Compreensão psicossocial da vida de trabalho para pessoas com nanismo: entre a estigmatização e o reconhecimento

Abstract

The psychosocial complexity of dwarfism differs from other conditions included under the rubric of physical incapacity due to socially constructed cultural constructs around its identity. The symbolic construction of his/her body is central to this experience of difference, whose abnormality is inscribed in a regime of visibility closer to the exotic, which attracts a labor market focused on entertainment. Because of the use of stigma as a work force, this study aims to understand working life for people with dwarfism through a psychosocial analysis. For this, we sought to identify the consequences of stigmatization in social life, how it reproduces in the sphere of work and understand the possibilities of recognition at work. An exploratory and descriptive research was carried out, with the participation of seven people with dwarfism. With each of them, a semi-structured interview was conducted, and the narratives were treated with content analysis, which generated five themes: family, educational trajectory, social relations, working life and recognition. Around them, when necessary, sub-themes were extracted to delimit and deepen the discussion. The results indicated that in social life people with dwarfism go through experiences of humiliation and disrespect because of the associations made to the stereotype constructed about them. In the sphere of work, this stereotype is used as a basis for recruitment into comedic and entertaining activities. The Quota Law had a significant impact on the creation of opportunities in conventional jobs, which allowed occupational mobility for interviewees who spent years in stereotyped jobs. In corporate environments, being recognized on an equal footing with other employees, and at the same time in their difference, with suitability for accessibility, for example, were mentioned as recognition factors. In the informal labor market, the autonomy to negotiate the conditions and the type of artistic work was among the possibilities of recognition. With these results, it is intended to fill gaps until then open on studies related to the work of people with dwarfism.

Beyond ‘heightism’ and ‘height premium’: An anthropology and sociology of human stature

“…In looking more explicitly at human stature and critically engaging with the idea of heightism, one productive starting point are works that look at how people live with height differences. Across 4 decades, some of these works looked at dwarfism in general (Ablon, 1981(Ablon, , 1990Pritchard, 2020Pritchard, , 2021Pritchard, , 2023; (Adelson, 2005;Lima, 2019); others focused on particular conditions such as achondroplasia (Cortinovis et al, 2011;Gollust et al, 2003), Turner syndrome (Radkowska-Walkowicz, 2019;Radkowska-Walkowicz & Maciejewska-Mroczek, 2023; Silver-Russell syndrome (Ballard et al, 2019), and spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda (Ruyani et al, 2012). Shakespeare et al (2010) underscore the liminality experienced by people with these conditions, who are at once living "fairly normal lives" but also face medical problems, employment disadvantages, and stigma, as one of their informants describe (Ibid:26): I've gone through life trying to make a joke, but I can't stand being patronised, I can't stand being patted on the head, you pat children and dogs on the head.…”

“…In looking more explicitly at human stature and critically engaging with the idea of heightism, one productive starting point are works that look at how people live with height differences. Across 4 decades, some of these works looked at dwarfism in general (Ablon, 1981, 1990; Pritchard, 2020, 2021, 2023); (Adelson, 2005; Lima, 2019); others focused on particular conditions such as achondroplasia (Cortinovis et al., 2011; Gollust et al., 2003), Turner syndrome (Radkowska‐Walkowicz, 2019; Radkowska‐Walkowicz & Maciejewska‐Mroczek, 2023; Silver‐Russell syndrome (Ballard et al., 2019), and spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda (Ruyani et al., 2012). Shakespeare et al.…”