Dwarf Wrestling Canceled

[The New California Republic]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-l ... e-45485344

A charity has said it is "very pleased" a wrestling event involving people with dwarfism has been cancelled. Extreme Dwarfanators Wrestling was due to take place in Leicester in October, but Morningside Arena dropped it due to the "tone of promotion". The Restricted Growth Association (RGA) compared the event to a "freak show". Organisers said the show was about people with dwarfism being equal and that the fighters were "pro athletes".

The Ferndown Leisure Centre, in Dorset, told the BBC it had also cancelled the event, but several other venues across the UK are still selling tickets. A spokeswoman for the RGA said: "We are very pleased to hear that the [Morningside] arena took the time to listen to our concerns and we thank them for reconsidering their position." The event is still due to be held in Cardiff, Torquay, Swansea and Liverpool.

Gillian Martin, from the RGA, said the event was a "Victorian spectacle" that harps back to "freak shows, carnivals, travelling troupes" for people to "poke fun" at those with disabilities. "That tradition has almost entirely disappeared, but it still exists for dwarfism," she said. The charity feared the event could "exacerbate" verbal abuse, harassment, bullying and physical abuse towards people with dwarfism.

Skyler Ward, from Extreme Dwarfanators Wrestling, said it was both sport and entertainment and the wrestlers were "pro athletes". "We are proving that anybody can get in that ring and can do what any big guy does," he said. "There is nothing wrong with a little guy doing pro wrestling. It doesn't matter if you have dwarfism. According to them, they want to be equal. "They are getting out there, they're wrestling and doing what they love."

A Morningside Arena Leicester spokesman said it prided itself on being "inclusive" and decided "due to the tone of promotion" it would be unable to host the event.

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I think that this is absurd. I would perhaps understand the outrage if the people involved in this event were somehow coerced or tricked into participating, but the participants in this event are all adults who wrestle as a career. They clearly chose to be involved in this sort of thing. I don't understand the perspective of the RGA on this, as I would assume that not allowing people with disabilities to have these kinds of events is a bigger issue? While the event is still being held in Cardiff, Torquay, Swansea and Liverpool, even a single event being canceled can still negatively affect the performers. Disabled people also face various obstacles regarding access to and inclusion in employment opportunities, so surely it is wrong to interfere in legal and fairly safe work that a disabled person is doing with their clear and informed consent?

Who is right here? Is the RGA right in what it is saying about this event? Is the event akin to a "Victorian spectacle"? Or should the wrestlers be allowed to continue this work unimpeded?

Thoughts, NSG?

[Datlofff]

As long as the little guys aren't being tricked I really don't give a shit. They signed up to participate after all. Just because they are short doesnt make them non-consenting adults

[Dumb Ideologies]

Sounds like the athletes have got the short straw, but I suppose that's not disproportionate.

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

We prefer more high brow entertainments in Leicester.

[Hirota]

We prefer more high brow entertainments in Leicester.

I've been to Leicester, many many times. This is simply untrue, unless you consider marrying your cousin "high brow"

I jest - as a Northamptonian, any chance to mock our Northern rivals has to be ruthlessly taken advantage of. I like the city, it's a good night out.

Seriously though, this falls into the same line of arguments as the whole "pit girl" discussion a few months ago, when swathes of women came out of the woodwork to complain about being told what they can and cannot do.

If it can be shown that the people with dwarfism were going into it entirely aware and of their own free will - which evidence suggests they are - then I don't see the problem with letting them.

If the RGA isn't going to practice what it preaches in it's charter, and deny employment of people with dwarfism, then it should be honest and stop claiming it seeks "To relieve poverty, distress and sickness amongst such persons"

Bear in mind, I voted "No" to the poll, but just because I wouldn't go doesn't mean I would stop people doing it.

[United American Commomwealth]

I guess you can say the series was cut short

[Des-Bal]

This is wonderful because I like both feeling progressive and preventing disabled performers from having money.

[Saiwania]

This event probably should've proceeded. You know, little people or so called "midgets" used to be able to make an easy living entertaining the masses in circuses or "freak" shows. P. T. Barnum provided odd or unusual people with or without physical disadvantages and conditions economic opportunities that wouldn't have ever existed for them otherwise.

Now, this is sadly all gone for the most part. It was a sort of job that one didn't have to train for or go through so much effort to qualify, but rather- just simply being born a certain way but still be willing to put on a good show or to hone their showmanship.

[Aclion]

I wonder how the wrestlers feel.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I’ll hold off judgement since I don’t know enough about the organization
Little people do have a record of being treated poorly in show business so I’m not sure of the situation here

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

This event probably should've proceeded. You know, little people or so called "midgets" used to be able to make an easy living entertaining the masses in circuses or "freak" shows. P. T. Barnum provided odd or unusual people with or without physical disadvantages and conditions economic opportunities that wouldn't have ever existed for them otherwise.

Now, this is sadly all gone for the most part. It was a sort of job that one didn't have to train for or go through so much effort to qualify, but rather- just simply being born a certain way but still be willing to put on a good show or to hone their showmanship.

Joseph Merrick would be turning in his grave.

[The Huskar Social Union]

I’ll hold off judgement since I don’t know enough about the organization
Little people do have a record of being treated poorly in show business so I’m not sure of the situation here

I agree

[Herskerstad]

What's wrong with dwarfs wrestling? It's not like it's any easier for them than it is for normal wrestlers nor is it as if it was taking place in a zoo.

[USS Monitor]

I understand that this sort of event isn't for everyone, and it's not something I particularly need to watch; but if some dwarfs want to wrestle, and there are people that will pay to watch it, then I think it should be allowed.

I do understand RGA's position. I just think there is also another side to the issue.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

If the wrestlers aren't been coerced or abused, I see no reason to cancel the event.

[Ethel mermania]

Sounds like the athletes have got the short straw, but I suppose that's not disproportionate.

Shame, you should feel shame for those puns.

[Dumb Ideologies]

Sounds like the athletes have got the short straw, but I suppose that's not disproportionate.

Shame, you should feel shame for those puns.

Shame is something that, like these athletes, I always wrestle with a little.

[Albrenia]

I guess Gimli was right...

Anyway, this is silly. The rest of us get the right to earn money acting like dorks in public (clowns, comedians, politicians, and so on) so why don't these people have the same right?

[Major-Tom]

I wonder how the wrestlers feel.

They probably feel like they got the short end of the stick.

Edit: And DI beat me to that pun. Fucker.

[Bombadil]

This event probably should've proceeded. You know, little people or so called "midgets" used to be able to make an easy living entertaining the masses in circuses or "freak" shows. P. T. Barnum provided odd or unusual people with or without physical disadvantages and conditions economic opportunities that wouldn't have ever existed for them otherwise.

Now, this is sadly all gone for the most part. It was a sort of job that one didn't have to train for or go through so much effort to qualify, but rather- just simply being born a certain way but still be willing to put on a good show or to hone their showmanship.

Aren't you the one complaining about how hard it is to find a job, maybe you should accept something a little more demeaning where people pay to point and laugh at you.

[Ethel mermania]

This event probably should've proceeded. You know, little people or so called "midgets" used to be able to make an easy living entertaining the masses in circuses or "freak" shows. P. T. Barnum provided odd or unusual people with or without physical disadvantages and conditions economic opportunities that wouldn't have ever existed for them otherwise.

Now, this is sadly all gone for the most part. It was a sort of job that one didn't have to train for or go through so much effort to qualify, but rather- just simply being born a certain way but still be willing to put on a good show or to hone their showmanship.

Aren't you the one complaining about how hard it is to find a job, maybe you should accept something a little more demeaning where people pay to point and laugh at you.

Give me 15 million you can point and laugh at me all you want.

[Prussian Polish Commonwealth]

I was expecting actual dwarves

[The United Artherian Federation]

I was really kinda looking forward to watching Dwarf Mamba wrestle.
Damn it.

[Bombadil]

Aren't you the one complaining about how hard it is to find a job, maybe you should accept something a little more demeaning where people pay to point and laugh at you.

Give me 15 million you can point and laugh at me all you want.

I strongly doubt these guys are getting $15M..

I don't really think the event should be cancelled but then I can't see the 'tone of promotion' they refer to as the reason for cancelling - the wider point, though, is that wrestling or being thrown at dartboards shouldn't be the only jobs available to people with disabilities.

[Saiwania]

Aren't you the one complaining about how hard it is to find a job, maybe you should accept something a little more demeaning where people pay to point and laugh at you.

It would be good in that it'd be easy to get, even if demeaning. Some money is better than none. I could maybe start investing full time in stocks.
(College was a mistake, and if it isn't for most people, I can't figure out how to make that path actually pay off).

I get treated so horribly just because I have no resume to speak of, no work experience, hate social networking, am not ambitious or entrepreneurial, and have such a long employment gap. And find every step of the job hunt, application, and interview process to be so hard to navigate. Sure, people can say that I've lost- but it doesn't change that I'm alienated from it all. Capitalism is just not a good fit for me, even though I recognize it as the best economic system overall- for delivering material wealth broadly speaking.

I'd have gone for the straight forward military or law enforcement paths if I didn't have physical handicaps to get in the way of qualifying. You sign up, and you're IN simply if there exists enough vacancies and you don't get drummed out for poor performance or whatever.