1st Edition

Midgetism The Exploitation and Discrimination of People with Dwarfism

By Erin Pritchard Copyright 2023
134 Pages
by Routledge

134 Pages
by Routledge

134 Pages
by Routledge

There exist problematic attitudes and beliefs about dwarfism that have rarely been challenged, but continue to construct people with dwarfism as an inferior group within society. This book introduces the critical term ‘midgetism’, which the author has coined, to demonstrate that the socio-cultural discrimination people with dwarfism experience is influenced by both heightism and disablism. As... Read more

1.Introducing midgetism.  2.Midgetism and midget entertainment.  3.The freak show and its legacy.  4.Modern-day freak show: midget(ism) wrestling.  5.'But it's a job for them': the inexcusable excuse for midget entertainment.  6.'It’s just a joke': in defence of midgetism.  7.Fighting midgetism.  8.Conclusion: the problem of midgetism and how to fight it.

Biography

Erin Pritchard, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer in Disability Studies at Liverpool Hope University and core member of the Centre for Culture and Disability Studies. Her work specialises on dwarfism and she considers herself to be an activist for the equality of people with dwarfism. Her previous book, Dwarfism, Spatiality and Disabling Experiences, explores the socio-spatial experiences of people with dwarfism in public spaces.