How to date a little person and why online dating can help

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If you are a person with dwarfism or are interested in dating someone who has dwarfism, you may be wondering how you could start dating. Whether you want to date a little person or you would prefer to be with an average-sized person, we can help! 

In this article, we’ll discuss where you can go to date a little person both offline and online, and why dating online can have major advantages as you start out. We’ll also help you with some do’s and don’ts and provide some general information. Read on to learn more! 

Where can you begin to date a little person

If you want to date a little person or looking to date other people of short stature, you might find that there may be limited options in your area. After all, little people make up less than a single percent of the world population, with an estimate of 651,700 in the world. 

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t date a little person, much less fall in love with, or that if you are a little person you won’t meet your soulmate. 

Date a little person offline

If you prefer to meet someone in person, then there are some standard tips you should follow starting out as you date a little person. However, if you are explicitly looking for just shorter people to date, then you will have to put in some work. Here are some tips to follow: 

  • As a rule of thumb, you should try to be aware of any local dating conventions or meetups that might be going on around you. These can be speed dating events, singles parties, and even events hosted by dating companies like Bumble. They’re great for meeting others to date a little person. 
  • For meeting someone with dwarfism, you may have to check out broader events and conventions. Look for online services, communities, and websites to get in touch with the widest audience possible. Depending on where you live, you may have to travel to attend.  
  • Do some bar and club crawling and mingle with people who catch your eye. As the overall percentage of little people is relatively few, this is a bit of a long shot. 

Unfortunately, it can be hard to just go out there and meet people with dwarfism for dating. It can happen and does, but the odds are not in your favor unless you are actively involved with a community. 

Of course, it should go without saying that if you yourself have dwarfism, finding singles who are average-sized isn’t as difficult. You most likely also know of or have access to communities of little people, if you prefer to date other shorter people. 

Online and its benefits

Generally speaking, your best bet at having a successful dating experience with dwarf singles is going to involve using online means, either as a starting point or as your entire method of dating. Here are some ideas for meeting singles online: 

  • Online dating websites and dating apps are perhaps the ideal way for you to meet singles who are interested in dating shorter people and to meet little people interested in dating you. There are many services and communities online that make meeting little people easier. They also offer exclusive access to these communities with people from around the world joining. 
  • You can also interact with others over online forums and message boards, discussing topics ranging from dating, personal situations related to your own condition, and more.
  • There are also online groups and communities that work to educate and inform people about dwarfism and common issues that they face. You can become involved with events and local meets up to help inform you about active communities. 

But why is online dating a better option than trying offline? For starters, you don’t need to go out and hope for a long-shot chance of meeting someone who is a dwarf, especially if you don’t know where you can meet them up. 

It also gives you immediate access to communities that you just wouldn’t have otherwise. If you want to even go beyond dating then there are resources, activities, and a lot of information to take in about little people and the issues they face most commonly. 

Of course, if you are using an online service you will have to provide some of your personal data, such as interests, hobbies, and tastes in what an ideal partner for you would be like. 

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The best dating apps to date a little person

The benefit of using a dating app that is exclusive to date a little person is that you can go into it knowing that your potential matches are looking to date someone else who is of short stature. Some of these services even offer free dating if you want to test it out. 

Services like Little People Meet, Date a Dwarf, and Date a Little are all excellent dating services that cater exclusively to people who want to date a little person. 

They are interested in helping to facilitate a meeting between you and someone who is really special to you. Most of these services are interested in creating lasting relationships for you, so if you are hoping for something more casual you may have to try Tinder for better results.

The Do’s and Don’ts to follow while you date a little person

For many average-sized people who are new to dwarf dating, they might be feeling a little lost on what is acceptable behavior and what isn’t. That’s why we’ve provided general “do’s” and “don’ts” to help you start out. 

Do’s when you date a little person

  • First, if you are using a dating website, you should make an effort to be as clear and honest about your intentions and interests in your profile. Put in the time and effort to let people know as much about you as you can. It will do a lot to help you match better as you start. 
  • Be conscious of the needs of your date and what they might need assistance with or may not be able to do. If you yourself are of a short stature, be vocal and clear about what your own needs are. There’s no reason to refrain from being honest about what issues you may have. 
  • Treat your date as you would anyone else. A little person is a person like anyone else, and there’s no reason to treat them as if they weren’t. Be friendly and make an effort to see them as the great person that they are rather than something else. 
  • Take your date somewhere that you would any other date. There’s no reason to go out of your way and assume that they are different from a normal person. Go out for dinner, drinks, or even dancing, whatever you both are comfortable with. 

Don’ts when you date a little person

  • If you are of an average height, don’t put your date into a situation where their height difference is called to attention or belittled. Don’t treat your date as an object that is either mistreated or fetishized. 
  • Learn what is and isn’t acceptable behavior while on your date and when you are with a little person. Specifically, avoid language that can be offensive, like “midget”, or making comparisons about your height. Be polite and respectful. People would rather be
    referred to by their name rather than by a label. 
  • Don’t assume that every little person you are going to meet up with is your own Peter Dinklage, or whatever fantasy you have about shorter people. They are each their own individual and really don’t appreciate comparisons. 
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What difficulties could you face when you date a little person with achondroplasia or dysplasia?

If you are unfamiliar, achondroplasia is a medical condition that is characterized as a disorder of bone growth that prevents the changing of cartilage to bone, which leads to short stature. It is one of the most common causes of dwarfism along with skeletal dysplasia. 

If you are an average-sized person, you may be unfamiliar with some of the problems people who have these conditions face. For one, there are concerns about potentially having children, which for many daters can be a long-term goal. Approximately 1/4 of births won’t survive. 

It’s also true that most types of dwarfism involve medical complications, some more severe than others. You may need to adjust your expectations based on these complications and what may be possible for the two of you as you go forward based on their needs. 

Support for people of short stature 

It’s wonderful to date a little person, but you may be curious about support outside of romance. There are a surprising number of online resources available to people of short stature, and all are considered safe spaces for members to go and express themselves and share their experiences with other people. 

One of the most famous is Little People of America, or LPA, which features one of the largest little people community spaces online. 

People can join to chat with educators and little people about being a dwarf in this non-profit organization to learn more about it, what it’s like to live with the condition and get access to resources that can help them if they are also a dwarf. 

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How to date a little person FAQ 

You can see that to date a little person is no different from dating someone who is average-sized, and really doesn’t require more thought than simply being conscientious enough to talk to them about their needs and interests ahead of time. 

However, we’ve taken some of the most frequently asked questions and have answered them, which you can see here.

Why is “midget dating” used so often when it is seen as an offensive term?

Maybe it’s just a carry-over of ignorance from high school that never shook off of people as they matured, but many people seem to think that “midget” is still an acceptable way to refer to someone with dwarfism. It just isn’t, and the identifiers there are pretty clear: 

  • It’s often discriminatory when used, like a pejorative
  • Most people who use the term have never met someone who is a dwarf, so there is a lot of ignorance around the topic
  • The phrase also has ties to pornography, which can be a contact point for many on introducing them to people who are dwarfs

In any case, the phrase has ended up being the one more commonly known across a larger population despite being seen as an offensive term in the community. Fortunately, as people become aware of its offensive nature efforts have been made to change this for the better.

If you want to date a little person, consider adjusting your phrasing and how you approach others. You don’t want to offend someone early into your date.

Can I find dating services to date a little person who is LGBTQ+ ? What about specific ethnicities? 

If you are looking to date within an LGBTQ+ circle or a specific ethnicity as a dwarf or for someone who is a dwarf, you’re in luck. The best dating sites all feature options for finding partners of any sexual orientation or ethnicity, ensuring a favorable dating experience. 

Just make sure to filter your matches appropriately so that you find the kinds of partners you want to. Otherwise, you will be meeting a lot of potential daters who don’t fit your tastes. 

What can I expect with dating services exclusive to little people dating? 

Generally, you can expect an open-minded community that is interested in dating a little person for the real person that they are and not as a type of fetish. You can also expect a good amount of understanding for people who are of short stature and their experiences. 

This also means joining active communities that can help you out with dating tips and advice, as well as day-to-day experiences and issues.