‘Relentless bullying made me hate my dwarfism but Strictly’s Ellie Simmonds makes me proud’

2022-10-08

"I’m sitting with my family watching Ellie Simmonds take to the Strictly dance floor in a beautiful gold dress. The Paralympian smiles from ear to ear as she performs her incredible cha-cha – and I’m grinning right back at her. As the audience applauds Ellie, I feel like it’s one of the best moments of my entire life.

My excitement has been building up to this moment since August, when it was announced she’d be taking part. I actually screamed! I’d been waiting for this day for 33 years. There’s so little representation of dwarfism, let alone the positive kind. If I’d had this growing up, I’d have felt less alone.

My parents are average height, so initially they had no idea what was different about me when I was in pain as a baby. I was diagnosed just before my first birthday. My childhood was filled with hospital appointments for back, spine and shoulder problems, and operations, including getting my bowed legs straightened.

We lived in Norfolk but Mum constantly travelled to Sheffield with me for specialised treatment, leaving my dad to care for my two average-height siblings at home.

The physical pain made life hard, and at primary school I was relentlessly bullied. There were cruel words spoken and I had things thrown at me, even slammed into me.

My love of musical theatre became my release. Listening to Jesus Christ Superstar or going to drama club became my escape – my safe space.

But by the time I reached high school the bullying had grown worse. I’d be eating my lunch and someone would sneer, “Why are you so weird?” I felt bad about myself every day and didn’t want to be there. Even those who didn’t verbally abuse me directly never stuck up for me, and that hurt just as much.

I cried most nights and avoided going to school as much as I could. Having a disability on top of teenage angst felt impossibly hard. My family were heartbroken seeing me upset. I left school with no qualifications.

Even now, as an adult, when I’m out and about, people stare, film me on their phones and sing the Oompa Loompa song from Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. It’s horrendous, but I try not to let it get to me. When I was younger it only took one comment to completely ruin my day. I've since grown an invisible armour to cope.

I’ve lost friends with dwarfism to suicide – they couldn’t deal with the abuse. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when Ellie got trolled after her Strictly debut.

Despite how hard education was for me, I didn’t want to give up. I went to college and achieved an A* GCSE in English and a C in psychology, proving that I was capable – it was the system that let me down.

It was around this time I met my husband Danny, 38, through a mutual friend. We got married and quickly had our first child, as I’d been told the older I get the more complicated pregnancy and childbirth will become for me.

Finding my feet in my career and having my own family has helped me finally come to accept and love myself. At first it felt like I was having so-called “normal” experiences that I didn’t dare dream of.

Before then, my dwarfism was such a hindrance, I couldn’t appreciate it was simply part of being me.

While dancing, I’ve met wonderful industry professionals who see my potential, not just my dwarfism. I’m aware of my limits, but that doesn’t mean i can’t do something, it just means I’ll do it differently. i’ve even had a 6ft 3in dance partner.

Despite perfecting my craft, even starring in big films like Mary Poppins, i still get asked to do gimmicky roles in pantomimes, dress up as an elf and get requests to be chained to a groom on his stag do. When i was growing up, “dwarf tossing” – where people with dwarfism, wearing special padded clothing, are thrown onto mattresses or at velcro-coated walls – was even a thing. There’s lots of conflict within the community around whether we should be doing these jobs. I don’t judge anybody for it, but if change is going to happen, we need to stop allowing ourselves to be the butt of the joke.

Negative representation sticks. I remember an episode of Grange Hill where a teacher with dwarfism was handing out fliers advertising a school show, and people asked her, “is it Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs?” there was also a Saturday breakfast TV show which featured a little person who’d ram a door open. it made me feel low about myself and my prospects.

But I was determined to work hard and overcome the challenges. In 2019, i achieved a diploma in performing arts and Musical theatre. I’ve even gone back to university now to study drama and english literature, and I’m on track to graduate with a first next year.

My ultimate goal is to become a teacher. I want someone with dwarfism to turn up to my class, and know, just by seeing me, that their dreams can come true.

I feel Ellie’s inclusion on Strictly is being handled sensitively, and i look forward to seeing her progress. The judges haven’t asked her to straighten her legs as this is something that often isn’t possible for people with dwarfism. They have clearly been educated, and hopefully the nation will be too.

People have started asking me about Ellie. Finally i’m getting to talk about dwarfism in a positive way! That makes me feel proud.

My daughter Eva, 12, adores Ellie too and is loving seeing someone like her mum celebrated. We actually met Ellie at a convention in 2015 and Eva was so starstruck.

It’s not easy for her or my son George, nine – they’ve both been teased for having me as a mum. My son is homeschooled now partly because of that.

I just hope this is the start of real change. I want more of the amazing, talented people with dwarfism landing mainstream roles.

I want it to become so normal that no child with dwarfism ever feels how I did.

We are so many things aside from our disability, and it’s about time the world caught up to that!"

Alice spoke to OK! through Little People UK

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