Tiny. Fun-sized. Shorty. Little one. Midget.

I’ve heard them all before. They’re nothing new to me. Sometimes it’s cute and I’ll accept them. Only a few people I know use them as terms of endearment. But that always isn’t the case.

One of the few things I hate the most in this world is when people decide that they want to be funny and rude by making a joke about something like a person’s height. Gee, thanks friend. Nothing makes me feel better than the constant reminders that genetics have not graced me with super powers or the ability to be average height. The most irritating thing about the height jokes? There’s literally nothing I can do about my height.

High heels? Yeah sure. They seemingly are appealing and do add a temporarily higher elevated state but at the same time, I’m as graceful as a boulder crashing along the mountainside. Also, in case of an alien invasion or need to run, they would not be good for impromptu escapes.

All jokes aside. I absolutely loathe short jokes. Or when someone who doesn’t even know me refers to me as that midget girl. Like honestly? I’ll take any other identifiers over that. The sarcastic shorter girl that works at Connertons? All true. Midget? Now that’s just rude.

What does my height even tell you? That I can just barely go on all the rides at Six Flags? That I’ll never be able to easily dunk a basketball? That I need a step stool to just reach many things in my own apartment? To what does that even really matter?

Does my height tell you about how I staying up just so I can get a chance to watch the sunrise? Does it tell you that the moments I love the most are just being with my friends? Does it tell you that I’m going to grad school? Does it tell you that I’m a leader? Does it tell you that I’m extremely passionate about what I do? Does it tell you about all the struggles I’ve lived with? Does it actually tell you who I am rather than the physical height capacity I’m able to achieve? I ask you again, to what does height really matter?

Don’t judge me for what you see that is obviously out of my control. Insult me or challenge me for things I can change. Don’t be so insulting to either of us by taking a cheap shot at something like my height. It’s a part of me, yes. But it doesn’t define me or give you a right to only refer to me by that.

As I said in the title, don’t underestimate a storm. That’s exactly what I can be. My height is just the universe’s way of telling you that all that I am and am capable of needed to be restricted. Please don’t be lazy, at least be creative if you’re going to insult me.