Little People...Little World?

                                     Little People...Little World? 

All things Short  & Tall..
you  grow to love them one and ALL :)

**Thank you all for expressing your interest in this topic! This is for all of you!**

I'm aware that some of you out there watch the TV show "Little People Big World", not only b/c you tell me, but also b/c I have random people come up to me all the time asking me if I'm on the show...or if they can have my autograph or take my picture b/c that show has somehow effected their life. Personally, I don't usually watch the show or comment on it but I do think it's an interesting show & a very good reference for educating people on the lives of some of the Little People in today's world. However, I'm a Little Person everyday of the week, so I guess I'm just not as drawn to it as much as some people are :P So, I understand that recently a young LP man on the show, who never thought he'd want to date a "Tall" person, is now dating a tall girl. :) Since he has feelings for her, he says he's beginning to change his mind about not dating "Tall" people. I'm not aware of why he decided that he didn't want to date tall or average-sized girls in the first place..but I thought maybe I would tell you about my personal experience with this situation as it happens to be a topic close to my heart.

Some time ago, I decided to try to get involved with my local Chapter of the Little People of America (LPA) Association. I read about it online & I also started chatting with members to find out more of what it was all about & general things like that. First, I want to emphasize very strongly that my experience was not limited to one specific Chapter or location..nor did every LP I talk to come across to me in the way I'm about to describe. So I ask that you please do not assume any one location or one group of people are involved in my experience. However, there was definitely a common trend that I encountered 50% of the time that begin to disturb me...I noticed that the people I contacted would suddenly stop talking to me after I gave them my marital info. No "Good-bye" no "Hold please" no explanations..they were just gone! This puzzled me & at first I could not piece together why this was happining. Did I say something wrong? Did I ask too many questions? Do I have the plague? After being shut out, ignored, & all around dismissed by numerous LPs of all ages, race, & gender, I finally worked up the nerve to ask someone what exactly the problem was with my info. 

So while chatting with a woman who was a LP age 32 (we'll call her, "Sue") we exchanged general info about ourselves & then "Sue" asked me if I was married...so I said yes. Then came the question every LP I've spoken with prior has asked me: "Is he a LP?" I was a bit hesitant...but finally I said.."Sue, most people leave the conversation when I answer this question..but please..before you leave..I have to know why this answer is upsetting to so many people! You've been in the community much longer than I have & all I want to know is why this answer is such a big deal!" Sue immediately knew what I was referring to & before I could continue she said, "Don't worry, I won't leave..but He's a "TP" isn't he!?" Oddly enough, at first I didn't get what "TP" stood for...Contrary to popular belief, "TP" doesn't always stand for "Toilet Paper"..b/c for me the first thing that always comes to mind when I think of "TP" is Toilet Paper..haha..So after deciding she couldn't possibly be thinking that I was married to the heir to the throne of the "Charmin Empire", I said,"TP? OHH You mean a Tall Person?" Sue replied, "Yes"..and so I confirmed that I was indeed married to a..er.."TP".  Sue didn't answer me right away but she did keep her word & finally I was embarking on the journey to discover the answer to this mystery.  

According to "Sue"..& also many others I talked to afterward..turns out, some LPs have been so emotionally wounded by average-sized people or "TPs", that being with them romantically, dating or pursuing them, & marriage are ALL totally out of the question for them! Since they have been treated badly by the average-sized person they eliminate any interaction with them on that level & see it as a solution to the problem! Sue even gave me links to websites filled with poetry, blogs, & info on this matter..& it was appalling from both viewpoints to see the hate in some of the rants by LPs that have been hurt in one way or another! Personally, I've been hurt a time or two in my life by the average-sized man for reasons unrelated to my height, & yes, I will admit, I have also been hurt in situations where height was the only factor. One example of this was when I had a huge teen crush on a guy who returned my affection & I thought he really liked me! When no one was around he would flatter me, talk with me, & treat me as if I were a very special girl to him. However, in public it became a different story! When there were people around..especially his guy friends..he would ignore me...it was as if I wasn't even there! Let me tell ya, that hurt! Even though I liked this guy, what he was doing said a lot about his character &  I just couldn't see myself being with someone like that...so when it was clear he was incapable of showing affection for me in public..I broke it off. 

He made me feel as if I would always be someone's horrible little secret..like I should be locked in a closet somewhere only to come out when someone wanted me too..That was hurtful & degrading...and it wasn't the last time something like that would happened to me. So while I do understand where the LPs who have this point of view are coming from, I can also say that ultimately I believe that ALL men choose their character; I have met many TPs & LPs of great character..& I have met many TPs & LPs whose characters were in need of more development. Short, Tall, Purple, or Green...makes no difference...every person has a choice to either live with their heart open, or live life with it closed. 

Love this Movie..Gotta Love LP Culture! hehe

Then there are the LPs who feel very strongly that if you are a LP & you date a tall person that you are in fact betraying your "LP culture"! (Don't worry, I didn't know we had a "culture" either...I mean you never hear someone say, "Now this here is the story of one of the greatest LPs in LP History..Yup, my Great Great Great Great Grandfather Willow fought for our freedom from the wickedness of the land of Oz...Noo..you never hear that...well..unless you're at my house right before I put the movie "Willow" into the DVD player...I admit I love saying this to younger generations who have never seen the movie before..haha..the looks on their faces are always absolutely  priceless!) 

ANYWAY, LPs who value LP culture ONLY date marry other LPs...& if you are an LP that marries a tall person, most likely (though not EVERY one who believes this will do so) they will either immediately shun you or very quickly tell you that you are a very bad person b/c you have taken away a potential mate for another LP! I've been lectured about this from other LPs and they include examples such as how we have the need to be on the same height level with our partners..such as dancing with another LP and other similar life situations which can be more intimate because they are face to face. While admittedly I have always dreamed of dancing with Hubby face to face instead of face to ..well...belt buckle..there are many easy ways to remedy those situations. 

Our  Wedding :)

Some LPs also say that there is nothing wrong with being a LP (and there isn't) & that b/c of this we need to carry on our "Race" by marrying other LPs. I had NO idea this was about race...& when I think of my marriage to Hubby, race never even entered my mind! However, not long after my experience with the LPA members, I had my very first personal experience with this issue when a co-worker actually asked me if my family was accepting of me & my Husband's interracial marriage. I had to think about that a second..I said to myself, "What? Really? I mean I used to be very naturally tanned and was even mistaken for being Hispanic on many occasions..but after my surgeries I lost a lot of color so now I'm definitely not as tan...or am I?! Hmm..Hubby is Canadian..but Canadian isn't a race...eh? :P But if you look up the definition of "White Boy" Hubby's name will right be there in bold print! hehe...So maybe there was a bit of a contrast between us...but Interracial??...OHHH wait..could she really mean our height difference?? Well, it did take a lot of courage for her to ask me this question, so I need to be sure of what she's referring to before I answer!..hmm..Guess I'll go with height". So I explained to her that I was very lucky because Jean-Sébastien's parents were very very accepting of me. However, before I was married, there was a rare dating situation in which a guy's Mother did not approve of me b/c of my height. His Father loved me..but his Mom was concerned about her potential grandchildren & my medical problems (which I do consider valid concerns)..Not so valid though was her worry about the way society would view her son, herself, and their family if they were seen with me. Ultimately, asking & learning the facts, talking to me, & getting to know me would have been the optimum way to handle the situation..but she chose to ignore me completely instead. Despite that problem, he was truly a wonderful guy & took up for himself & for me. Eventually we parted on very friendly terms & for unrelated reasons. 

So yes, I am very lucky to have Hubby's family. It was apparent to me when I first met them that they are very well known in the community. Furthermore, I knew right away that they had no qualms with their son dating me as they made it a point to introduce me to many of their friends & colleagues with the highlight being attending Dinner & the Theater with the Mayor himself!

Dinning with Hubby's family & friends :)

I am very very blessed to have such supportive in-laws...and also very blessed to have such wonderful friends & family that make me feel no different than anybody else! It sometimes happens that people ask me to get something located much higher than I'm able to reach..when they realize their fault they begin to apologize, & without even knowing it, proceed to pay me one of the biggest compliments I ever receive, "Oh I'm sorry Sommer, sometimes I just forget"..Wow..If just being myself allows people to look at me as equal..& so much so that they forget my limitations, then that to me is one of my greatest accomplishments! It's because of their ability to look past such things that eliminates for me any such thinking of race or discrimination.

So, these ideals, as Sue first explained to me, are extremely more prevalent in the LP society then one would guess, & trust me I never would have guessed! However, obviously (and thankfully) NOT EVERY LP thinks this way. The same can be said for TPs as well. When researching adoption info online..more specifically adopting a LP child, I found that discrimination is more open & rampant than I could ever believe possible! Sadly, I found more people requesting info on how to put their LP child up for adoption than I did info on how to adopt them! These people were capable, financially able, & in some cases, already had children..but they did not know how a LP child would fit into their "society" so they thought it best to give them up. This makes my heart hurt...are we as humans so shallow that we must now have "designer children" or perfect children & anything less is unacceptable? Then to find out that some LPs..my own kind..the very victims of prejudice..are in fact treating "TPs" in the same manner we've fought all of our lives NOT to be treated!? To many LPs that practice this "culture", I am considered a betrayer & an outcast...but just b/c I love someone society considers different than me doesn't mean I'm not proud of who & what I am! In my experience, loving someone should never change who you are..it should enhance who you are! 
Does it sound odd to you that this argument is based on height and not something more commonly debated such as skin color? If you are reading this and you are not a LP, but maybe you are slightly shorter or taller than average..would you be ok with society being accepting of you ONLY if you dated people within your height range?? Or does that sound silly to you? Well it is happening right now, everyday, to those of us whose differences are more obvious to those around us. There are battles about color...and now height...so what's next? Should we start separating people according to eye-color?? That sound ridiculous to you? It does to me too! So where should it end..makes me wonder why it even started at all!

Us :)

In my experience you can be hurt by anyone short or tall, purple or green...& you can LOVE & be LOVED by them & be the better for it as well. My name is Sommer & I'm 3ft 7, Texas born & raised & I've been married 11yrs to Jean-Sébastien who is the most wonderful 6ft 1 French Canadian you'll ever meet..& I'm proud of it! My hope is for everyone to replace our misconceptions with love...We are ALL a work of Art created by God & we are many different shapes, sizes, & colors, yet we are ALL being painted on the same canvas.. Separate shapes & colors on canvas are not much to look at..but when you blend those shapes & colors together, they have the potential to become something tremendously beautiful!

Thank you for taking the time to read this little Short Story...Love & Hugs to you all!! BBB            ~Sommer