Being different is a gift that more of us should open our eyes to.
Cara Reedy, a woman who lives with achondroplastic dwarfism, perfectly explains why in the video above posted by Digg on Monday.
The comedian, actor and writer talks about why living with her condition -- which can "happen to anyone," she says -- doesn't prevent her from living a normal life contrary to popular belief.
"Growing up is hard anyway and you add something like this it's even harder," Reedy says. She opens up about being adamant to go certain places out of fear of hearing negative comments. Reedy says with the help of her mom, she was able to overcome that fear and "show up" again and again.
"I have to do everything better because everyone already believes I can't do it," she says. "I'm a female, black little person. It's a lot because you kinda have no where to turn."
“I'm a female, black little person. It's a lot because you kinda have no where to turn.”
- Cara Reedy
Reedy says the comedic world can be cruel since many acts make jokes about little people, often referring to them as "midgets."
"'Midget' is the 'n-word' for little people," she says. "There's a bug called the midge and that's where it comes from. So basically, you're calling a human a bug."
Despite it sometimes being hard for her to look past the frequent objectification by other people, Reedy says she's worked hard to never let society's view of her keep her down.
"When you're thrown things and barriers are put up, you have two options. You can turn around and walk away from it or you can push or climb over it. That is the gift of being different. You end up with this strength."
Let Reedy's word serve as a reminder that different is beautiful.
Before You Go
