Support for the Short

webmaster@supportfortheshort.org

Joe - I felt privileged to be part of your 11/27/09 broadcast. Solidarity is important, and I'm very impressed by what you're doing, and enthusiastic about the direction your efforts are taking lately.

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Hello, I'm a 23 years old, 5'4" French man old. So please don't blame me about my English.

Five years ago, I was a shit; bad at school, I found myself ugly and though I don't deserve to live. I react myself, nobody help me
Today, I'm in an engineering school.
I've been searching deep inside my personal story to find why I was feeling so bad . . .

And guess what, if I fixed a lot of problem with my parents, I could not lie anymore: I feel bad because I'm short, because the society make me feel bad about my height.

And as you said, it's an horrible problem.
You cannot defend yourself: "oh, is so sensitive".
It's not a problem: "You just have a lack of confidence"
And at last, you can't be agressive, you will be blame for that!

The unconsciouce discrimination is the perfect expression, the one I was searching to explain my problem. Now I know, that if a part of the problem is inside me, another part (the biggest one?) is outside of me . . . Thanks for your essays, now I know that I'm not alone, and I understand that the best thing I can do is to respect myself.

Women is a big issue: It's so hard to be rejected, or just feel that she look at you with contempt, because you're not tall enought to be "a real man"! I think it's not tomorrow that women will change their judgement . . .

I wold like to join you, what can I do to help you?

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Joe,

Now that you mention it, those Nossa videos are scary. If that weirdo is the president of an organization I'd be worried. That guy appears to have some heavy duty problems. It makes me wonder just who would join that club. Did you notice that at the end of one or two of the videos the camere lens winds up being pointed at his groin?

Webmasters' note: Here are links to the videos. The "Star" of the videos is none other than Matthew S. Campisi. Take a good look - a real good look.

Psycho Ward
The Closet
Alien Landing
Learn to Drive
Bathroom Antics

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Joe man, that Nossa guy is real sinister. As soon as I saw those videos I thought man, this guys' a joke. I wonder who they've got joining them. They're like a fringe group with few members it seems. Their forums are private, you can't see what people are posting. They must be hiding something. You're right.

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Hello I'm in grade 8 and im doing a public speech on 'height discrimination' i was just wondering if you happened to have any tips for me. if so you can just reply this email, and if not than thanks anyways, and i LOVE your intro to your essay, i may steal a few ideas and quotes from you

thanks a bunch,

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Hi all:

So enjoy your informative website.

As a female 4' 6", I can relate to smart assed remarks, stares, jeers, what have you!

Well, I am in the corporate world and in this world I most definitely am respected and am not short "so to speak".

And I do agree whole-heartedly with you on each and every subject. ALL SHORT PEOPLE MUST BAND TOGETHER AND FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS.

Yes, you can be black, white, eleven feet tall, weigh 600 lbs. and you get by BUT.....just be below average and watch out brother, you are really in for it.

We are not handicapped just because we are below average. Other than reach the high shelf at the supermarket I can do anything that anybody else can do AND SO CAN YOU.

We all, as shorter than average have to really fight and speak up LOUDER than our taller people out there.

To be heard and to be respected.

It seems that the shorter statured society are gaining some ground in many ways, however there probably, unfortunately will always be that element who will look down on the shorter society as not as good as they are.

Well, all you tall folks out there, there are many people in the business, entertainment world out there who have been quite short and believe me they make a statement and nothing has stood in their way.

I deem it a luxury to go out in public and shop in peace as my taller friends do. No, I am a "celebrity" so to speak with stares, points, etc. And now I SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT to them all (mostly little children, brats) as I call them.

Which brings me to the parents who do not coach their kids to keep their damn little mouths shut when they spot someone who does not fit into the normal range of their view.

As I said before, you can be 17 feet tall, have one eye and ten hands, but if you are short, baby you are gonna pay.

LET US ALL BAND TOGETHER AND STICK UP FOR OUR RIGHTS, IN EACH AND EVERY SITUATION THAT SEEMS TO STAND IN OUR WAY.

Merle Sue

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Just read your essay

It is bang on I deal with so much bullshit in my life, I just wish there was something I could do about my height. I assume you have checked out all those hormone drugs as well? I doubt they work which is probably the sad reality...

We should all get together and start a riot for out rights , I mean the blacks and gays did it, why can't we?

A pissed off short man

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What annoys me is, if we tell anyone about height discrimination, it is dismissed as, all in our heads, trivial, frivolous, insignificant, nonexistent etc. People say: get over it, just deal with it, buck up, etc. Heightism is not taken seriously. Numerous examples of succesful short people are given, but these same people would never blow off racism or sexism, by giving examples of successful blacks, hispanics,etc. Heightism is given short shrift.
Ian

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Hi,

I read your article on height discrimination It is excellent and there are very good points in there. The Dos and Don’ts are very good to! hank you for the article.

All the best to you and in whatever you do

Cher

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I was very impressed with your insights about being short. It’s a tall world out there and we have to live in it. I realized reading your essay that I have surrounded my self with other short people. I don’t think it was a conscious effort either. Then on the other hand I have also had extremely tall friends and have avoided averaged sized people. A strange world we live in huh. I’m sure that being a short man is not always easy. I am a 5’” red haired, left handed, woman. If someone could say it THEY HAVE. You are right we do have to fight for our rights and get left-handed can openers!

Leticia

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Wow!.. my name is amanda.. im 15 and i read ur page.. i love it.. i mean i kno how it is im a person with short statrue.. I have a question .. Can u sue a company for discrimanation because you dont look your age?.. my friends are the same age (maybe a month or two older) and they can get a job.. but when i go there they say "O you have to be 16".. but i think that they believe im like 12 or somthing... but i dont know.. and how can you prove that your being discrimanted for your hight? you cant... i understand everything you said.. and i agree with you.. i've been to the doctor about my hight.. some said i was fine.. and some said that i just have underactive throid hormone..im about 4'7''... i never thought about people calling me "midget,dwaft,little person" ect.. discrimating untill i read ur page!... most people tell me that "is cute" about how tall i am.. but i dont know..well i just want to say thanks for openin my eyes and now i understand more!... Hey by the way I have heard something about people with short staure get disablity like $200 a month or something like that do you know anything about that? well im going to get going, thanxks again! bye!

Amanda

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I agree with you on height issue for men. I'm 46 y/o 5'3", I am intelligent and a lot of women have told me I am very handsome. But those same women refuse to go out on a date. I have heard women say behind my back that's my looks are "such a waste" because I'm a short man. The biggest problem is in the workplace. I have had managers use my work ethics as an example to other employees, yet my pay rate was much lower than even newly hired employees in a lesser position. Your article, in my opinion is accurate and truly reflects society's feelings on height discrimination. Thank you for bringing this issue out in the open.
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I'm a man, 5' 3/4" tall. Yes, I've been discriminated against in my lifetime. However, I had the opportunity to talk at length to someone who was 6'9", and the discrimination he suffered was eerily similar to what I suffered. We were both taunted, ridiculed, ostracised, threatened in grade school. We were both ignored when it came to dating. We discussed what it was like growing up, and we concluded that it wasn't because I was too short, or he was too tall. No. It was because we were both different than the perceived "norm." What is the perceived norm? Look at the media. Children are taught to discriminate based on what they see and hear. You are not likely to see that many short people depicted on television. There is discrimination in in the entertainment industry that prevents even the most talented short men from "making it" in Hollywood. Also discriminated against are obese people, elderly people, people with disabilities, and in case you haven't noticed, there aren't that many shows with diversity of race. So, what have we got here? It's the SAME prejudice in all cases. The groups that I've mentioned are all discriminated against, not because they were too short, to tall, too old, too fat, etc, but because they are "different" than the perceived "norm." If the process of discrimination can be better understood, there should be a way to intervene to stop it, and to teach young people how to prevent it. Only then will we be free of it. Haven't you noticed that when one group gains power and discrimation stops against them, another crops up? Odd, isn't it?

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People don't always tell you what they're thinking. They just see to it that you don't advance - in life.

-Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lechter in the movie 'Hannibal'