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Dwarfism Awareness Month: a person with dwarfism shares common questions and respectful language tips
Key points5 points
- Avoid the term 'midget', which is offensive and historically tied to exploitative 19th-century freak shows.
- Ask a person politely how they prefer to be identified rather than assuming terminology.
- Person-first language such as 'person with dwarfism' or 'person of short stature' is commonly preferred.
- Asking whether a person with dwarfism can be cured is considered offensive, as it implies something is wrong.
- Environmental adaptations, such as step stools for desks and reaching, can support comfort and independence.
Summary
A woman with hypochondroplasia, the second most common form of dwarfism, answers five questions she is often asked during Dwarfism Awareness Month in October.
She explains that about 80 per cent of people with dwarfism have average-height parents, asks parents to use children's questions as teaching moments rather than shushing them, and prefers 'person of short stature' or person-first language. She calls the question about a cure offensive, noting that people with dwarfism live full lives and sometimes need adaptations such as a step stool. For service providers, the piece is a practical reminder to use respectful language and ask participants how they prefer to be identified.