Dwarfs, Little People and the M-Word
By Roger Ebert

Note: The following exchange, reprinted partially, began with an e-mail to Ebert's Movie Answer Man column. You can get the entire article at the following link: Roger Ebert/Suntimes

From Daniel Woodburn to Roger EbertApril 6, 2005

Dear Mr. Ebert,I am an actor that you have reviewed neither favorably nor unfavorably in two different movies: one was “Death to Smoochy,” the other "Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her.” I have absolutely no objection to you trashing a film or lauding it. I do object to the use of the word "midgets" in your review of “Death to Smoochy.”

As a writer you are aware of the power of words. The use of the word midget is, for Little People, equated with any other hate word someone might use to describe a minority group. I simply ask you: if you were to see Little People children would you take away their humanity in the same way with the use of such a hate word? I can respect a yes answer but I cannot respect the person who answers yes.

Sincerely,Danny Woodburn

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From Roger Ebert to Daniel Woodburn

April 12, 2005Dear Mr. Woodburn,I had no idea the word "midget" was considered offensive, and you are the only person who has ever written to me about it. In my mind it is a descriptive term, like "dwarf." "Little People" has seemed to me to have a vaguely condescending cuteness to it. If I am now informed that "midget" is offensive, I will no longer use it. What is your feeling about "dwarf?" Is "Little Person" always the preferred term? Our newspaper's style book, based on Associated Press, does not consider "midget" or "dwarf" to be offensive terms, but perhaps we have not caught up.

Sincerely,

Roger Ebert

P.S. I am sure you have seen the essay below, which I found online and thought interesting.