The Exploitation of Little People :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Exploitation of Little People Once upon a time, on that point lived a bewitching maiden Pallid Powder amidst seven dwarfs.There was a dwarf who worked in a sideshow display at the local circus, a dwarf who was frequently flap by Galactic Studios for the dancing baby parts, and all the other dwarfs locked themselves in their isolated cabin in the woods so that the nearby villagers wouldnt laugh.These snippets twain fictional and realare all most people know about the lives of dwarfs, or little people as they prefer to be called.But Ursula Hegis novel Stones from the River suggests that dwarfs were stereotyped, and although the information I found was limited, I found enough to satisfy myself that many dwarfs in the pastand even todayhave been exploit or treated unjustly by others.In order to understand why dwarfs are exploited, one must understand the genetic disorder itself.Dwarfism, harmonize to the Little People of America Research Fund, is the result of the disproportionat e growth of the skeleton, a condition mostly predetermined by the genetic code.Some symptoms, according to WebMD, overwhelm short stature, the appearance of a larger head, abnormally shaped hands, a waddling walk, along with increased inward curve of the lower back making the puke appear more prominent (lordosis), and increased outward curve of the upper back making the back appear slightly hunched (kyphosis)Clearly, dwarfs have material differences that make everyday life more difficult for themeven without exploitation by others.The simplest aspects of life are often difficult for dwarfs.They have difficulties finding furniture to fit their small bodies, and household chores such as washing dishes become almost impossible without the use of a stool.Other things, such as finding attire to fit or just being able to drive a car, are also difficult for them.But beyond the inevitable difficulties presented by their size, there are other ways that dwarfsbecause of their sizeare int entionally exploited by others.One way they are exploited is being used to make bullion for others.A researcher on the topic, Laurence Bathurst wrote in his reply to Judith Irving, a dwarf, about such mistreatmentThere are some really gross and demeaning ways in which short statured people are exploited such as dwarf throwing contests, dwarf wrestling, and generally, the portrayal of short statured people in movies and television that endows them with special characteristics (either diabolical or good).Circuses and sideshows use dwarfs as exhibits and often claim ownership of them as well.