鈥淭he term 鈥渕idget鈥� has been part of age classification in sports for years. But an increasing number of people across Canada are looking to remove it from the sports vocabulary because they say it鈥檚 a derogatory term.
They include Teresa Saunders and her daughter, who both have dwarfism 鈥� a medical or genetic condition which stunts a person鈥檚 growth. The average adult with dwarfism is about 4 feet 10 inches or shorter.
Saunders told CTV Calgary she already has to deal with people, including children, pointing out her condition.
鈥淚 was at the mall the other day and I had two or three kids say 鈥楳om, mom look at the midget,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淎nd of course they say it loud because they're excited and overwhelmed 鈥� and so everyone turns and looks at me."
So while she can鈥檛 always change people鈥檚 reactions in public, she said it鈥檚 time for sports leagues to use other words to describe a teenage classification in sports.
The term 鈥渕idget鈥� is commonly used for athletes in hockey, football and lacrosse between the ages of 15 and 17.
The Association of Little People of Alberta is urging sports organizations to stop using the term, which they describe as derogatory.
The association鈥檚 spokesperson, Taylor Loewen, told CTV Calgary it鈥檚 an 鈥渁n offensive term鈥� with negative historical connotations.
鈥淚t's not a medical term. It used to kind of be for freak shows, P.T. Barnum and the circus,鈥� he said, referencing the travelling circus which ran from .
Loewen loves hockey and said he just wants to feel respected.
鈥淚'm a huge hockey fan 鈥� all we really want to do is change the name of the one age classification,鈥� he said.
Hockey Alberta sent a statement to CTV Calgary and noted it had 鈥渂ecome aware of this discussion in recent weeks.鈥�
"In hockey, all terminology for age divisions are national regulations,鈥� it read. 鈥淗ockey Alberta will be working with Hockey Canada and our fellow branches across the country to start the discussion regarding the terminology in our sport."
If the league follows through on the name change, it would be following the lead of several basketball leagues in Ontario which have pledged to stop using the term next season.
Other organizations which are no longer using 鈥渕idget鈥� as an age category include Ontario Baseball, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the American Hockey Federation. A year ago, Calgary Midget Football changed its name to the Calgary Spring Football Association.
The impact could be significant. Saunders said she, her daughter and other people with dwarfism would be less subjected to hearing the term.
鈥淚f the kids aren't exposed to the word, they probably won't use it,鈥� she said.
