Katherine Roche, of Corry, is a teacher in Corry Area School District. Jacob Brooks, of Loveland, Colo., is a professional wrestler with the Micro Wrestling Association, who will be competing at the Spartansburg Community Fair tonight. While Roche and Brooks have very different careers and have never met, they have one thing in common: they are both little people.
The term “little people” refers to those with dwarfism, which is generally defined as an adult height of 4 feet 10 inches or less. The average adult height among people with dwarfism is 4 feet.
Both Roche and Brooks have had children ask, “Why are you so small?” Both have a clear answer: “God made me this way.”
Roche said each school year begins with questions about her diminutive size, and she discusses dwarfism with her students.
“My bones did not grow as long as your bones did,” Roche explains to the kids. “My family is all average size and I am the only little person in our family.”
Roche has experienced challenging attitudes not just from students, but also from parents of those students.
“Once in my history of teaching, I had a whole family visit my classroom during Meet the Teacher,” Roche noted. “They were all laughing, giggling and screaming about me being a little person.It was my mission that year to teach the student acceptance.“
Roche also teaches her students the word “midget” is offensive.
“It dates back to the circus freak show era,” she said.“In the year I spend with my students, I teach them that we are all different. I teach them acceptance for differences.Dwarfism has become a big part of my life,and I celebrate that.”
While Roche’s career is considered mainstream,littlepeople who choose a career in the entertainment industry — wrestling in particular — face criticism for their choices. In fact, the LPA (Little People of America) put out a statement, saying wrestling for little people is, “Thoroughly degrading and puts little people out there as a sideshow and entertainment.”
Brooks, who has been wrestling professionally for 21 years and goes by the stage name of “Lil’ Show,” begs to differ.
“I love what I do,” Brooks said. “There are lots of athletic little people out there, and not all are wrestlers. Our fellow little people celebrate all of the athletes, except the wrestlers. I understand where they are coming from, but I am not a sideshow — I am an athlete and an entertainer.”
For Brooks, professional wrestling has been a way of life since the age of 13 when he and his brother, who is also a little person, began wrestling.
“Wrestling is my passion,” Brooks said. “Not only that, it puts food on the table for me and my family.”
Brooks is happily married with five children. He mentioned he met his wife while on tour.
“She came to my show, we exchanged phone numbers and the rest is history” he said with a laugh.
Still, professional wrestling has had its drawbacks for Brooks. He admits he has had five knee surgeries, but considers time away from his family more difficult than any injury.
“Like anyone who has a job that requires travel, being away from family is the hardest part,” he said.
When asked if he receives negative or bigoted comments, Brooks said no, never from the crowds who come to a Micro Wrestling event.
“I never hear negative stuff from our fans,” Brooks explained. “I only get criticism from other little people. Hey, I tried other jobs. I applied many places and couldn’t even get a job at the local grocery store. But for 21 years, I have gotten to do what I love and enjoy. And if you love your job, it’s not work — it’s fun.”
Brooks works with the Micro Wrestling Association, a professional wrestling group based in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. He has also been featured on the TLC show “Little People, Big World.”
Roche has called for a boycott of the Micro Wrestling event, and explained her issue is with the message such an event presents.
“My disagreement is not with them individually,” Roche said. “It is the message that is being shown off. This show is specifically using their size as a form of entertainment.Entertaining the public based on your size is showing them that our life is a comedy. It makes it hard for little people to be taken seriously.”
Believing the public is missing acceptance and awareness, Roche’s family hosts an annual event called Looks Short Stands Tall (LSST). This year’s event takes place Sunday, Oct. 5, as October is Dwarfism Awareness Month. Roche hopes people will opt to attend her event rather than patronize the Micro Wrestlers.
“It’s not about, look at us, we are dwarfs,” Roche explained.“It is, look at us and accept us. We want to go out in a world where it is not a big deal when we go somewhere.My family has been in many confrontations where people take my picture on their phone as they laugh.
“Little people are just like anyone else, just a little smaller,” she continued. “We can do anything we want to. It may look a little different or we may use a stool to get it done. Little people can be doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, business owners, sales associates, advocates,moms,dads and much more.”
The Journalasked Rocheand Brooks what they would say to each other, if they had the opportunity.
“While you are teaching them to laugh at your performance, you are teaching them that it is acceptable to laugh at anyone with disabilities in public,” Roche said. She also added concern for the wrestlers’ physical welfare.“Dwarfism is a type of skeletal dysplasia — the wrestling can have long term effects on your body.”
Brooks has a different take on the situation.
“I wish Ms. Roche and others would come and see the show at the fair, talk with us, get to know us,” Brooks said. “We are stars,and we love it. Sure, we look different than the WWF, but who wants to be the same as everyone else? No one is laughing at us unless we’re telling jokes. Some might have come to laugh, but you know what? They leave amazed by what we can do.”
On that sentiment, both Roche and Brooks can agree — the world should not be surprised at what little people are capable of.
For more information or to register for Roche’s event, visit “Looks Short Stands Tall — Dwarfism Awareness Walk” on Facebook.
For more information about Micro Wrestlers, visitmicrowrestling.com. The Micro Wrestling show at the Spartansburg Community Fair begins at 7 p.m. today, 231 Jefferson St. All ticketing is handled by the Micro Wrestling Association.
