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: info@lpo.on.ca

website: www.lpo.on.ca