The next reality star

A lot of people within the dwarfism community roll their eyes at the number of reality programs that feature people of short stature. Similarly, when producers hoping to cast the next reality show blockbuster send pitches to the dwarfism community, many people display exasperation, as if to say, "enough already with the little people reality shows." The exasperation could be well founded, for most of those who have had enough with the reality programs believe the dominance of little people on reality television is rooted in a voyeurism similar to that which fueled demand for freak shows. Despite the motivation for the creation of these reality programs, I've always felt the frequency of little people on television has had a positive impact on general awareness of dwarfism. I strongly believe that many gains little people have made in terms of social integration over the past decade can be traced back to reality television.

Though I support reality programming that features little people, I am very curious to witness what will happen later this year when Spike TV throws its hat into the ring, and airs a reality program that features a wrestler of short stature. The reason I believe most reality programs with little people are so good is that the stars of the most popular ones (Little People Big World and The Littlest Couple) use the programs to send important messages about: 1. language and 2. how little people share more similarities than differences with the rest of society. I worry that Spike TV Program may contradict those messages. The Spike program follows the founder of a "midget" wrestling troupe, who adamantly embraces the word midget and builds his business around differences between little people and the rest of the world. While, as little people, it's great to be proud of what makes us unique, when we are defined by that uniqueness, it's more likely to reinforce stigma rather that enhance the diversity of our larger society.

When the program airs, I fear it may undue some of the positive work of the other programs. But it may not. It may add one more voice to the many voices of little people now on reality programming. I was doubtful at first, but I think it may be the intention of Spike TV to show one more layer of a thick little people community. At first I thought Spike TV might be acting like a stereotypical shock jock, shocking for the sake of a larger audience, without ever intending to contribute to a constructive conversation. But a conversation I had this weekend gives me a little hope this might not be the case.

Late last year, Spike TV asked if a member of LPA wanted to participate in the reality program. Spike wanted to film a debate between the leader of the wrestlers and a member of LPA. The debate would be about the word "midget." The wrestler would support use of the word, and LPA would argue against the word. I didn't want anything to do with the debate. The debate was to be moderated by a shock jock named Mancow. With Mancow involved, I thought there was no way LPA would even have a chance to articulate an opinion. I declined the offer but a man named Tom Lash, the president of LPA's Windy City Chapter agreed to participate. He knew the debate might be a circus, but thought it important to challenge the wrestler's opinions on the word midget. The interview was recorded last December. I didn't have a chance to speak with Tom about it until last Friday, at the LPA District Six Regional event. Tom confirmed my fears. Mancow dominated the taping, making it less of a meaningful discussion or debate about language and more of a spectacle. What surprised me though is the reaction of Spike TV to the debate. According to Tom, Spike TV was disappointed that Mancow dominated the taping. Spike TV had actually hoped for a meaningful dialogue about language. In fact, after the taping, Spike even offered Tom some individual air time so he could express his side of the argument. Something Mancow may not have allowed him to do.

I am still worried about the reaction to the Spike TV Reality Program. But after talking with Tom about his experience, I am encouraged that Spike might indeed have good intentions. Rather than create a shock jock like spectacle, they may indeed just want to make a contribution and lead another voice to a very diverse dwarf community.

Moment of truth

I work for a disability rights organization in Chicago, Illinois. The organization has a civil rights team that defends against systemic and individual cases discrimination on the basis of disability. Working alongside the civil rights team, I've always hoped for a case that dealt specifically with discrimination based specifically on dwarfism. As far as I know, and according to the attorneys I've asked, no such examples exist in case law. I've always hoped for a case, not because I wish discrimination upon anyone, but because the entire dwarfism community could use the case in the future as a tool to defend against discrimination. From what anecdotal evidence I have, there is standing for a discrimination case. I heard a story once of two sisters who visited a large big box store. The store had posted a hiring notice. One sister, who is a person of short stature, asked for an application at customer service. She was told the hiring notice was no applicable. Each position had been filled. The woman of short stature tracked down her sister and told her what had happened. The other sister, not a person of short stature, while her sister waited out of view, approached the customer service desk and asked for an application. She also was not given an application but was offered a job on the stop. More recently, I read an email about a woman of short stature at a large amusement park in Florida. Now almost every dwarf who is a roller coaster enthusiast has experienced the disappointment of being denied entry on a ride because of height restrictions. In fact, one friend of mine wears lifts when he visits amusement parks. In the email I read, the woman detailed an embarrassing experience of waiting in line, finding a seat, then being asked to get off the ride. Off the ride, the operator measured her. She passed the height test then returned to the ride. A bit later, as everyone was waiting for the ride to begin, a manager appeared, who told the person of short stature she was not allowed to ride.

I am not an expert, but both cases above appear to be examples of people with dwarfism experiencing very different, and negative, treatment, based solely upon disability. If there were a piece of case law related to discrimination based upon dwarfism, people who experience situations similar to those above might have more incentive to respond to or file complaints against the offending parties.

A few weeks ago, what I have been hoping for, may have happened. I heard a story of a young woman named Lydia Aparicio who has filed a complaint against a trade school in California
(Contra Costa Times). According to the complaint, Aparicio, who was enrolled in some kind of medical assistant program, was forced to drop out of the program. She was told "her stature would preclude her from the ability to succeed in the program." If this is true, not only is the school guilty of discrimination, the school is wrong. There are at least three successful doctors who are members of Little People of America. Stature is not an impediment to the field of medicine.

I am happy a little person will have her day in court, but the cliche "be careful what you wish for" applies here. Aparicio's case has been filed by an attorney named Gloria Allred, who has previously litigated cases that involve high profile celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Aaron Spelling and Tiger Woods. On one end of the spectrum, Allred is known as a civil rights attorney protecting marginalized individuals. At worst, she been accused of "ambulance chasing" and opportunism. There is a risk here that the profile of the attorney will overshadow the issues of discrimination.

Also, there is the danger that discrimination can not be proven. The school is denying the allegations, claiming Aparicio was dropped from the program solely because she didn't fulfill academic standards. If discrimination can't be proven, it won't preclude other people of short stature to litigate in the future, but it also won't provide precedent that I believe will be very valuable in the future. Though I don't wish discrimination upon anyone, if Aparicio was forced to endure it, I wish her all the best in the legal process.