Dwarf-tossing

Last updated

Dwarf-tossing, also called midget-tossing, is a pub/bar attraction or activity in which people with dwarfism, wearing special padded clothing or Velcro costumes, are thrown onto mattresses or at Velcro-coated walls. Participants compete to throw the person with dwarfism the furthest. Dwarf-tossing was started in Australia as a form of pub entertainment in the early 1980s.[ citation needed ] A related, formerly practiced activity was dwarf-bowling, in which a person with dwarfism was placed on a skateboard and used as a bowling ball. [1]

Contents

Since its inception in the 1980s, the activity, due to its problematic name and nature, has been highly controversial and remains so in the early 21st century.

Medical risks

Individuals with skeletal dysplasia, such as dwarfism, often have specific medical conditions and vulnerabilities that increase the risk of complications. Throwing or tossing individuals with a growth disorder can have serious consequences, especially in cases involving kyphosis and scoliosis.

Kyphosis is a condition where the spine bends forward, leading to a curvature of the back. Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the spine. Both conditions can cause pain, limited mobility, and respiratory problems. Dwarf tossing can increase the risk of injury and exacerbate these conditions, as it applies forces to the spine and other vulnerable parts of the body. [2]

Various medical sources and organizations have warned about the dangers of dwarf tossing for individuals with growth disorders. [3] There are known cases where individuals with growth disorders have suffered severe injuries and even died as a result of dwarf tossing. [4] [5]

Controversy

Due to its nature and name, dwarf tossing has been controversial. The criticism centers on concerns about human dignity and the exploitation of little persons, raising questions about the appropriateness of the practice. In the 1980s, opposition to the practice of dwarf tossing began to take shape. Advocates for banning this activity argued that it objectifies the individuals involved, reducing them to mere objects used for entertainment. [6] [7] [8]

Critics of dwarf tossing assert that the practice dehumanizes the participants, treating them as if they were objects or toys. This dehumanization is perceived as detrimental because it undermines the concept of inherent human dignity, suggesting that individuals can be used in a way that disregards their autonomy and respect. This perspective is supported by research highlighting the fundamental role of human dignity in moral and legal frameworks. [9]

The moral objections to dwarf tossing are rooted in the idea that reducing individuals to throwing objects for amusement denies their humanity and respect. This concept has been explored in various contexts, where objectification for entertainment raises broader ethical concerns. The practice can be viewed as a form of exploitation, disregarding the feelings, integrity, and self-respect of the participants. [10]

Further examination of this issue reveals a broader societal challenge, where dehumanization in various forms is concerning. The treatment of individuals as objects, even for entertainment, can have significant implications for human rights and the understanding of human dignity. [11] [12] [13]

Legality

Australia

Australia is commonly thought of as the place where dwarf-tossing originated as a form of pub entertainment in the early 1980s. [14] [15] Laws may prohibit dwarf-tossing implicitly, but there are not explicit laws preventing a consenting dwarf from being "tossed".

Canada

In Ontario, Canada, the Dwarf Tossing Ban Act was introduced in 2003 by Windsor West MPP Sandra Pupatello in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. [16] This private member's public bill did not proceed beyond its introduction to second or third readings, nor did it receive royal assent, and therefore died at the close of the 37th Legislature. [16] The bill proposed a fine of not more than $5,000 and/or imprisonment of not more than six months. The bill was hastily advanced in response to a dwarf-tossing contest [17] that was held at Leopard's Lounge in Windsor, Ontario with a dwarf nicknamed "Tripod". [18]

France

The mayor of the small French town of Morsang-sur-Orge prohibited dwarf-tossing. The case went through the appeal chain of administrative courts to the Conseil d'État , which found that an administrative authority could legally prohibit dwarf-tossing on grounds that the activity did not respect human dignity and was thus contrary to public order. [19] It raised legal questions as to what was admissible as a motive for an administrative authority to ban an activity for motives of public order, especially as the conseil did not want to include "public morality" in public order. The ruling was taken by the full assembly and not a smaller panel—proof of the difficulty of the question. [20] The conseil ruled similarly in another case between an entertainment company and the city of Aix-en-Provence. [21]

The United Nations Human Rights Committee decided on 26 July 2002 that the ban was not discriminatory with respect to dwarfs. It ruled that the ban could be considered as "necessary to protect public order, which brings into play considerations of human dignity". [22]

Nevertheless, dwarf-tossing is not prohibited outright in France. The Conseil d'État decided that a public authority could use gross infringement on human dignity as a motive of public order to cancel a spectacle, and that dwarf-tossing constituted such a gross infringement. However, it is up to individual authorities to make specific decisions regarding prohibition. [23]

United States

Robert and Angela Van Etten, Florida members of the Little People of America, convinced the Florida Legislature in 1989 to make dwarf-tossing illegal. A measure banning dwarf-tossing was passed by a wide margin. The New York State Legislature later followed suit. [24] [25]

In 2001, Dave Flood, who appeared on the MJ Morning Show as "Dave the Dwarf", filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the 1989 law allowing the state to fine or revoke the liquor license of a bar that allows dwarf-tossing. The pastime was popular in some Florida bars in the late 1980s. [26]

In October 2011, Ritch Workman, a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, introduced legislation that would overturn the ban on dwarf-tossing, claiming such a ban to be an "unnecessary burden on the freedom and liberties of people" and "an example of Big Brother government". Although not a personal advocate of the activity, Workman stated "if a little person wants to make a fool out of themselves for money, they should have the same right to do so as any average sized person". [27]

Origin

The origin of dwarf tossing appears to stem from historical human fascination with throwing living beings, be it roosters, foxes, or people, as a form of entertainment. Throwing at roosters and fox tossing, also known as blood sport, illustrates the human tendency to use living beings as objects in unusual forms of amusement. Although initially considered folk sports, these customs were eventually criticized and suppressed due to ethical concerns and the well-being of the involved animals. This evolution emphasizes the relationship between human entertainment, ethics, and the treatment of living beings as objects for amusement, with contemporary societies becoming more aware of the need to respect the dignity and well-being of individuals and animals. [28] [29]

The American television drama "L. A. Law" (Season 4, episode 4, 11/23/89 "The Mouse That Soared") featured a lawsuit to stop dwarf tossing at a local pub.

A scene in the 2002 film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers shows the dwarf Gimli reluctantly requesting the character Aragorn to "toss" him across a dangerous gap that he cannot jump. Gimli asks Aragorn not to tell "the elf", their comrade Legolas, and Aragorn promises. [30] A stunt double, Brett Beattie, was the person actually thrown in the scene. [31] In the preceding 2001 film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring , Gimli refused similar assistance, declaring, "No one tosses a dwarf!", and then almost fell to his death.

In the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street, a room full of boisterous stockbrokers can be seen taking turns hurling two dwarfs wearing helmets at a large dartboard, with the main character, Jordan Belfort, offering a $25,000 reward to the first "cock-sucker to nail a bullseye". [32] Before the film's release, protests were made to distributor Paramount to remove the scene. The non-profit organization Little People of America released a statement stating they were "angry, disappointed and concerned" that the film "includes dwarf tossing scenes. [...] No matter the intent of The Wolf of Wall Street, any portrayal of dwarf tossing carries the risk of condoning the objectification of and abuse against people with dwarfism. As The Wolf of Wall Street continues to play in theaters, Little People of America hopes that movie audiences, Martin Scorsese, and Leonardo DiCaprio join us in condemning dwarf tossing and the threatening behavior it promotes." [33] In the book The Wolf of Wall Street that the film is based on, the tossing of little people is only discussed as a possibility and Belfort said (through a representative) that he merely heard from several people that they were thrown sometime after he left the firm. [34]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Freaks</i> (1932 film) 1932 American horror film by Tod Browning

Freaks is a 1932 American pre-Code drama horror film produced and directed by Tod Browning, starring Wallace Ford, Leila Hyams, Olga Baclanova, Roscoe Ates and Harry Earles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwarfism</span> Small size of an organism, caused by growth deficiency or genetic mutations

Dwarfism is a condition wherein an organism is exceptionally small, and mostly occurs in the animal kingdom. In humans, it is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 147 centimetres, regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dwarfism is 120 centimetres (4 ft). Disproportionate dwarfism is characterized by either short limbs or a short torso. In cases of proportionate dwarfism, both the limbs and torso are unusually small. Intelligence is usually normal, and most have a nearly normal life expectancy. People with dwarfism can usually bear children, though there are additional risks to the mother and child depending upon the underlying condition.

<i>The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers</i> 2002 film by Peter Jackson

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 epic high fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair, and Jackson, based on 1954's The Two Towers, the second volume of the novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. The sequel to 2001's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the film is the second instalment in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It features an ensemble cast including Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, and Andy Serkis.

Dignity in some of its modern usages has come to mean the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically. In this context, it is of significance in morality, ethics, law and politics as an extension of the Enlightenment-era concepts of inherent, inalienable rights. The term may also be used to describe personal conduct, as in "behaving with dignity".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conseil d'État</span> French administrative justice institution and legal counsel to the government

In France, the Conseil d'État is a governmental body that acts both as legal adviser to the executive branch and as the supreme court for administrative justice, which is one of the two branches of the French judiciary system. Established in 1799 by Napoleon as a successor to the King's Council, it is located in the Palais-Royal in Paris and is primarily made up of top-level legal officers. The Vice President of the Council of State ranks as the ninth most important civil servant in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools</span> French law

The French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools bans wearing conspicuous religious symbols in French public primary and secondary schools. The law is an amendment to the French Code of Education that expands principles founded in existing French law, especially the constitutional requirement of laïcité: the separation of state and religious activities.

Little People of America (LPA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides support, resources, and information to individuals with dwarfism and their families.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dehumanization</span> Behavior or process that undermines individuality of and in others

Dehumanization is the denial of full humanity in others along with the cruelty and suffering that accompany it. A practical definition refers to it as the viewing and the treatment of other people as though they lack the mental capacities that are commonly attributed to human beings. In this definition, every act or thought that regards a person as "less than" human is dehumanization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toss juggling</span> Form of juggling

Toss juggling is the form of juggling which is most recognisable as 'juggling'. Toss juggling can be used as: a performing art, a sport, a form of exercise, as meditation, a recreational pursuit or hobby.

<i>The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers</i> (video game) 2002 video game

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 action hack and slash video game developed by Stormfront Studios for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A 2D Game Boy Advance game of the same name was made by Griptonite Games, a port to the GameCube by Hypnos Entertainment, and to mobile by JAMDAT. A version for Microsoft Windows developed by Ritual Entertainment was cancelled during development. The game was published on all platforms by Electronic Arts. It is an adaption of the 2002 film of the same name. Originally released in North America for the PlayStation 2 in October 2002, it was released in November 2002 for the Game Boy Advance, in December 2002 for the Xbox and GameCube, and in May 2003 for mobile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midget wrestling</span> Professional wrestling genre

Midget wrestling is professional wrestling involving people of exceptionally short stature. Its heyday was in the 1950s and 1960s, when wrestlers such as Little Beaver, Lord Littlebrook, toured North America, and Sky Low Low was the first holder of the National Wrestling Alliance's World Midget Championship. In the following couple of decades, more wrestlers became prominent in North America, including foreign wrestlers like Japan's Little Tokyo.

Midgetville refers to real or legendary communities of "midgets", people with forms of dwarfism who are normally proportioned, or collections of small "midget-sized" houses. Real or legendary, they are at times given fanciful qualities. Some "real" ones may play on mythology for tourism purposes. Hence some descriptions are not meant to imply anything concerning ordinary or real people with dwarfism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox tossing</span> Blood sport

Fox tossing was a competitive blood sport popular in parts of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. It involved throwing live foxes and other animals high into the air. It was practiced by members of the aristocracy in an enclosed patch of ground or in a courtyard, using slings with a person on each end to catapult the animal upwards. It was particularly popular for mixed couples, even though it was hazardous for the people launching the animals as the terrified animals would often turn on the participants. The result was often fatal for the tossed animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midget</span> Term for a person of unusually short stature

Midget is a term for a person of unusually short stature that is considered by some to be pejorative due to its etymology. While not a medical term like dwarf, midget long described anyone, or indeed any animal, exhibiting proportionate dwarfism. The word has a history of association with the performance arts, as little people were often employed by acts in the circus, professional wrestling and vaudeville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritch Workman</span> American politician

Ritch Workman is a former Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, who represented the 52nd District, which includes southern Brevard County, stretching from Melbourne to Palm Shores, from 2012 to 2016, and previously representing the 30th District from 2008 to 2012.

Legolas is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He is a Sindar Elf of the Woodland Realm and son of its king, Thranduil, becoming one of the nine members of the Fellowship who set out to destroy the One Ring. Though Dwarves and Elves are traditionally rivals, he and the Dwarf Gimli form a close friendship during their travels together.

Half Pint Brawlers is an American wrestling company with an eponymous television series. The company is considered the top midget wrestling company in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Palau</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Palau do not possess the same legal protections as non-LGBT residents, and may face social challenges that are not experienced by others. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Palau since 23 July 2014, when the current Penal Code took effect, but households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples. Same-sex marriage is constitutionally banned, and there are no anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation and gender identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Throwing sports</span> Sports where an object is thrown

Throwing sports, or throwing games, are physical, human competitions where the outcome is measured by a player's ability to throw an object.

Administrative police in France are French police tasked with preventing disturbances to the ordre public. and ensuring the public peace and preventing crime. Ordre public or public peace in a society includes public tranquility, safety and well-being. Two types of ordre public exist:

References

  1. "Dwarf Bowling on Staten Island Lands in Gutter". Gothamist. 28 February 2008. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  2. News, Keith Eldridge / KOMO (31 January 2019). "'It's not okay': Victims share testimonies at hearing to ban dwarf tossing". KOMO. Retrieved 4 December 2023.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. "Dwarf Tossing in Florida Press Release". www.lpaonline.org. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  4. "Dwarf tossing denounced, defended to Senate panel | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  5. McGee, Robert W. (1998). "If Dwarf Tossing is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Toss Dwarfs: Is Dwarf Tossing a Victimless Crime?". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.116928. ISSN   1556-5068.
  6. ""Dwarf Tossing", Human Dignity and Individual Agency". Inter Gentes. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  7. "Little People Oppose Events In Which Dwarfs Are Objects". The New York Times. 3 July 1989. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  8. "Lancer de nains : l'interdiction a brisé sa vie". www.estrepublicain.fr (in French). Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  9. Verplaetse, Jan. "The Why of Dignity. On the Deeper Ground of a Fundamental Moral and Legal Principle." Retrieved on December 6, 2023, from https://backoffice.biblio.ugent.be/download/3151745/6787039
  10. Schreef, Williambalk (9 October 2014). "The Moral Limits of the Market – According to Michael Sandel and Debra Satz". Bij Nader Inzien (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  11. Macklin, R. "Dignity is a useless concept." British Medical Journal (BMJ), 2003 (327), 1419.
  12. Pinker, S. "The stupidity of dignity." The New Republic, May 28, 2008. Available online at http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/articles/media/The%20Stupidity%20of%20Dignity.htm
  13. Let the Animals Live v. Hamat Gader Spa Village Inc (1997), cited in McCrudden, Ch. "Human Dignity and Judicial Interpretation of Human Rights." Supra 2, 708.
  14. "Is Dwarf Tossing coming to Melbourne? | The Australian News". www.ozzienews.com. 20 October 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  15. "World according to Midget Throwing". Archived from the original on 24 August 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  16. 1 2 "Dwarf Tossing Ban Act, 2003". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  17. "Hansard Transcripts 2003-Jun-12 | Legislative Assembly of Ontario". www.ola.org. 12 June 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  18. Canadian Press (12 June 2003). "Ontario MLA sweats the small stuff". The Globe and Mail . Toronto. ISSN   0319-0714 . Retrieved 17 June 2014. The organizer of a dwarf-tossing contest vowed the show would go on Thursday even as an angry Ontario politician made an 11th-hour bid to stop the event.
  19. Conseil d'Etat, Assemblée, du 27 octobre 1995, 136727, publié au recueil Lebon , retrieved 5 July 2019
  20. Commentary Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine of the ruling on the Conseil d'État's site
  21. Conseil d'Etat, Assemblée, du 27 octobre 1995, 143578, inédit au recueil Lebon , retrieved 5 July 2019
  22. "Jurisprudence". juris.ohchr.org. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  23. "The Legality and Morality of Dwarf Tossing - Debate - Retired Forums - Retired Forums - MTG Salvation Forums - MTG Salvation". www.mtgsalvation.com. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  24. "Midget Throwing: A Lost Art". Archived from the original on 24 August 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  25. "Cuomo Signs Bill to Ban Dwarf Tossing". Los Angeles Times. 25 July 1990.
  26. "Florida Radio Personality Files Suit to Allow Return of 'Dwarf Tossing'". Ludington Daily News, 1 December 2001.
  27. Cerabino, Frank (5 October 2011). "Lawmaker Wants State to Reinstate Dwarf Tossing". The Palm Beach Post.
  28. McWilliams, James (3 November 2017). "From Throwing Sticks at Roosters to Dwarf Tossing". The Paris Review. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  29. Walter, Just, "Dieren in dienst," NRC Handelsblad , August 6, 1992. Archived on April 17, 2021. Accessed on May 25, 2019.
  30. Mello, Nicole (8 November 2019). "The Lord Of The Rings: 15 Best Gimli Quotes". ScreenRant. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  31. Grebey, James (16 June 2021). "Lord of the Rings' uncredited Gimli double finally tells his tale". Polygon. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  32. "Wolf of Wall Street | Dwarf Parents".
  33. "Statement from Little People of America in response to The Wolf of Wall Street" (PDF). Little People of America. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  34. "Dwarf-tossing, three-way with teen employee never happened, says real "Wolf of Wall Street" exec".

Further reading