My ready defense is
self-deprecation.
Before you can stare,
I’ll tell a joke about my body.
Put you at ease,
it hurts me inside.
The boundary between humor
and reality is blurred.
My dwarfism as a disability
often comes into question.
Though its portrayal as your
entertainment does not.
It is my burden
to provide teachable moments.
My human perspectives
are what you see in a movie.
The well-meaning echo
“I forget that you are short”,
meant to be supportive
makes you oblivious to my struggles.
This identity denial
reduces my experiences.
How can you be an ally
to what you don’t believe you see?
Photo by Christian Widell on Unsplash
Jodie Beckstine Killian
Jodie Beckstine Killian has always been a little different. Growing up in a small Wisconsin town she stood out from the rest as a person born with Hypochondroplasia. As a budding entertainer, this wasn’t a disability but a “super” ability that allowed her to get noticed, but not always in the way she hoped. Stares, discrimination and cruel comments are something she deals with daily and writes about often. She currently lives in Florida. (She doesn’t miss Wisconsin winters). She works in marketing, social media and is currently writing her first novel.
This is so powerful! Each stanza brings new new insights and perspectives. Beautifully written, Jodie!