midget

skipvia *Non sequitur warning*

I can't read this conversation without thinking about a jaw-dropping 1938 exploitation movie called Terror of Tiny Town starring Jed Buell's Midgets. It is the--not surprisingly--only all-midget Western musical. As astonishing at that seems, producer Buell actually had a follow up movie planned to be called Hang 'em Not So High. That title always makes me laugh, political correctness notwithstanding.

I have a good friend who calls herself a "little person" but I have never worked up the courage to ask her what she thinks of this movie, if in fact she has even seen it. Oct 29, 2007

uselessness Here's a curiosity I just found about the name of the LPA: "Originally to be called 'Midgets of America,' the folks who could afford to attend the early meetings were as likely to be non-midgets as midgets. So a compromise was made to call the group 'Midgets and Dwarfs of America' (notice who came first). It didn't take long, however, for the fledgling members to notice that the non-midgets (by [P.T.] Barnum's standards) were greatly out-numbering the midgets. So a second compromise was struck to call the group 'Little People of America.'" Quoted from this page.

Note the distinction between dwarfs and midgets, which is meant to differentiate between little people who have childlike proportions, and those who have "normal" adult proportions. Medically speaking, the two have today come to be recognized as simply different variations of dwarfism.

It seems the notorious showman P.T. Barnum is credited with popularizing the word midget, which applies a suffix to midge (a small fly). Its offensiveness is debatable, and there are plenty of people with dwarfism who even prefer to be identified by that word. It's also used to describe any small object or trinket. There are also those who find dwarf to be an empowering label rather than pejorative, and advocate for its use.

I look it up because I'm bored, and mildly curious. ;-) Oct 29, 2007

chained_bear All right, then, people with dwarfism it is.

I can understand "little people," but I also use that to talk to kids sometimes. For example, "be careful petting my dog. She's afraid of little people!" I don't mean people with dwarfism, I mean kids. But the kids always listen, and they get me. And when I used to say "kids," they didn't always listen, or sometimes they took offense--as if my dog has some kind of prejudice...

Anyway. Thanks for looking it up, U! Signed, Very Very Lazy. Oct 29, 2007

uselessness Hmm, according to the internets there's an organization called LPA, or Little People of America. The medical condition they represent is formally known as dwarfism, but it seems they reject the word dwarf as a noun. They prefer "people with dwarfism," or the aforementioned "little people" as a more light-hearted reference. Their web site also mentions the "short-statured community," which is going on a list of mine posthaste.

Additionally, there is a Restricted Growth Association in the U.K., which suggests different terminology is used across the pond. Oct 29, 2007

chained_bear I think I'd rather be called a dwarf than a midget. Does anyone know what the accepted term is?

Anyone....?

*crickets* Oct 29, 2007

uselessness It may be. I've heard it plenty. But if I were one, I don't think I'd appreciate being called that very much. Oct 29, 2007

chained_bear Well, short is different from being a dwarf, so it would seem there need to be at least two words.

And if dwarf is offensive, I apologize--I thought that was the accepted term. Oct 29, 2007

uselessness I'm not clear on what the accepted alternative is. Isn't dwarf rather demeaning as well? I've also heard little people but I would consider that even worse. I'm not big into political correctness, but I've always felt awkward about using the words I've heard, because if I were short of stature any of them would offend me. And short of stature or just short are better, but inaccurate. Oct 29, 2007

chained_bear Is the term at all correct? I understand dwarf is the more accepted term (if it isn't, somebody please let me know), but is this still technically incorrect to indicate someone with dwarfism?

I'm just unsure if your comment means that people who are simply "short" should not be called this, or if people who are dwarfs should not be called this.

Oct 29, 2007

sionnach use of this word to refer to someone of short stature is highly politically incorrect. Oct 29, 2007