In case you didn't know how I feel about midget wrestling...
Earlier this evening, I was driving into town listening to a country music station, when an advertisement caught my ear. Apparently the motorcycle rally "Thunder in the Rockies" hosts an event "Extreme Midget Wrestling."
Here is the letter I sent to the radio station:
As an individual with dwarfism, I was shocked and disappointed to hear an advertisement for "Extreme Midget Wrestling"on your station.
The term “midget” is outdated and highly offensive to most of us with short stature, because it originated with the “freakshow” era when little people did not have rights as equal members of society. Quoting from the website “Understanding Dwarfism” (http://www.udprogram.com/basic-facts-3-2), “ in recent decades,
midget has become recognized as a derogatory, hurtful term, a term of derision used to ridicule short-statured individuals...it is a word that identifies a person of short stature as a “lowbar” spectacle, cheap gag, and sideshow act.” The preferred terms for an individual with dwarfism are “little person”, “person with dwarfism”, or “short-statured”.
In addition to the term itself, midget wrestling events are extremely harmful to the dwarfism community. Because dwarfism is rare, many average-statured people go through life without ever encountering a little person, so form stereotypes and judgments based on what they see in the media. Little people are viewed as
objects of amusement and derision, not as equal members of society. Midget wrestling events reinforce this stereotype by objectifying and mocking little people. Midget wrestling is not an athletic event but a “freak show”- they do not compete in sports venues, but at bars, clubs, and sideshows.
People with disabilities, including dwarfism, are some of the most vulnerable members of society. We face discrimination in education, housing, employment, and daily access to public facilities, and are constantly treated as “less than” in
social situations. Events such as midget wrestling reinforce the idea that little people are objects of amusement, counteracting the efforts of so many who are trying to educate the public that people with dwarfism are people, just like them.
As a fan of your radio station, I should not be subjected to hearing such an offensive advertisement. You do not use other offensive language, such as racial slurs and strong cuss words; the word “midget” is no different. I encourage you to stop playing such an offensive advertisement - it has no place on a 21st-century
country-music station.
Here is the letter I sent to the radio station:
As an individual with dwarfism, I was shocked and disappointed to hear an advertisement for "Extreme Midget Wrestling"on your station.
The term “midget” is outdated and highly offensive to most of us with short stature, because it originated with the “freakshow” era when little people did not have rights as equal members of society. Quoting from the website “Understanding Dwarfism” (http://www.udprogram.com/basic-facts-3-2), “ in recent decades,
midget has become recognized as a derogatory, hurtful term, a term of derision used to ridicule short-statured individuals...it is a word that identifies a person of short stature as a “lowbar” spectacle, cheap gag, and sideshow act.” The preferred terms for an individual with dwarfism are “little person”, “person with dwarfism”, or “short-statured”.
In addition to the term itself, midget wrestling events are extremely harmful to the dwarfism community. Because dwarfism is rare, many average-statured people go through life without ever encountering a little person, so form stereotypes and judgments based on what they see in the media. Little people are viewed as
objects of amusement and derision, not as equal members of society. Midget wrestling events reinforce this stereotype by objectifying and mocking little people. Midget wrestling is not an athletic event but a “freak show”- they do not compete in sports venues, but at bars, clubs, and sideshows.
People with disabilities, including dwarfism, are some of the most vulnerable members of society. We face discrimination in education, housing, employment, and daily access to public facilities, and are constantly treated as “less than” in
social situations. Events such as midget wrestling reinforce the idea that little people are objects of amusement, counteracting the efforts of so many who are trying to educate the public that people with dwarfism are people, just like them.
As a fan of your radio station, I should not be subjected to hearing such an offensive advertisement. You do not use other offensive language, such as racial slurs and strong cuss words; the word “midget” is no different. I encourage you to stop playing such an offensive advertisement - it has no place on a 21st-century
country-music station.
It is a radio station. Dont listen to them if you dont like what they say. Calling yourself their fan when there are a billion other country stations just shows your taste. Many of us liberals dont like what Rush Limbaugh has to say on radio and so, we just dont listen to him. Everyone has a right to express what they want. The last I checked, Freedom of speech is still a constitutional right in the US. You can't control everything and everyone just so you feel good. Your family may be forced to do things to make you feel good that but everyone in the society is not obligated to.
ReplyDeleteI agree. There are non Ms that are in wresting matches which are advertised and if the Ms want to be treated equal then advertising it should not be such an issue. It is pain when people choose when to be same and when different
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