Category: Little People of America

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Little People of America

Keynote Speaker at Star Spangled Awards Banquet

Banquet Keynote Promo

In January this year I received an unexpected invitation from Little People of America (LPA) President Eileen Norman. I was blown away when she asked if I was available to be the keynote speaker at the LPA annual banquet in Baltimore, Maryland on July 4th. Wow! What an honor.

Ordinarily I would have jumped at the opportunity. However, health issues had kept attending the Baltimore conference off our schedule. Robert was still immersed in physical therapy after his hospital discharge three months earlier and I was recently hit with severe painful arthritis in my right shoulder. Even though I couldn’t get my head around how I would pull this off, I agreed to pray and think on it before giving an answer a week later.

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In a scheduled phone meeting on February 7th, Eileen satisfied my curiosity as to how my name came up as a potential banquet speaker. I was humbled when she said she had grown up looking at my book “Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses” on her parent’s bookshelf and believed she was standing on the shoulder of giants. Her vision for the keynote was for members to see our common mission as advocates and for each of us to find our part to play. In order to help people find their role she wanted me to share LPA’s advocacy history and challenge this generation to get involved. I was hooked.

After organizing family caregivers to stay with Robert in my absence, I accepted the invitation to be the keynote speaker. Even in February I knew Robert’s health didn’t allow him to travel, but by March his health took a huge step down. He was in the hospital for ten days and acute rehab for 21 days, followed by in-home therapy three days a week, and outpatient kidney dialysis three times a week. So I waited until we settled into our new routine before finalizing my decision.

But Robert, family, and friends encouraged me to proceed with Baltimore conference plans. And so I did.

Banquet keynote on stage

In May, I made a flight reservation, ordered 110 “Always an Advocate” books to give away at the banquet, requested an accessible room with a roll in shower and lowered bed, and accepted the LPA Historian’s invitation to videotape an oral history one hour interview. The bonus was the historian’s agreement to reserve Wheelchair Accessible Van rides to and from the airport to the hotel.

With all my extra duties involving Robert’s care, the preparation of my 20 minute speech was spread out over several weeks. In recognizing that banquet guests do not sign up to be lectured and would hope to be entertained, I wrapped my points into bite size packages with lots of stories. I avoided details that take too much concentration.

It remains to be seen how many people rise to my challenge to “be an advocate for positive change.” But judging by the many favorable comments I received after the speech and the number of people lining up to have their gift book autographed, I’m hopeful that LPA members will care enough to do something, remember change is possible, and go out together to change the world.

You may also want to read:

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Little People of America

Dwarfism Pride Flag Depicts Diversity and Unity

Pride flag dwarfism

Flags have been in the news recently, but this post is not about political protests. And even though prompted by the American celebration of Flag Day on June 14, today’s focus is on a new flag representing dwarfism and Little People of America (LPA).

LPA unveiled a Dwarfism Pride Flag on International Dwarfism Awareness Day (October 25, 2023). It’s “a conceptual and inclusive abstract representation of the dwarfism community, emphasizing both its diversity and unity, as well as the significant role of allies and supporters.” LPA gave four rationale for the flag’s creation:

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  1. Visibility and Recognition: A flag helps raise awareness and promotes visibility, making it easier for people to identify and recognize our cause. 
  2. Unity and Pride: It can foster a sense of belonging and solidarity, reminding us that we are part of a larger movement working towards positive change.
  3. Advocacy and Representation: Our flag can be a powerful tool for advocacy and representation. 
  4. Symbol of Hope: A flag can inspire hope and provide a sense of empowerment to individuals with disabilities. It represents resilience, strength, and the determination to overcome challenges.

LPA recruited two graphic designers who are LPA members and individuals with dwarfism—Jon Morato and Margo Drew. In a video interview Jon and Margo shared their vision for a simplistic and iconic flag design that (1) represents the dwarfism community; (2) incorporates and connects with LPA’s brand; and (3) is distinct from other pride flags. Both felt the weight and importance of the task to create something that represented diversity and the progress that LPA has made. And as they hoped, the flag design is something the dwarfism community can be very proud of and rally behind.

The Dwarfism Pride Flag is not only visually pleasing, but also symbolizes various aspects of LPA and the dwarfism community. Unlike horizontal stripes on traditional flags, the colors and stripes run vertically to draw attention to the common trait that makes people with dwarfism stand out from society—short stature. Although stature brings little people together, community members have 200 plus different types of dwarfism. This variation is represented with blocks differing in size, color and shades in a unified arrangement to show togetherness as a community.

The blue stripe on the far left side of the flag is the spine, the backbone, that recognizes the integral role allies, friends and family play in supporting LPA at the national and local levels. The 13 color blockings match the number of LPA districts. Green ties in with the color of LPA’s brand and dwarfism awareness activities.

When unveiling the flag, LPA leadership stated:

“Seeing our flag flying reminds us that we are not alone, and a supportive community is fighting for our rights. It is a rallying point for our members and allies, igniting a sense of pride and determination to create a more inclusive society.”

So let’s be proud of our visibility and fly the Dwarfism Pride Flag to represent our unity in diversity, advocate for inclusion, and symbolize hope.

This post was informed by the following sources:

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Little People of America

Running for Office

LPA President ave
President Angela with Board member

Election season is in full swing in American politics. When I look back 20 years I am reminded of the time I was persuaded to run for national office. No, not as a representative of the people in the United States, but as a Vice President of Little People of America (LPA). March 31, 2004 was the day I announced my candidacy, one day before the April 1st deadline.

My husband, Robert, completely got my attention when he said I should run for president. I was reluctant to run for any office. It meant shelving any work on our marriage memoir, Pass Me Your Shoes, for more than two years. Also, after six months

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of unemployment, I was finally in the running for two jobs. I couldn’t imagine taking on the LPA presidency at the same time as starting a new job.

I could see the need for an elected officer who would temper passion with patience, value staff and volunteers, work cooperatively as a team member, and promote a fair and equitable process. After much prayer and discussion with Robert, my dilemma about running for president was resolved when Jacob stepped forward as a presidential candidate. But I did put the book on hold and decided to run for VP of membership. Although I had never been on the LPA Executive Committee, I had board experience as parliamentarian, a District 4 proxy, and an administrative assistant during Robert’s two terms as president in the 1980s.

Jacob and I recruited Rachel as a senior vice-presidential candidate who shared our campaign values of respect, integrity, accountability, and inclusiveness. Our motto was, “Vote for people who value people.” We held campaign meetings in online chat sessions. Supporters distributed our flyers at spring regional meetings and we built a campaign website called lpa4people.org. The campaign took off as we posted our platforms, biographies, endorsements, and commentaries. We prepared for a contested election and were surprised when the likely contender announced he would not be running for office.

I received good advice from a former LPA President, Gerald Rasa. He recommended defining, prioritizing, and resolving issues; including people in the process and praising them for their work; and conducting myself with humility. Gerald’s advice hit the mark as I entered a turbulent time in LPA leadership. There were so many issues to resolve! In my two years on the Executive Committee, four different people served in the office of President! I dubbed this as the Presidential relay. I ran the last leg after the board voted me in as President on November 13, 2005.

As President until July 2006, I determined to finish the work the original Executive Committee began in 2004. In pursuit of Solomon’s wisdom, I added his words as part of my email signature paragraph. For example, in February 2006, my 220 outgoing emails closed with this quote:

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
∞ Proverbs 16:24, New American Standard Bible

            LPA primarily runs on volunteer hours. It’s important to support and encourage those willing to serve.

This post is a condensed version of excerpts in Chapter 4, Galvanize the Group and Heal the Breaches and Chapter 7, President Angela: Last Leg of Relay in book three of my memoir trilogy: “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities,” https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/

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Little People of America

VOTING RIGHTS HISTORY: Women and Little People

Constitution

Individuals with dwarfism are represented by people of all ages, body shapes, skin colors, national origins, cultures, religions, and genders. As such, we are a microcosm of society with diverse values, talents, economic status, politics and opinions. Perhaps this is why February 27, 1922—the 102nd anniversary of the United States Supreme Court defending women’s voting rights under the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution—stands out to me. Little People of America’s (LPA) heritage also includes defenses to freedom of expression and voting rights.

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As an alien, female, dwarf immigrant to the U.S., I was scorned when I expressed an unpopular opinion at an LPA Board of Director’s meeting. One Director blasted me for delaying the board’s progress, another accused me of stifling discussion and energy and attributed this to my being from New Zealand. I put the record straight with a heritage and values email:

In 1893, New Zealand was the first self-governing country in the world to grant the vote to all adult women. I therefore come from a rich heritage of debate and democracy. There are three books sitting next to my computer monitor: a Bible, a dictionary, and a copy of the U.S. Constitution. Please never mistake a plea for civility as a call to stifle discussion or energy. However, I strongly believe that the First Amendment freedom of speech comes with responsibility and is not a license to disrespect or discredit people.

When I first emigrated to the U.S. as a permanent resident alien in 1981, LPA had two classes of disenfranchised people—noncitizen aliens without student or employee status and average-size parents of children with dwarfism. For several months, I fit into the first nonvoting class as one who was neither employed nor a student. Consequently, I was ineligible for membership and unable to vote. Thankfully this inequity was corrected in 1982 when the membership approved a proposed bylaw amendment to allow permanent resident aliens to become LPA members with the right to vote regardless of their employment or student status.

As a Past President of Little People of New Zealand (NZ), I was surprised to learn that average-size parents of children with dwarfism were nonvoting members of LPA. In NZ height was not a criteria for membership. In some LPA chapters, parents’ opinions were not sought or welcome. Parents were frequently relegated to the back of the room. In many chapters, parents were limited to servant roles of providing transportation to a meeting, setting up, and cleaning up after a meal.

This all changed in Robert Van Etten’s second term as LPA President (1984-1986). Robert successfully promoted a bylaw amendment giving the vote to one average-sized parent living in the household of a child with dwarfism.

So what voting rights do you appreciate?

Photo credit: Venita Oberholster from Pixabay

The examples given in this post are drawn from Chapter 2, “President Robert: The Second Term” and Chapter 7, “President Angela: Last Leg of Relay” in ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities by Angela Muir Van Etten. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/.

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Little People of America

How My Life Would Be Different Without LPA

Little People of America
  • I would not have married a President.
  • I would not have attended 29 national conferences in 20 states and four countries.
  • I would not have spent so many weeks in meetings and become proficient with Robert’s Rules of Order.
  • I would not have read LPA Bylaws or cared enough to try and change them.
  • I would not have chaperoned a 17-year old at his first LPA conference.
  • I would have earned fewer frequent flyer miles.

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    • I would have stayed in fewer hotels.
    • I would have missed the free advice from medical experts in dwarfism.
    • I would not have received an LPA education scholarship.
    • I would not have posed for so many group photos.
    • The opportunity to encourage parents to raise their child with dwarfism with the same expectations and boundaries as their other children would have been lost.
    • I would not have learned the lessons that come from being in the majority.
    • River rafting in the afternoon and modeling my wedding dress in the evening would never have happened.
    • I would not have met so many celebrities or little people from all over the world.
    • Local little people communities would not have welcomed me when I moved from New Zealand to Virginia to Maryland to Ohio to New York to Florida.
    • I would get fewer emails.
    • I would not have enjoyed so much hospitality from LPA members opening their homes for meetings.
    • I would not have been a guest in so many modified LP kitchens and seen how to make my home more accessible.
    • I would not have needed a Media Resume.
    • I would have missed learning how the media censors the facts in order to promote a point of view.
    • Conservative Rush Limbaugh and Liberal Howard Stern would not have criticized me in a radio broadcast on the same day for suggesting that little people have a “cause.”
    • I would not have had to explain to so many people why the word “midget” is derogatory.
    • I would never have read so many great books written by people with dwarfism.
    • I would never have used a scooter to extend my endurance and long term joint maintenance.
    • I would not have been on the advocacy teams that defeated dwarf tossing in Chicago, Florida, and New York.
    • ATMs and credit card readers on gas pumps at my local gas station would still be out of reach.
    • My T-shirt wardrobe would be deficient.
    • I would have missed meeting other Little People with my diagnosis.
    • I would have got a lot more sleep.
    • I would have fewer friends.
    • I would not have laughed and cried so much.
    • My photo albums would not feature little people.
    • Free time would be a reality not a concept.
    • I would have missed being in the dwarfism melting pot of diagnoses, gender, ethnicity, nationality, economic and faith backgrounds.

    [In recognition of National Nonprofit Day on August 17, 2023, this post updates “How My Life Would Be Different Without LPA,” Angela Muir Van Etten blog post (September 28, 2020).]

    A reading list for digging deeper:

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    Awareness Little People of America

    DWARFISM SENSITIVITY & AWARENESS

    Dwarfism Awareness band

    S ─ Speak with a normal voice volume, tone and subject matter. 

    • Don’t change tone of voice to match the one used when speaking to a child.
    • It’s not taboo to use idioms like “It’s a small world.” It was appropriate for an observer to say this when five years after graduation I met someone from my law school class halfway around the world.

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    E ─ Equal treatment is expected:

    • Not pity allowing emotions to run amok.
    • Not paternalism; offer a handshake not a handout.
    • Not a pedestal that elevates us to superhero.
    • Not special treatment, but accommodations that level the playing field.

    N ─ Names matter. Call someone with dwarfism by their name rather than describe them by their height. Avoid offensive words like midget, crippled, hunchback, retarded, and dumb. Drop the list of demeaning synonyms for short-stature like pint-size, runt, shrimp, shorty, or stumpy.

    S ─ See the little person’s character and abilities not the outward appearance.

    “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7. New American Standard Bible.

    I ─ Independence is highly valued by people with dwarfism as seen in the demand for:

    • Accessible and usable public buildings and facilities.
    • Accessible work spaces and off-site events.
    • Access to public or private transportation, including driving our own vehicle.  

    T ─ Treat people with dignity and respect:

    • Service representatives should talk directly to the little person in front of them not to their companion who the representative assumes speaks for them.
    • Don’t condescendingly pat a little person on the head. And certainly don’t reach over a little person’s head to avoid waiting in line.
    • Respect the personal space of someone using a wheelchair or scooter. In other words, the armrest or writing surface is not free space to be appropriated.

    I ─ Imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes. Not so that you thank God you are not the one with dwarfism, but to be sensitive to needs.

    V ─ Value differences.Remember each little person is an individual and will have their own way of doing things. For example, some lower counters in their homes, others use stools and climb; some drive with pedal extensions, others use hand controls; and, when talking to average-size people, some little people prefer they kneel down or crouch for an eye-to-eye conversation, others don’t want any concession to height differences.  

    I ─ Interact as you do with any person. Common courtesy applies. Adults should not ask personal questions. Children are given a pass when their curiosity opens the door to a learning opportunity.

    T ─ Take cues from the person with dwarfism. Ask if help is needed before rushing in and creating a problem.

    Y ─ be Yourself. Relax. Joke. Smile. Encourage.

    This post is based on principles and examples found in books I and II of my dwarfism memoir trilogy: Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses and PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith,https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books/.

    You may also like prior posts:

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    Little People of America Transportation

    Successful Spokane Trip

    LPA Expo Table

    Airfares doubling, flight delays and cancellations, and Robert’s inability to travel combined to make a trip from West Palm Beach, Florida to the LPA conference in Spokane, Washington questionable. Yet I needed to be there. Not because it was LPA’s 65th anniversary, but it was the first opportunity to market my dwarfism memoir trilogy since its’ completion in 2021.

    So after prayerful consideration and organizing at-home support for Robert, I flew to Spokane on July 3rd. Given that Delta pilots were on strike, I was grateful to be flying with American Airlines. Prior weeks of airport chaos had me anticipating trouble. Instead, there were no major hiccups.

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    TSA staff were friendly and helpful. Just as well, because head-level tables were too high for me to lift my bags onto. Plus a sophisticated scanner negated TSA’s need to unpack my computer and CPAP from carry-on bags. Technology also kept me informed of flight delays. Upon arrival at my Dallas, Texas connection, the American Airlines App on my phone notified me of a delay and gate change. No need to line up for flight information or strain to read departure screens.

    As with any trip, I encountered a mixed bag of fellow travelers. Passenger allies provided interesting encounters and helped with things like retrieving my suitcase from the baggage claim carousel. A hostile passenger complained about how long it took TSA to process a veteran with a prosthetic leg. And an inconsiderate passenger used the accessible bathroom stall as a personal dressing room.

    A late arrival in Spokane put my accessible taxi reservation in jeopardy. Thankfully the driver waited for me to be reunited with my scooter and checked luggage. I reserve my objection to the $100 surcharge for the accessible taxi for another day—it was my only way of getting to the hotel with my scooter and I didn’t want to be stranded at the airport. 

    A midnight arrival at the hotel eliminated a check-in line, qualified me for a two-day breakfast treat of soft peanut brittle, and resulted in a bellhop being immediately available. Even though the room had been prepared for LPA guests, I needed the bellhop to not only bring my bags to the room, but also to remove the soap and shampoo from the wall holders and lower the coffee maker and iron. Despite not noticing the need for a step stool to climb into bed until after he left, I didn’t call him back. I used an overturned trash can. A five o’clock rise and shine message at dawn meant I also overlooked asking how to lower the blinds.

    Not only was travel trauma avoided, but also my book marketing objectives were accomplished. All but two of the books shipped were sold at the LPA Expo! And the bonus was attending and presenting at workshops, participating in conversations on sensitive topics, receiving DNA confirmation of my dwarfism diagnosis, connecting with LP past and future friends, and exploring Spokane. All my prayers were answered.

    For information on my dwarfism memoir trilogy, go to https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books/.

    Categories
    Celebrations Little People of America

    LPA Conference Destinations

    Map
    Image by alijoy313 from Pixabay

    Before Robert and I married, he promised to show me every state in the union. Although not the reason I accepted his marriage proposal, I was ready to see the sights, meet the people, learn the history, understand the nation I was adopting as my home. Today on my 40th July 4th celebration, I can report visiting 37 of 50 states! And more than half of those visits were for national LPA conferences in July.  

                Our reasons for attending 29 conferences in 19 states were diverse—board meetings, leading workshops, Expo coordinator and exhibitor, tourism, and friendships.

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    Traveling to and from conferences was part of the adventure. As newlyweds, we arrived at the airport with one bag missing! Each of us assumed the other had loaded the forgotten bag into the cab—the critical bag with all the materials Robert needed for board meetings. Incredibly, he raced home and back to the airport in time to be on the right side of the door when it closed.

    Ground transportation was key to navigating destination cities:

    • In California, we hired a car to drive to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco with friends from Little People of New Zealand. Frustrated by lack of direction from his alien passengers, Robert stopped the car on the highway in the yellow-striped V between two lanes that forked in different directions. A motorcycle cop let him off with a warning.
    • In Texas, we delighted in Dallas Area Rapid Transit accessibility with David and Lisa. But it took time to learn the system. Lisa and I boarded successfully and watched David and Robert standing on the platform as the train pulled out of the station.
    • In California, Robert and I rode accessible public buses to the San Diego zoo when no accessible cabs were available.
    • In Colorado, Robert rode in an ambulance to the hospital in respiratory distress while I battled with cab companies that refused to transport me with my scooter. As a sea level resident of Florida, Robert was adversely affected by the mile high altitude of Denver. Upon discharge, he traveled home with a portable oxygen concentrator.

    Mostly our appreciation of area attractions came after completion of LPA commitments:

    • In Nevada, we valued a day trip to Virginia City in Bonanza country and rafting on the Truckee River.
    • In Oregon, we witnessed the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption.
    • In Michigan, Robert—undeterred by Do Not Enter signs—led a group of little people to Tom Thumb’s pool table in a restricted zone of the Henry Ford Museum.
    • In Utah, we took a boat trip on the Great Salt Lake without a fishing pole—the lake is too salty for fish.

    In all 19 states, we connected with our LPA family at restaurants, coffee shops, off-site events, chatting in hallways or a quiet corner. We laughed, and smiled, and supported one another. We didn’t always agree and sometimes we annoyed each another, but this community has greatly enriched our lives.

    This post includes references to the second and third books in my dwarfism memoir trilogy, “Pass Me Your Shoes: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith” and “Always An Advocate: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities.” Read more at https://angelamuirvanetten.com.

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    Celebrations Little People of America

    Celebrate Authors with Dwarfism on World Book Day

    World book day

    Reduce stress. Improve memory and brain function. Increase attention span. Discover a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations, and across cultures. Contribute to social transformation. You can do it all by reading books.

    For 25 years, the value of reading books has been celebrated on April 23, the anniversary of the deaths of authors William Shakespeare of England, Miguel de Cervantes of Spain, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega of Peru. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization inaugurated World Book Day to promote the enjoyment of books and reading.

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    In the words of some writers:

    “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” ~ Joseph Brodsky

    “Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.” ~ Malorie Blackman

    “Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled ‘This could change your life’.” ~ Helen Exley

    “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” ~ Joseph Addison

    “Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.” ~ Anne Lamott

    So are you ready to reduce stress, prevent crime, increase empathy, flirt with danger, exercise your mind, and learn how to live? If yes, I recommend you start by reading recent books authored by people with dwarfism:

    “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities,” Angela Muir Van Etten, 2021.

    “Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses,” Angela Muir Van Etten, Kindle 2021.

    “PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith,” Angela Muir Van Etten, 2020.

    “Dwarfism, Spatiality and Disabling Experiences” (Interdisciplinary Disability Studies), Erin Pritchard, 2020.

    “Looking Up: How a Different Perspective Turns Obstacles into Advantages,” Michele L. Sullivan, 2020.

    “A Little Me,” Amy Roloff, 2019.

    “LITTLE LEGS, BIG HEART: One Girl’s Journey of Acceptance, Perseverance, and Growth,” Kristen DeAndrade, 2019.

    “TEN FEET TALL: Step Into Your Truth and Change Your Freaking World,” Brandon Farbstein, 2018.

    “Fierce at Four Foot Two,” Terra Jolé, 2017.

    “THINK BIG: Overcoming Obstacles with Optimism,” Jennifer Arnold MD and Bill Klein, 2017.

    “LIFE IS SHORT (No Pun Intended): Love, Laughter, and Learning to Enjoy Every Moment,” Jennifer Arnold MD and Bill Klein, 2016.

    All books are available on Amazon.com and at various other book retailers.

    In the tradition of World Book Day, get your free paperback and autographed copy of the out-of-print Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses from the recently discovered box of books in my sister’s basement in Sydney, Australia. Qualify for the free book and free shipping by completing your dwarfism trilogy paperback set with a 33% discount on Pass Me Your Shoes and/or Always an Advocate at $10 per book. Email angela@angelamuirvanetten.com so we can exchange mailing addresses.

    Need specific information on the merits of each book? Go to https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books/.

    Categories
    Guest Little People of America

    Little People of America and Adoption

    Colleen Gioffreda
    Colleen Gioffreda
    LPA National Adoption Coordinator

    Happy National Adoption Day!

    Little People of America (LPA) provides information and support in a variety of ways. The one that’s closest to me personally is the adoption program, which helped my family find our daughter 19 years ago. (She’s awesome, by the way.)

    The LPA Adoption program, or some variation of it, has been around since about 1961. Since that time, there have been hundreds of children with dwarfism who have found their families through adoption and LPA. 

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    Some parents with dwarfism adopt because they worry about the health implications of having dwarfism and being pregnant. Others look at this possibility because adoption has been such a significant part of LPA’s culture and they are called to become adoptive parents. Typically average height parents adopt within LPA because they already have a child with dwarfism, and they would like them to grow up with a short-statured sibling (or two). However the family decides on adoption, most of the time the decision is solidified when they see the picture of their child for the first time and fall in love. I’ve had the honor of watching that moment several times in my role as adoption coordinator, and every single time it happens, it’s simply magical. 

    LPA’s role in adoption is more of a facilitator, rather than what a coordinator at an agency does. We don’t provide services like home studies or dossiers, but rather we find children who need families from all over the world, and let LPA members know what the next steps would be in adopting a particular child. 

    One of the most important topics that LPA helps with regarding adopting a child with a dwarfism or a disability internationally is knowing and emphasizing the correct wording to ensure that the prospective parents’ application is not rejected due to their disability. In China, for example, there are several rules about international adoption–but the one most relevant to our community is that a parent with a disability will not be allowed to adopt a child, unless the parent and child have the same disability. This means that a person with dwarfism will theoretically not be able to adopt a child who has a limb difference or visual impairment.  This rule is important to keep in mind when even the disability of the parent and child match, because the paperwork must match as well.  

    Adoption is magical and lovely and amazing and fantastic, and I feel lucky every day that I have not only made my family complete through adoption, but that I have had the opportunity to watch the magic happen hundreds of times. I am so thankful to have had a front row seat to such love.

    For those of you who really think numbers are cool, here are some statistics from the last 15 years:

    • LPA has advocated for over 400 children. 
    • Approximately 350 children have found their forever families. 
    • About 10% of adoptions through LPA are domestic (USA) adoptions, and 90% are international.
    • LPA has advocated for the adoption of children in more than 20 countries.
    • Children from China represent about 60% of the international adoptions with Bulgaria coming in a distant second, at 15%. 

    Anyone interested in discussing an LP adoption with Colleen can email her at adoption.lpa@gmail.com.