against and mockery of little people is acceptable? | How is my son supposed to live a “normal” life when there is “entertainment” that takes advantage of his disability and shows that violence against and mockery of little people is acceptable? |
| One of the tour’s venues is the Coyote Ugly bar in Liverpool – just a stone’s throw from where Rufus received his diagnosis. Are we back in the Victorian era? Is dwarfism the last frontier of difference that it’s still acceptable to laugh at? Since the days of freak shows, a fascination with dwarfism has been considered acceptable. And here we are, faced with a colourful Facebook advert depicting people with dwarfism sporting angry faces and colourful Lycra. | One of the tour’s venues is the Coyote Ugly bar in Liverpool – just a stone’s throw from where Rufus received his diagnosis. Are we back in the Victorian era? Is dwarfism the last frontier of difference that it’s still acceptable to laugh at? Since the days of freak shows, a fascination with dwarfism has been considered acceptable. And here we are, faced with a colourful Facebook advert depicting people with dwarfism sporting angry faces and colourful Lycra. |
| Last week, the term “midget” – which is regarded as a highly offensive term by most little people – was used on the tour’s website . The website has since been updated, with the wording now suggesting that the show is “to win the heart of those who thought dwarfs are only meant for comedy circus equality”. Since the tour was launched, three venues have pulled out of hosting the event, with others saying they’ll proceed to give people with dwarfism the chance to change perceptions. How do they expect this to work? Imagine someone pays money to watch dwarf wrestling on a Friday night then interviews candidates for a job the following Monday and one of those people has dwarfism. Do you think that person will be taken seriously and treated equally to other candidates? | Last week, the term “midget” – which is regarded as a highly offensive term by most little people – was used on the tour’s website . The website has since been updated, with the wording now suggesting that the show is “to win the heart of those who thought dwarfs are only meant for comedy circus equality”. Since the tour was launched, three venues have pulled out of hosting the event, with others saying they’ll proceed to give people with dwarfism the chance to change perceptions. How do they expect this to work? Imagine someone pays money to watch dwarf wrestling on a Friday night then interviews candidates for a job the following Monday and one of those people has dwarfism. Do you think that person will be taken seriously and treated equally to other candidates? |
| Most distressing for me is that these wrestlers might be considered role models for children in the restricted-growth community. There are plenty of sports people who make excellent role models – as we see every year at the Dwarf Games – without putting themselves in terrible danger by being thrown around a wrestling ring. I would hope that my son’s role models are the large number of influential individuals from the restricted-growth community and beyond: engineers, doctors, writers, astronauts, pilots and swimmers. In this day and age, he can be whatever he wants to be and I pray that isn’t in front of a jeering audience in outdated spectacles such as dwarf wrestling. | Most distressing for me is that these wrestlers might be considered role models for children in the restricted-growth community. There are plenty of sports people who make excellent role models – as we see every year at the Dwarf Games – without putting themselves in terrible danger by being thrown around a wrestling ring. I would hope that my son’s role models are the large number of influential individuals from the restricted-growth community and beyond: engineers, doctors, writers, astronauts, pilots and swimmers. In this day and age, he can be whatever he wants to be and I pray that isn’t in front of a jeering audience in outdated spectacles such as dwarf wrestling. |
| • Lisa Sumner is a photographer from Cheshire | • Lisa Sumner is a photographer from Cheshire |
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