Linda Antonet Agmata – 10E

Good Afternoon everyone, my name is Linda Agmata and I am here in front of you to talk about
dwarfism and how people who has this condition live their lives.
What is the first thing that pops into your head when someone says dwarfism? Majority of you might say
dwarves, small, tiny, midget, and even cute. Others who are unaware may relate these to mythical
creatures but I’m not here to talk about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I am here to talk about the
dwarfism disorder. So now, what is dwarfism? Dwarfism is also known as Growth Hormone Deficiency.
It is a medical or genetic disorder of the endocrine system which causes someone to have a short stature
caused by either genetic mutations or the ability of the pituitary gland to not make enough growth
hormone.
Last October 1st signaled the start of Dwarfism Awareness Month. Nowadays, dwarfism is a condition
still not fully understood by people due to certain misconceptions. There is still a great number of people
who use this disability as a joke or a laughing matter. According to research, this disability may affect
bone growth but it does not at all affect the persons’ IQ or level of thinking. Meaning they basically have
the same thinking capacity as average people like us do or maybe even better. Prior to this, there are
actually a lot of prominent artists who do not let their Dwarfism disability hold them back in chasing their
dreams and sharing motivation.
Most of you might know Peter Dinklage who played the role of Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones
and also appeared in X-Men: Days of the future past. Dinklage claimed that when he was younger, he
used to let his condition get to him which led him to bitterness and anger. But as years passed by, He says
and I quote: “But the older you get, you realize you just have to have a sense of humor. You just know
that it’s not your problem it’s theirs”. Later on, he won an Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actor
in a Drama Series and he is now continuing to pursue his acting career. In his line, Dinklage shows that
one’s disability does not define them. We are all humans and therefore equal. Of course we also have the
pride of our country who are showbiz stars who have the same condition. One of them is Rony Pastrana
also known as Dagul and has been a star of the popular kids show, Goin’ Bulilit, ever since the program
started. The 50-year-old dwarf-comedian even joined politics in the year 2010 and he campaigned himself
as “The Little Man with a Big Heart”. He received the highest vote and made a difference in his
community. Truly, despite his physical conditions he continues to prove the value of equality and
personality or heart over appearance. Another famous artist with this condition is Noemi Tesorero with
the alias of Mahal. According to Philstar, Mahal knew her differences and that she was small, but she did
not put herself into a life of misery. She entered showbiz as an actress and appeared in the film Mr. Suave
together with Dagul and now she is a single mom living a normal life despite her height.
I also personally know a family friend who has dwarfism and is known not for her size but for her
kindness and sincerity. I met her in a growth group at church last 2013 and ever since then I considered
her as one of my ates from Albay. Not once did I ever hear her say a negative comment about her life and
condition instead she continues to inspire a lot of people including me, because of her unwavering
devotion to God.
As I continued to dig deeper in the subject of dwarfism and the people who go through it. Looking at their
past struggles and their present lives, it made me realize that the true happiness of life is not based on
circumstances or conditions. It shall not be dictated by your peers or anyone at that matter. As long as you
insist the beautiful and the reasonable in life you will have that joy in pursuing life itself. The people I
have mentioned should serve as an inspiration to us because regardless of their differences, they prove
that each person has their own uniqueness and purpose in life.
This Dwarfism Awareness Month, I challenge you to take heart and dedicate yourselves in improving the
quality of life for people like them. It can be done in many simple ways such as respecting their condition,
treating them like average people, and even by simply making them your friends. May each of us strive
for social equality and diversity for the world to be a better place for non-average people. And at all costs,
may we avoid discrimination and may we promote the goodness of life. Thank you for listening and
remember what matters is the heart and not the height.
References:
www.endocrine.web.com
www.philstar.web.com
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagul
www.youtube.com.ph