Sunday, July 31, 2011

Tv Of The Month - Small Teen, Bigger World.

I've not really watched much television this month, no bad thing really. The Apprentice ended with a good conclusion I thought and the right person won for a welcome change.

One program that did touch personal heart strings was 'Small Teen, Big World' which started as a four part documentary on BBC3 on July 11th. It opened with 3'8" (Hope I got that right) teenager called Jasmine (she prefers Jazz) saying 'I don't have a problem with my height but other people often do' or words very similar. All I can say is that being of hobbit like stature myself I empathised with Jazz immediately and each episode has evoked plenty of emotion within me. The series deals with certain aspects of Jazz's life in each episode, including the reunion with her estranged father, social life, holidays and relationships with those around her including her amazing grandparents and hysterical mum called 'Bev' who is a little gem in her own right.

The BBC needs to be commended for documentaries like this but I really wish it had made prime time BBC1 viewing to bring awareness of us small folks to the masses so we aren't people that are ridiculed in the street or just in films - we are a part of society. I'm a little taller than Jazz but I still face the same prejudices and obstacles at times and I can painfully recall what it was like growing up with the inner battles of trying to be who you are and sometimes wanting to be someone else. Age of course eases things but Jazz is probably coping in many ways better than I did, she really is very articulate, lovely and above all remarkable - a real heroine of our times.

Jasmine I just want to say thank you for sharing your life on the tv and say that you're an inspiration, your family is awesome and your mum has me giggling like a loon -what you both have is very special.

Nowadays when people ask me how I handle being short I reply 'I wear it, I wear it like an armour' - they never see that one coming but these days its true, I am proud of who I am and like you - never let it hold me back!

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