National Organization of Short Statured Adults

Are you listening Mr. Workman?

2012-01-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

Florida State Representative Ritch Workman (R) - Melbourne wants to overturn a state ban on "dwarf tossing" with his bill HB 4063. Please contact Florida Representatives and tell them you do not support this dehumanizing bill.

NOSSA Documentary

2012-01-01T15:09:00.000-08:00

NOSSA will release a new documentary about heightism in 2012. Please visit the NOSSA Website for the latest news about the film.

2012

2011-12-29T07:01:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your support of NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults in 2011. We wish you and your family a very safe and happy new year and hope that you will continue to join us in our efforts to advocate on behalf of short statured people in 2012 and beyond...

We are very happy to report that a new documentary about NOSSA will be released in 2012. Keep visiting our website for the latest news about the film.

If you haven't yet joined us now is the time - www.nossaonline.org

Miss Universe Malaysia to remove height requirement

2011-12-28T07:34:00.000-08:00

NOSSA President Christopher Hamre requests for height requirement to be removed and is successful @ Chris Hamre Blog

Critics

2011-12-16T13:58:00.000-08:00

Are critics all bad? No, critics often provide valuable feedback and inspiration. Some critics will provide valuable suggestions that you can use to make improvements. Others will help you gauge whether or not your activities are making an impact. Even hate inspired criticism can prove useful in that it can inspire and motivate you to continue your work when you might otherwise feel ambivalent or lack motivation.

That is why I would rather deal with a vocal critic than a silent friend. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” The real enemy is apathetic, indifferent, and doesn’t give you much thought. While the people in your life who can potentially provide you with the most benefit are those who are interested in you, care about you, and are thinking of you. Even if that interest is critical in nature. Surprisingly, the person who hates you can inadvertently do more to help you than your silent friend. But that will depend on you and your perspective.

If only my critics knew how close I had come to giving up, but for their words, I was inspired to continue!

So the next time someone criticizes you and what you are doing….thank them!

Source: http://matthewcampisi.blogspot.com/2011/12/critics.html

Michigan's License to Bully

2011-11-30T06:41:00.000-08:00

Height Discrimination is real

2011-10-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

Defeat Florida HB 4063 - A Bill to Legalize "Dwarf Tossing"

2011-10-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

Florida HB 4063 - A bill filed by Florida State Representative Ritch Workman to legalize "dwarf tossing" is in danger of becoming law in the State of Florida!!!

The bill is now in the hands of the Florida Business & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee. Please contact the people below and tell them you strongly oppose this bill. We need your help to stop this cruel and dehumanizing bill from becoming law in the State of Florida:

Florida List of Business & Consumer Affairs members

NOSSA President Responds to Florida Dwarf Tossing Bill

2011-10-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

"Dwarf Tossing"

2011-10-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults is disgusted by the recent attempt by Florida State Representative Ritch Workman to legalize "Dwarf Tossing".

Workman has been quoted as stating:

"All that it does is prevent some dwarfs from getting jobs they would be happy to get," Workman said. "In this economy, or any economy, why would we want to prevent people from getting gainful employment?"

1 - HB 4063 condones the cruel objectification of human beings. It clearly sends a message that it is acceptable in our civilized society to treat little people as if they were objects and to have little regard for their safety and well being.

2 - The vast majority of little people are not "happy" to participate in "dwarf tossing". Those folks who do engage in this activity do so because they feel they have limited opportunities to earn an income through conventional means. So why aren't we addressing that???

3 - We at NOSSA ask Mr. Ritch Workman why he would choose to put little people "back to work" in such a horrific activity? Why he would champion a cause such as this? Are there not other avenues he could explore to put little people "back to work"?

Please contact your elected representatives in Florida and express your opposition to this bill. If you do not live in Florida, please contact Workman directly through his website and let him know how you feel.

Email Workman here!

Florida State Rep. Ritch Workman Wants To Legalize "Dwarf Tossing"

2011-10-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

Check out this insane story @ http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/10/06/141133785/dwarf-tossing-long-banned-may-return-in-florida

Are you kidding us Ritch?!?!

He can be contacted through his website @ http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4446

George Stephanopoulos too short for Good Morning America?

2011-09-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

George Stephanopoulos Too Short for Morning TV?

2011-09-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

The National Organization of Short Statured Adults has learned that ABC is considering getting rid of George Stephanopoulos due to the fact that he is shorter than his co-anchors and that it apparently doesn't look good on camera.

This is absolutely wrong! Mr Stephanopoulos is an excellent journalist and has been at ABC for quite a long time. For them to ask him to leave because of his height is reprehensible and immoral. ABC should be ashamed of itself!

Our organization will ask that people across that nation boycott ABC if this should happen to send the message that height discrimination will not be tolerated!

Short woman wrongfully terminated

2011-08-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

Still think heightism doesn't exist???

2011-07-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this statement posted on one of our videos about the use of growth hormone in children:

"You are so stupid, now tons of parents are not going to treat kids and they are going to be short.."

The scary thing about these types of comments is that these people have absolutely no idea that they are prejudiced and just accept the fact that short stature is an inferior trait. Our response...What would be so terrible about being a short statured person?

Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking & Harassment Help for Short Statured People

2011-07-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults is now offering support, public advocacy, and referall assistance for those short statured people who have been affected by cyber bullying, cyber stalking, and harassment based on their size. For more information about cyber bullying please click here. For help, contact NOSSA here. No person has the right to abuse you or your loved ones. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by online harassment.

Height Discrimination in the workplace

2011-07-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

President Hamre reporting on another case of height discrimination in the workplace. Click here for more information.If you need help regarding height discrimination click here and get in contact with NOSSA! We will do our very best to help you.

Why such opposition?

2011-04-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

Why are so many folks so opposed to height/weight anti-discrimination legislation?

One critic says, "You are creating an opportunity for both plaintiff's lawyers and individuals to have one more basis to sue their employers for damages. It will keep businesses out of Nevada"

They are so worried about these lawsuits. If you aren't discriminating what would you have to fear? The courts will dismiss frivilous suits. The reality is that they know this goes on and they fear that a law such as this will cost them. It's a fact that people discriminate against short and fat people every day. The fierce opposition to this bill is further proof of that. If it were a non-issue nobody would care if this passed or not. The courts dimiss frivilous suits every day. It takes a great deal of preponderance of the evidence in order to be successful in a civil suit. Let's get real and ask ourselves why so many are opposed to this.

Other critics claim it will open up the floodgates and clog the court system. YET....

"For those who may argue that making these additions to the anti-discrimination laws of Nevada would open up the flood gates of lawsuits, I would point out that the law has been in place in the state of Michigan for more than 30 years and during that time there have only been four lawsuits," said Howell, an activist who tries to protect people of size. "Only four lawsuits in 30 years is not a flood of suits that will tie up our court system."

Another critic states, "Anytime I criticize an employee, I may be subject to the accusation of abuse," he said. "If I move their office, I may be subject to the accusation of abuse."

Mere criticism is not the basis for this legislation. We are talking about discrimination. Discrimination that must be proven in a court of law based on preponderance of the evidence.

Business's fear these laws because they know that discrimination against the short and overweight happens and a law like this will hold them accountable.

Flood gates????

2011-03-14T18:14:00.000-07:00

"For those who may argue that making these additions to the anti-discrimination laws of Nevada would open up the flood gates of lawsuits, I would point out that the law has been in place in the state of Michigan for more than 30 years and during that time there have only been four lawsuits," said Howell, an activist who tries to protect people of size. "Only four lawsuits in 30 years is not a flood of suits that will tie up our court system."

Are these words falling on deaf ears?

Nevada Assembly Bill AB90

2011-03-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults supports Nevada Assembly Bill AB90 - An act prohibiting workplace bullying introduced by Nevada Assemblyman Segerblom. If you live in Nevada, please contact your state representative and tell him or her that you support this bill and want to see that it is passed! For contact information go to Who's my rep? Workplace bullying must end!

NOSSA President takes a stand against heightism

2011-02-12T16:24:00.001-08:00

The President of NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults, Chris Hamre, took a stand today (February 12, 2011) against height discrimination. Join us! www.nossaonline.org

NOSSA President to Protest Height Discrimination in NYC

2011-02-09T17:20:00.000-08:00

NOSSA President Christopher Hamre will be protesting heightism and height discrimination on Saturday February 12, 2011 @ 848 Washington Street in New York City. The protest will begin at 2PM.

President Hamre calls for NY protest of height discrimination

2011-02-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

nossaonline.org

Height Discrimination

2011-01-31T14:10:00.000-08:00

Two noteworthy developments in the ignored world of heightism and height discrimination:

Bayonne, New Jersey Police Sergeant Patrick Burns case - Burns filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging that he was harassed at work on account of his short stature. The city fired back by firing Burns alleging he violated numerous department policies and procedures. Well, Burn's appeal met with some success recently, as his termination was reduced to a 6 month suspension.

You can discuss this matter with us here.

Also, two New York waitresses were fired for being too short and have filed a $500,000. lawsuit for gender discrimination. We will keep you updated on this case as we will be watching it closely as it moves through the court.

You can discuss this case here.

Please support us in our efforts to help combat height based discrimination. Go to www.nossaonline.org and join us!

Happy Holidays From NOSSA!!!

2010-12-14T16:42:00.001-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults is wishing everyone a very happy holiday season and best wishes for a wonderful new year. Thank you for your support in 2010 and we look forward to 2011.

NOSSA 2010 Annual Board Meeting

2010-11-09T18:52:00.000-08:00

NOSSA Board of Directors at the 2010 annual meeting reaffirms commitment to oppose bullying, cosmetic hGH use, and height discrimination. For more information, please visit www.nossaonline.org

Republican House candidate Sean Bielat

2010-10-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

Massachusetts Republican House candidate Sean Bielat believes that men under 5 foot 2 do not have a right to serve in the United States military. Check out this article @ Click here. Contact Bielat @ http://www.seanbielat.org/

UC Berkeley Students Need Your Help!

2010-10-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

Survey: Bus Safety & Accessibility

Dear NOSSA,

We are students at UC Berkeley taking a business course in new product development and working on a team semester project focused on bus transit safety and accessibility. The goal of our project is to develop a product that improves bus interiors for all passengers in particular riders of short stature.

We are currently doing a user needs assessment to understand the opportunity for a new product and we were wondering if it would be possible to ask for your experiences and perspectives as bus riders.

We have included a few survey questions below. Feel free to answer any or all of them.

Thank you in advance for your time. Your opinion is valuable to help us design our product.

Lynn, Hiroki, Jeni, & Kelly

Survey Questionnaire

First Name:
Age:

Gender:

Height:

How do you usually get around?

On what occasions do you take the public transit bus?

What do you like about taking the bus?

What about dislikes?

Where do you like to sit or stand when you’re taking the bus?

What do you do when it's crowded?

How do you feel public transit buses meet the needs of people of different heights?

How does that affect you?

Describe how you resolve or work around the difficulties you encounter on the bus.

How satisfied are you with these solutions?

What do you think would help your situation?

What are some other situations you find yourself in that are difficult because of your height?

How do you deal with those situations?

What was your worst experience on the bus? How did you react to that experience? (in bus and later) What do you hope bus company to do not to have similar experience again?

Any other comments:

Thank you!

To participate, send us your responses by clicking here.

www.healthyworkplacebill.org

2010-10-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Please join NOSSA in supporting this outstanding grassroots organization @ www.healthyworkplacebill.org/ It is time our lawmakers took action to STOP all forms of workplace bullying!!!

LPA Declares October National Dwarfism Awareness Month

2010-10-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

Little People of America has declared October, National Dwarfism Awareness Month. For more information, please click here!

Show your support for NOSSA

2010-08-18T15:41:00.001-07:00

NOSSA is looking for volunteers who are willing to help us in our efforts to support short statured people. If you are interested in helping out, contact us @ www.nossaonline.org

NOSSA News

2010-08-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

The annual board meeting is coming up. All NOSSA members are invited to attend. For more information regarding the meeting log-in to the members section on the NOSSA website.

The NOSSA documentary is currently in production. We expect it to be completed sometime in late 2011. The documentary will feature NOSSA and our work in support of short statured people.

Members in the NY/NJ area interested in attending a support group get in touch with us. Members in the NY/NJ area interested in joining our social group get in touch as well. This is a great way to connect with other people.

Jimmy Aus Trunk and Road Show -- July 19-21 in NYC

2010-07-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

Designer Short Men's Clothing Collection Makes a Stop in New York City

Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under of Beverly Hills is having their first ever trunk and road show in New York City during men's fashion week.

Proudly, we will always be a short men's shop, but it would be an even greater honor to one day have a chain of stores for short men nationwide. Beverly Hills, CA
July 8, 2010

For three days only, from July 19 to the 21, Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under (www.JimmyAus.com) is holding their first ever East Coast trunk and road show featuring the nation's only designer clothing collection specifically developed for shorter men. Mr. Au seized the opportunity to have the trunk and road show in New York City when it was announced he would once again be honored by MR magazine at their Uptown Downtown Awards Reunion Banquet during Men's Fashion Week. Mr. Au and the store were one of the original recipients of the prestigious award its inaugural year for having catered exclusively to shorter men. Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under continues to remain the nation's only designer men's clothing store catering exclusively to men 5'8" or shorter.

Mr. Au's client base in New York City is the largest outside of Southern California. While many customers do fly out to Los Angeles to shop in their Beverly Hills boutique, some cannot and instead, rely on the store's special "goodie" package system that entails a range of requests along with appropriate fashion suggestions to complement their choices. The trunk and road show would allow customers to view a larger portion of the collection in person and also to try on various items in adjacent sizes to get the best fit. For potential new made-to-measure buyers, it would be a chance to have their measurements personally taken by Mr. Au himself.

The trunk and road show will feature clothing designed by Jimmy Au himself, along with fashion essentials procured by Mr. Au that pass his strict quality standard of fit, fabrication and design. The collection available for viewing include suits, sport coats, leather jackets, casual jackets, dress pants, dress shirts, casual pants, premium denim jeans, sport shirts, polo shirts and shoes. The collection is the largest of its kind.

Alan Au, the owner's son and client relations manager says "The trunk show provides an opportunity for potential customers to see and feel what its like to have clothes that fit properly. The frustration of not finding clothes that fit can affect your psyche and overall attitude. Men eventually stop looking and accept their fashion fate. We hope to offer a solution to the savvy shopper that cares about the way he looks."

He also says. "We can't make a man taller, but we can make him look taller. That's our secret. Whether you're 5'2" or 6'2" all men seem to want to look taller. Perceived height is very powerful. It creates confidence, increases self esteem and allows others to focus on you and not your height. The goal sometimes isn't even to look taller, but to make height a non-issue by looking proportionate; something we achieve with the design of our clothes. It's why we've provided wardrobe on over 30 prime time shows in the last 4 years. It's also why we're on the list in Forbes Top Ten Clothing Stores for Men."

It's also why they're being honored by MR magazine, the menswear industry's leading trade publication. Mr. Au and the store are being recognized for its pursuit of designer clothing for shorter men, Au's own short men's clothing collection, exceptional depth and breadth of inventory, and customized shopping experience. Jimmy Au only designs clothing for short men, and Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under is the nation's only short men's designer clothing store.

MR magazine's annual Uptown Downtown Awards only recognizes the very best menswear retailers in the United States and Canada who have demonstrated achievement in innovative store concepts and are doing exceptional things in different aspects of selection, style and service as chosen by a panel of industry veterans and MR magazine. As the title suggests, some winners are classic stores (Uptown), some winners are contemporary stores (Downtown), and some are retailers who are successful at combining both (Uptown Downtown). Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under was awarded for being able to achieve both classic and contemporary styles within their unique retail strategy in their highly specialized niche.

When asked for the main reason the store was chosen, Karen Alberg Grossman, MR's editor-in-chief, said "The store is unique among its peers with an unusually large amount of merchandise manufactured specifically for the store and its customers, rather than chosen from the market."

The small, independently owned Beverly Hills-based boutique was nominated for several reasons including convincing and helping famous designer manufacturers like Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren and DKNY to develop their clothing collections to include more sizes for short men. Jimmy Au now also has his own short men's clothing and sportswear collection. Au is also popular among other menswear stores for taking on hard to fit shorter men because his store boasts the largest size selection for short men in the country. Suits and sport coat sizes start at 34 extra short, short rise casual and dress pants start at a 28 waist, dress shirt sizes start at a 14" neck in a 30" sleeve and sportswear sizes start at an extra short/extra small. And if it weren't mysterious enough already, why there aren't more stores for short men, the customer service and shopping experience at Jimmy Au's feels unusually comfortable and inviting… if you're under 5'8". Perhaps it's because the entire store is scaled down, including the mannequins.

Grossman called Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under "an exciting store that manages to go above and beyond in terms of offering top quality clothing and outstanding service to men 5'8" and under. This store is very special and one of a kind; definitely different from all the rest. This is an often-neglected niche in the market, and by working with upscale vendors to properly scale down their sizing specifications Jimmy Au has done a service to the entire industry."

"I feel validated among my peers in the menswear industry. I'm very grateful to be here and honored to be included among such magnificent retailers," said Jimmy Au, owner and designer who began catering to short men in 1975. "Proudly, we will always be a short men's shop, but it would be an even greater honor to one day have a chain of stores for short men nationwide."

His son, Alan, who initiated the recent move to Beverly Hills, further added, "It feels great to see my dad be recognized by his peers among such innovative and established retailers. This award is a testament to what my dad has been developing and expanding since I was a kid. It's great to see his work get acknowledged by the menswear industry. He's worked very hard to create and develop better fitting menswear for shorter men that taller men have long taken for granted."

Media Contact: levine communications office Shannon Donnelly 310-300-0950 x245

About MR Magazine Uptown Downtown Awards:

90+ retailers will be honored at this year's 5 year reunion event including 14 lifetime achievement winners in Mario Bisio of Mario's, Dick Braeger of Garys, Izzy Ezrailson of Up Against the Wall, David Fisher of Bloomingdales, Cliff Grodd of Paul Stuart, Gerald Gushner and Kent Gushner of Boyds, Tom Kalenderian of Barneys, Saul Korman of Korrys, Jack Mitchell and Bill Mitchell of Mitchells/Richards/Marshs, Harry Rosen and Larry Rosen of Harry Rosen, Wilkes Bashford of Wilkes Bashford. Honorees include AK Rikks, Akira, American Rag, Andrisen Morton, Ascot Shop, Atrium, Barneys, Base, Bauman's, Beecroft and Bull, Bergdorf Goodman, Boyds Philadelphia, Butch Blum, Caruso Caruso, Circa 2000, Clubman, Coffman's, Cuffs, Darien Sport Shop, Duggers, Elton's, Garage, Garmany, Garys, Gene Hiller, George Greene, Gorsuch Ltd., Gotstyle, H. Men, Halls, Harley's Texas, Harolds in the Heights, Harrods, Harry Rosen, Holt Renfrew, Hub, Hubert White, James Davis, Jeffrey, Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under, John Craig, Khaki's of Carmel, Kilgore Trout, Lansky Bros., Larrimor's, LASC, Levy's, Lisa Kline, Louis Boston, M. Penner, Malouf's, Mario's, Mark Shale, Mitchells/Richards/Marshs, N, Oak Hall, Odin, Oslo's, Over the Rainbow, Patrick James, Peter Elliot, Pockets, Relish, Riccardi, Robert R. Bailey, Rodes, Ron Herman, Rosey Jekes, Rothman's, Rubensteins, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sams New Jersey, Scoop Men, Sebastian's Closet, Shaia's, Stanley Korshak, Sy Devore, Syd Jerome, Taylor Richards & Conger, The Closet, The Clotherie, The Met, Theodore, Traffic, United Arrows, Vinnie's Styles, and Von Maur.

About Alan and Jimmy Au:

Jimmy and his son Alan have been featured on NBC's Today Show, TLC's Ten Years Younger, TLC's The Little Couple, TLC's What Not to Wear and E! Entertainment News. For an informative and entertaining interview on how shorter men can dress better or to receive an invitation to the trunk and road show to view the collection, please call Shannon Donnelly at (310) 300-0950 ext 245. The trunk and road show will be held July 19-21, 2010 at the Double Tree Hotel, New York City - Chelsea, 128 West 29th St., New York City, NY, 10001

NOSSA Interviews Comedian Noe Gonzalez

2010-06-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

5'2" Comedian Noe Gonzalez recently spoke with us for the Ramblings of a short guy from Long Guyland podcast. Please have a listen and pick up one of his t-shirts @ NOE Tees.com

Tough year for short celebrities

2010-05-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

I just found out Gary Coleman has passed away. On May 16th, the world lost Heavy Metal music icon Ronnie James Dio to stomach cancer.

Gary was about 4'8" tall and Ronnie was about 5'4" tall. Many short statured people find inspiration in these two extraordinary individuals. Gary faced tremendous adversity in his life. Yet he has left his indelible mark on the world. His legacy as a gifted actor will continue on for years to come. Ronnie was a musical powerhouse who stood out as one of the most talented rock singers of all time.

The story of these two men reveal the truth. Short stature is not an inferior trait. These men will live on in the hearts and minds of their fans. Thank you for blessing all of us with your talent...

NOSSA receives complaint re: school bus service

2010-05-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults, Inc. is in receipt of a complaint regarding a school bus service in Tacoma, Washington.

The complaint alleges:

On March 31,2010 I was hired for a school bus driving position for a school bus service in Tacoma, Wa. I reported for training April 1st and took my D.O.T. physical and passed on Friday, April 2nd. I continued on with my training on April 5th. By April 8th, after driving for two days, the Supervisor in charge was made aware that the seat belt on 'some' of the buses would not fit me properly. The reason the seat belt would not fit was because of my height of 4'9" (4'10" with sneakers). I had to move the seat far forward on this particular bus, and the seat belt would not extend. The Supervisor told me that since the seat belts on some buses would not extend, she could not hire me. I suggested a seat belt extender. She said it was unacceptable and against policy.

I have been a bus driver for almost 10 years (6 of those years driving a school bus), I know a seat belt extender is not a safety infraction nor are they against the law. Many over weight drivers use them.

When you're first hired as a Bus Driver with a big company, you start out on 'stand by'. When a driver is on stand by, they are never assigned the same bus. It is my opinon, this supervisor did not want to do her homework. If a seat belt extender is against policy, she would have to check every bus to see if the belt extended far enough. It was easier to let me go.

NOSSA is contacting the company in hopes of receiving an explanation regarding this situation. We will post a response if one is issued from the company.

*** UPDATE *** NOSSA received the following response from the bus service:

Dear Mr. Hamre, the safety of the children we transport is our top priority. The person in question was not employed by us. While they did attend training for two days, we cannot comment on the decision to not hire them. Respectfully,
General Manager

Apathy

2010-05-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite quotes was made by stand-up comic Bill Maher, when he said, (paraphrasing here) "I am angry about alot of things. I'll tell you what I'm mostly pissed off about. I'm mostly pissed off that not enough people are pissed off."

I think that really sums up the frustration of the heightism activist. Most people simply don't care. People just want to go on about living their lives. They want to make the most of the time they have and not sit around dwelling on the fact that they are short and the challenges that they face because of it.

Why bother joining NOSSA? What good will it do? At the end of the day I'll still be short and nothing will have changed.

We've compiled a list of some of the benefits of uniting together with NOSSA. You can review the list by clicking here.

I think it's very important to not allow yourself to have a negative and/or apathetic attitude when it comes to these types of issues.

Change starts from within and can certainly work it's way throughout society like a wildfire. But only if you let it. Only if you abandon the apathy and take action....

We will not forget John Carmichael

2010-04-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

13 year old John Carmichael of Joshua, Texas will not be forgotten. Bullying smaller kids must stop. How many more children will we let die?

http://www.truecrimereport.com/2010/03/jon_carmichael_13_hangs_himsel.php

Support NOSSA to help make a change

2010-03-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

If you feel that heightism is wrong - please support NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults

by joining the organization or

donating to the organization

and becoming active with the members by participating on the NOSSA Forums or attending events. NOSSA is YOUR organization if you are a short statured adult. So take part and make a difference!

President Hamre testifies in support of height/weight bill

2010-01-27T22:38:00.000-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults, President Christopher Hamre testified for the 2nd time in Boston, Massachusetts in support of H1850 an act proposed by Rep. Byron Rushing prohibiting height/weight discrimination in the state of Massachusetts. Contact the elected reps in Massachusetts and tell them you support this bill. http://www.mass.gov/legis/city_town.htm

NOSSA Announces new Board of Directors

2010-01-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

The new Board of Directors for NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults is:

Term 2010 - 2013

Board of Directors (Term expires 01/14/2014)

Chairman/President - Christopher Hamre
Vice-Chairman/Vice-President - Deborah Burris-Kitchen, PhD.
Secretary - Brian Peterson
Treasurer - Matthew Campisi

Please join us in welcoming our new board!

Happy Holidays from NOSSA!

2009-12-23T11:47:00.001-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults wishes you and your family a very safe and happy holiday season!

NOSSA elects new board of directors

2009-11-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

The members of NOSSA - National Organization of Short Statured Adults, cast their vote for the next board of directors.Voting will end officially on December 31st. Congratz to all of the candidates and thank you to every member who voted.

Attn: NOSSA Voting Members

2009-08-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

If you are a voting member of NOSSA, please click here and confirm you are on this list (forum registration required - click here to request registration). If you are not on the list and you feel that you should be, contact us here and let us know. We will verify your membership status and get back with you. Only those folks on this list will be permitted to vote in the November elections.

Please exercise your right to vote for the next NOSSA Board of Directors on November 8, 2009.

Excruciating lengths to reach "perfection"

2009-08-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

NOSSA transparency policy - online records

2009-08-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults, Inc. maintains a firm organization transparency policy for our members. To this end, we are now proud partners with the leading source of information regarding U.S. non-profits, GuideStar.org. For public records pertaining to the NOSSA organization (charity verification, 990 forms, reports and records), please visit the following link.

Chris Hamre responds to LPA action regarding the term "midget"

2009-07-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

NOSSA Supports LPA denouncement of the term "midget"

2009-07-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

NOSSA supports LPA in calling for the FCC to ban the term "midget" from TV. This term is derogatory and offensive.

Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

"An extraordinarily talented man who has left this earth far too soon. Rest in peace Michael."
- Matt

"Loss of an icon; a true talent and his popularity unmatched by his peers."
- Chris

Our Own Worst Enemy

2009-06-21T20:49:00.001-07:00

Pre-election message from NOSSA President

2009-05-15T14:24:00.001-07:00

Members and Supporters,

Please join me in wishing our election candidates good luck with their upcoming campaigns for positions on the NOSSA Board of Directors.

I have faith that our next Board will do an outstanding job advocating for short statured adults.

As some of you have already heard through the grapevine, I will not be seeking re-election for President next term. The reason is because I believe it is time to give someone else a chance to drive this NOSSA choo-choo train.

I have really enjoyed my time as President and I am honored to have had the chance to represent you.

I will be happy to share my candidate endorsements with you over the next few months.I will do so only in private forums out of respect for all of our candidates. I hope you will take the time to learn about them and vote in November for your next board.

Thank you for your support of NOSSA.

With much hope and enthusiasm for the future...

Respectfully,

Matt
Chairman/President
NOSSA
National Organization Of Short Statured Adults,Inc.

NOSSA documentary set to begin filming/board candidates getting set to run

2009-04-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

NOSSA will begin filming soon for an upcoming documentary about the organization and about the issue of heightism. We will keep you updated on the progress of the film and provide more information about how you can view it as information becomes available. NOSSA previously participated in the documentary: S&M:Short & Male which was broadcast on CTV in Canada!

In a little over a month, the new candidates for the NOSSA Board of Directors will begin their campaigns for office. We wish the candidates good luck and we thank them for their willingness to step up in a leadership role for the organization.

Please Participate In Our Survey

2009-04-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

NOSSA Needs Your Feedback - Please complete our feedback form and send it in. Click here to participate!

Only 3 Months Left To Announce Your Candidacy

2009-03-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

NOSSA Members interested in running for a position on the Board of Directors have until June 8, 2009 to announce their candidacy for office. For more information go to http://www.nossaonline.org/news/pressreleases.html

NOSSA Membership & Fundraising Drive

2009-02-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

2009 Membership & Fundraising Drive! - Join NOSSA today by clicking here. Support us with a donation by clicking here. Purchase group products by clicking here. Donate items for our eBay sales (contact us here).

So What Do You Think?

2009-02-03T07:11:00.000-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults is looking for guests for our podcasts. If you would like to share your thoughts with us about short stature and heightism send us an email at our website. Interviews are recorded over the telephone. Compensation is not provided, however you can promote a website or business if you wish.

NOSSA Sends Thanks To Trisha Gura, Ph.D.

2009-01-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

NOSSA would like to express our thanks to Trisha Gura, Ph.D. for her January 14, 2009 Huffington Post article, Short End Of The Stick. Thank you for bringing attention to this matter and for including NOSSA in your article.

Happy New Year From NOSSA!!!

2008-12-26T11:26:00.000-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults wishes you and your loved ones best wishes for a wonderful new year. We look forward to the new year with much hope and enthusiasm. We have many exciting things planned for 2009. We invite you to join us in our efforts to support short statured people. God bless all short statured people and god bless the National Organization Of Short Statured Adults.

Coming Soon...

2008-12-15T18:00:00.001-08:00

NOSSA Documentary in Pre-Production

2008-12-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults is currently in pre-production for a new documentary about NOSSA and the issue of heightism in society. The documentary is expected to be released sometime in 2010. For more information, please visit www.nossaonline.org

Happy Holidays

2008-11-28T08:40:00.000-08:00

The National Organization Of Short Statured Adults wishes you and your family a very safe, happy, and healthy holiday season. We truly have had another great year here at the organization. We have made so many new friends and we have strengthened our relationships with those who have remained loyal members since our start. Thank you for being a part of this worthy endeavor. God bless all short statured adults, especially the fine members of NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults. :)

Thanksgiving Message

2008-11-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks for all of our blessings in life. We at NOSSA want to take this opportunity to give thanks to all of our members and supporters who have stood behind us. We hope that you have a very wonderful holiday season. We have some good things planned for 2009. We hope that you will continue to support us in our efforts to help short statured people. Cheers everyone!

NOSSA Seeking Candidates For Board of Directors

2008-10-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults is seeking candidates for positions on the Board of Directors. For more information please visit http://nossaonline.org/news/pressreleases.html

Massachusetts Height/Weight Bill Withdrawn

2008-10-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

Massachusetts H. 1844, An Act to Eliminate Discrimination on the Basis of Weight and Height, in Massachusetts sponsored by Rep. Byron Rushing has been withdrawn by Representative Rushing. The bill may be re-introduced in the future. Please contact the Massachusetts Senators and Representatives and express your continued support for this law.

Height Discrimination in the Workplace

2008-09-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

An example of the e-mails that NOSSA receives regarding height discrimination in the workplace:

I just wanted to write and say I agree with you totally. I am 28 and am only 5 foot tall. I too am mistaken for a child most of the time. I recently had a job as a poker dealer. When a new manager took over the poker room i was fired and given no real reason. When I asked for one, he said he had to cut down hours for labor costs. The next day however he hired two more people. That night at a bar three of my freinds were having a drink when the new boss came in and was talking about me. My freinds say that he said the following " anyone shorter than me should not be dealing poker". Height had nothing to do with that job. I had been dealing poker for nearly 5 years. I was good at it. I was never late, never missed a day of work, or called in sick. I always came in early when I was called to do so. Like you, i was wondering about my rights. I was disturbed when I found out height was not in the very list : "The civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination because of one's race, creed, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual preference, age or handicap." So the question is, What do I do now? It seems to me there is nothing I can do but tuck my tail, pack my things, and move to a new city to find a job. Why are there no rights for us? What, if anything, can we do about it?

Article Response

2008-09-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

NOSSA Response to this article:

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/claudia-winkleman/claudia-winkleman-take-it-from-me-800479.html

Dear Mrs Winkleman,

This letter is a response from the National Organisation of Short Statured Adults (NOSSA) to your article ‘Take It From Me’ of 26th March 2008.

You are, by any account, an extremely succesful person, holding a degree from one of the best universities in the world, with a glittering CV as a TV presenter, newspaper columnist and fundraiser. We would like to ask you to imagine, being as honest with yourself as is possible, that you had been born both short and male, and that you read an article in a respected newspaper claiming all of this success was proof you suffered from ‘short man syndrome’. You were driven solely by an inferiority complex regarding your height.

Of course, you are neither short nor male, so this accusation will never be a reality for you. Indeed, if it was, we know it would be false, as you would have achieved everything you have being a not particularly short female. But please imagine the frustration this would cause you; to have all of your achievements explained not by intelligence, ambition or decency, but by an inferiority complex you knew you didn’t have.

We would like to point out that Napoleon was in fact slightly above average height at the time, the myth being the result of enemy propaganda, which in itslef highlights the bigotry short men face; if you want to portray someone as ‘bad’, then ‘short’ is a good place to start. A column for a respected British newspaper should be much better researched than yours, expecially one with such an arrogant title; ‘Take It From Me’. You could at least get the facts right.

Your claim that Napoleon was known as ‘short arse’ to his friends is, it logically follows on, a complete fabrication of the truth. ‘Le petit caporal’ is the closest they came to calling him this, but ‘petit’ in this case does not literally mean ‘small’.

But lets assume you weren’t so horribly wrong, and that Napoleon had been short. You claim he suffered from ‘short man disorder’. We ask you, how could it ever be proven, 200 years after his death, that Napoleon acted in the way he did because he was short? Even if a short man does happen to be an aggressive type, this does not mean it is as a result of his height. How do you explain a tall man’s aggression? Genetics? Upbringing? Could these not also be true of a short man? Looked at another way, many tall male celebrities would be accused of having ‘short man syndrome’ had they happened to be short. But since they aren’t short, but still aggressive, we know it would be completely false.

You then acknowledge that the thoery ‘had been dismissed as recently as 2007, but a recent study shows that it’s a very real syndrome’. The study you dismiss concluded tall men are more aggressive, the one you use as evidence concluded short men are more jealous. We ask you which one is more relevant to the theory of ‘short man syndrome’? Surely the answer is obvious. The fact that you dismissed the study that debunked the theory, then go on to endorse the theory which ‘supports’ it (even though it deals with jealousy, not aggresion), shows a deep prejudice against short men. You surely cannot deny this charge.

The Wessex Growth Study is probably, scientifically speaking, the fairest study, as it controlled for factors such as gender and socioecnomic status, and it concluded that no personality functioning can be attributed to height. Please take a careful look at this. Surely your arrogance cannot extend to dismissing such research.

If you had written a similar article about a syndrome black or gay men suffered from, would you honestly expect to hold on to your job?

Finally, your teasing of Jamie Cullum is just plain childish. He, like you, got where he did through his own hard work. You may or may not be aware that he is a mere centimetre shorter than you are. Your claim that his ambition was motivated by an inferiority complex regarding his stature is disgusting and further demonstrates your bigotry. The laws of averages, which are obviously beyond you, suggest that every so often, short men will be succesful. As someone who wants to be seen as an honest children’s charity worker, please imagine how it would feel for a short, ambitious teenager to read your article. If you do have a conscience then surely you feel some regret.

Sincerely,

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults, Inc.
Church Street Station
PO Box 1187
New York, New York 10008-1187
United States Of America
1-888-NOSSA-EZ (1-888-667-7239)
Group email: membership@nossaonline.org

NOSSA Now Accepting Candidates For Board of Directors

2008-09-07T10:56:00.001-07:00

NOSSA Voting Members interested in running for a position on the NOSSA Board of Directors may now send in their application for candidacy. For more information, NOSSA members may visit http://nossaonline.org/memberlogin/memberlogin.html

Autoimmune Information Network (AIN).

2008-08-31T18:28:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year again and Steve and Mary are participating in the walkathon for the Autoimmune Information Network (AIN). As we’ve done in the past, Steve will be pushing Mary in her wheelchair. This year the event is on Sat. Sept. 13.

As you may know Mary has six autoimmune conditions. The first diagnosis was at age 4 ½. Her diagnoses spanned over 30 years and the last occurred just five months before our wedding. When we learned of this organization several years ago, we joined. Although we belong to several organizations which focus on a single type of condition which Mary has, AIN provides a refreshing perspective because it looks at autoimmune conditions from a broader view. If AIN had been around earlier, it's likely that Mary wouldn't have waited so long to be diagnosed with most of her conditions.

Last year on the walk, the organization put up signs with facts about autoimmune conditions along the way. We were shocked to learn that it takes an average of three years and 8 to 10 physicians to obtain the correct diagnosis. Mary’s experience has shown us how true this is. Her longest diagnosis took ten years. Years ago we lost count of the number of physicians involved.

Founded in 2003, AIN is run by a person with multiple autoimmune conditions and other volunteers. All its members and volunteers have autoimmune conditions or their family members do. There is no paid staff. The mission of AIN is to help patients and their families cope with the disabling effects of the 150+ known autoimmune diseases through education, public awareness and linking people with available programs and support groups. AIN has helped to obtain donated services for hundreds of autoimmune patients. These services would have cost over $1,849,600.

AIN helps direct patients and families to find medication assistance programs, with paperwork and applications, and even monetary resources if the need arises. It also helps people with autoimmune diseases find doctors that specialize in these diseases and obtain transportation to get to them. When needed, AIN serves as patient advocates. For more information, check out

www.aininc.org

AIN can be contacted directly by:

Mail at P.O. Box 4121, Brick, N.J. 08723

Phone at (732)262-0450 or (877)AIN-4900 (Toll Free)

Fax (732)262-0452

E-mail autoimmunehelp@aol.com

We are grateful for anything you can do. As we say at AIN, no donation is too small. Also if you know of anyone who may be helped by this organization, please give them the contact information.

Love,

Mary & Steve

PS – We’re also putting together a team to walk and/or fundraise. If you’re interested in this, please let us know.

The Subconscious Bias

2008-08-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

Two men are having a casual conversation. One is 22 years old, attractive, lean and stands about 6 foot 4 inches tall. The other is in his thirties, not-so-attractive, medium build and stands about 5 foot 5 inches tall. The topic of physical appearance comes up and the tall man proclaims matter of factly, "You can be dumb as a bag of rocks, but if you look good on the outside, people are going to take you seriously and respect you." The short man sighs. Not less than 10 minutes later the two men are met by their colleagues. All conversation is directed at the tall man and the short man is completely ignored.

S&M:Short & Male Documentary

2008-05-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

With the recent debut of S&M: Short & Male Documentary on CTV in Canada, NOSSA has received an influx of feedback via e-mail. We are happy to report that the vast majority of this e-mail is positive and extremely supportive of The National Organization Of Short Statured Adults. We want to thank the good people who took the time to contact us and express their support for what we are doing here at NOSSA. Your support means alot to us! To join us, go to http://www.nossaonline.org/joinus.html

Think About It

2008-05-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

Howard Goldberg (the director of the movie Short & Male) made a powerful statement while promoting his film when he said,

"I mean, I say in the film that the worst thing you can do is think about being short. But I also wonder if the worst thing you can do is not think about it."

What do you think about this statement?

Tell us what you think

2008-05-17T05:49:00.000-07:00

Do you have something to say about the issue of heightism? Why not leave us a message and share it with us? You can be completely anonymous. Call us at 1-888-NOSSA-EZ and tell us what you think. If your comment is good, we may include it in one of our podcasts.

The same goes for video comments. If you have a webcam, leave us a video message through our blipback widget at www.myspace.com/nossaonline

Would you like to be interviewed on our podcasts? Call us at 1-888-NOSSA-EZ for more information.

We are also looking to produce your audio or video podcast! Contact us for more information...
www.nossaonline.org

Join in on our online discussions at forums.nossaonline.org

Benefits of NOSSA Membership

2008-04-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Benefits of NOSSA Membership

• Promote the acceptance of short stature in society by your membership in NOSSA.

• Join Together to support short statured people and unite to oppose all forms of heightism.

• Support in times of trouble with our legal assistance program.

• Social networking through our social events.

• Attend our life changing seminars.

• Unite to oppose the use of cosmetic human growth hormone for short but otherwise healthy kids.

• Unite to assist children and young adults struggling with heightism.

• Join our media watch-dog group to monitor heightism in the media and address it.

• Support responsible heightism related research.

• Join in on the heightism discussions.

• Attend our annual convention.

• E-mail and telephone support when needed.

• Opportunity to vote on group issues and serve as a leader in the organization.

• Annual College Scholarship award.

• Special discounts on approved products and services from generous friends of the organization.

• Emergency Assistance program for members in need of food, shelter, or crisis intervention.

• Job Referall Assistance.

• Free Copy of the outstanding book, Beyond Measure by Ellen Frankel.

• You will bring more attention to the specific needs of short statured adults with your membership in NOSSA.

We are a group of dedicated people committed to helping each other and to spreading the message that there is absolutely nothing "wrong" with being short.

To join NOSSA go to http://www.nossaonline.org/joinus.html

NOSSA Forums

2008-04-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

Have something to say about the issue of heightism? Log on to
http://forums.nossaonline.org

Standing Tall Against Discrimination Podcast

2008-03-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

The Standing Tall Against Discrimination podcast series will resume within the next month or two. We plan on having discussions with several special guests. Our episode on self-esteem will be released next. In the meantime, please visit http://mattfromnossa.libsyn.com and check out past episodes as well as David Beach's Low Down podcast!

Bravo to Chris Hamre & Ellen Frankel for their testimony!

2008-03-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Bravo to NOSSA Vice-President Chris Hamre & Advisor Ellen Frankel for their participation in today's hearing in Boston, Massachusetts on behalf of Byron Rushing's height/weight bill. Great job! Special Thanks to Representative Byron Rushing and his staff and to all the members of NAAFA!

Chris Hamre To Testify Before Committee on Labor & Workforce Development

2008-03-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

NOSSA Vice-President Christopher Hamre will testify before the Massachusetts Committee on Labor & Workforce Development in support of H. 1844, a bill to eliminate height and weight discrimination. The event will take place Tuesday March 25, 2008 in Boston.

NOSSA Annual Convention

2008-03-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

The First Annual NOSSA Convention of the members is set for this Fall in New Jersey. The convention will consist of the Board of Directors/Membership meeting and dinner/social event. Each attendee may purchase their own dinner. Other than that, no other costs are involved for attendance. Only NOSSA members and special guests approved by the Board may attend this event. Attendees must pre-register for this event. To register, send an e-mail to membership@nossaonline.org For the latest info on the convention, please visit http://nossaonline.org/meetingevents/annualconvention.html

Height/Weight Bill in Mass. Take Action Now!!!

2008-03-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

Now is the opportunity to fight for a bill in Massachussets which will make it illegal to discriminate against people on the basis of height and weight. On March 25, 2008, the Committee on labor and workforce development will be voting on this bill. Contact the members and tell them that you support this bill. For contact information go to http://forums.nossaonline.org/showthread.php?t=142

New Blog from NOSSA Chairman

2008-03-06T16:57:00.001-08:00

NOSSA Chairman Matthew Campisi now has his own blog at www.matthewcampisi.com If you have a free moment, please check it out...

The results of allowing prejudice to fester

2008-03-02T15:49:00.000-08:00

Clearwater, FL Meeting Sunday March 9th

2008-03-02T09:55:00.001-08:00

Next Sunday March 9, 2008 NOSSA will be hosting a meeting in Clearwater, Florida from 1:30PM-4:30PM (EST). Details below. Contact us here for more information.

Clearwater Main Public Library - meeting room a/b
100 North Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, Florida 33755
1:30PM-4:30PM (EST)

No fees of any kind and this will be open to the public. You do NOT have to be a NOSSA member to attend.

NOSSA Introduces, The Low Down Podcast with David Beach

2008-02-28T08:20:00.000-08:00

The Low Down with host David Beach - Fun, informative, and intriguing show from Pasadena, California.For more information visit http://lowdownpodcast.blogspot.com Listen at http://mattfromnossa.libsyn.com

NOSSA Set To Announce Info On Annual Convention

2008-02-19T13:01:00.000-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults will soon be announcing details on the 2008 Annual Convention of the membership. "We are all very excited about hosting our first annual convention this year." states Matthew Campisi, NOSSA President. The convention is for members and special guests of NOSSA and is expected to be held in the Fall. Contact NOSSA here for more information.

Standing Tall Against Discrimination Podcast - Episode 8 - Self-Esteem Released

2008-02-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

NOSSA has released Standing Tall Against Discrimination, Episode 8 - A discussion about self-esteem. How to accept and love yourself, just as you are. Special guest: Diane Sardanopoli (Licensed Mental Health Counselor). To listen go to
http://mattfromnossa.libsyn.com

MA Height and Weight bill--hearing and legislative briefing

2008-02-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

Hello All:

Thank you for your ongoing support and advocacy for H. 1844, An Act to Eliminate Discrimination on the Basis of Weight and Height, in Massachusetts sponsored by Rep. Byron Rushing.

I am writing to let you know that we have a hearing date for the bill: March 25, 2008.Please contact me individually if you are interested in testifying before the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development and/or organizing others to testify and speak to legislators following the hearing.

In addition, we would like to organize an informational briefing for legislators and staff about what the bill will do and the need for the legal protections it seeks to provide prior to the hearing. Ideally, we would like a panel of 4-5 experts to speak about the legal aspects of the bill, what is being done in other jurisdictions, related medical and scientific data, and employment discrimination experienced by individuals based upon height and/or weight. We would like to hold this briefing at the MA State House the week of March 10. We can arrange a specific date based upon the availability of those willing to attend.

Please contact me if you would like to continue to work with us on this important legislation!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

Fay

Fay Sliger
Deputy Chief of Staff
Second Assistant Majority Leader
Representative Byron Rushing
State House Room 481
Boston, MA 02133
p-617.722.2180
f-617.722.2881

In the closet with heightism

2008-01-31T16:34:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther King Jr.

2008-01-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

Racism, the belief that one race is supreme and all others are inately inferior will never be completly eradicated. Neither will heightism.

I understand how some african-americans or other groups could take offense to our comparing our struggles with theirs, in that we were never enslaved or subject to mass genocide because of heightism prejudice.

But we still face prejudice and discrimination and what makes it worse for us is that few people are willing to acknowledge it. Whereas it is generally acknowledged that others have faced and still do face "real" discrimination and something ought to be done to stop it.

I would personally prefer to live in a world were no human being ever had to endure the pain of prejudice and discrimination of any kind. I don't think it helps our cause to point out who suffers more. We should simply acknowledge that we all face different degrees of this awful human behavior. I believe that we should ultimately work towards eliminating ALL prejudice regardless of who it is directed at. To not do so is the height of hypocrisy and foolishness.

- Matthew Campisi
President
NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults

NOSSA Appoints New Secretary to Board

2008-01-13T15:50:00.000-08:00

The Board of Directors of NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults has appointed Brian Peterson to serve as Secretary (Special Trustee). Brian is committed to helping short statured people. We want to welcome Brian to the Board and we Thank him for his willingness to serve.

NOSSA Forums

2008-01-13T07:03:00.001-08:00

NOSSA Forums will be located at
http://forums.nossaonline.org Please stop by, register, and contribute to the ongoing discussions. This will be a great way for you to share your thoughts about the issues faced by short statured people.

Chris Hamre Awarded Activist of the Year 2008

2008-01-06T08:37:00.001-08:00

NOSSA Vice-President Christopher Hamre has been awarded the heightism activist of the year award for 2008.Mr. Hamre's tireless efforts to address heightism deserve special recognition and praise. Way to go Chris! Previous winners have included Steven Goldsmith in 2006 for his www.shortsupport.org website and Representative Byron Rushing in 2007 for his proposed height/weight legislation in Massachussets.

2008

2008-01-01T09:09:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

Well, another year has come and gone and now we are in 2008. It was a good year for NOSSA in 2007. But we must now turn our attention to the new year and press forward with our efforts to combat this heightism prejudice and support our fellow short statured brothers and sisters. We will be launching the new messageboard on or around January 21, 2008 at http://forums.nossaonline.org The forum will be a great way for our members and general public to contribute to the on-going heightism discussion. We will also be hosting a heightism seminar on March 9, 2008 in Clearwater, Florida. For more information on attending please click here. The podcasts will resume soon and we will be tackling new topics and featuring some very special guests. Click here for the podcast link. We hope to end our year with a bang at our first annual convention in New York. For more info on this click here. There has never been a better time than right now to join our group and take a firm stand against heightism. To join us go to http://www.nossaonline.org/joinus.html

Happy New Year From NOSSA!!!

2007-12-26T14:02:00.001-08:00

NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults wishes you and your loved ones best wishes for a wonderful new year. We look forward to the new year with much hope and enthusiasm. We have many exciting things planned for 2008. We invite you to join us in our efforts to support short statured people. God bless all short statured people and god bless the National Organization Of Short Statured Adults.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-13T19:02:00.001-08:00

The National Organization Of Short Statured Adults wishes you and your family a very safe, happy, and healthy holiday season. We truly have had a great year here at the organization. We have made so many new friends and we have strengthened our relationships with those who have remained loyal members since our start. Thank you for being a part of this worthy endeavor. God bless all short statured adults, especially the fine members of NOSSA - National Organization Of Short Statured Adults. :)

Support Massachusetts Height/Weight Bill

2007-12-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

The Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is considering bill H.1844, sponsored by Byron Rushing, which would make it illegal for employers to discriminate based on height and weight. Jurisdictions in the United States routinely protect citizens from discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, and sexual orientation. Yet is it perfectly legal to deny employment, promotion or raises based on a person's height. That discrimination is real. Research shows that short people lose about $800/year per inch of height

Only one other state, Michigan, makes it illegal to discriminate based on person's height or weight. These protections were added to their discrimination laws in 1979. Since then we have seen very little progress. The only other governments that have similar protections are the cities of San Francisco and Santa Cruz.

Now there is an opportunity to correct these injustices but action is required. If you are a resident of Massachusetts, please contact your State Senator and District Representative and ask that they support this bill.

Thanksgiving Message

2007-11-19T15:24:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks for all of our blessings in life. We at NOSSA want to take this opportunity to give thanks to all of our members and supporters who have stood behind us in our good fight against heightism. We hope that you have a very wonderful holiday season. We have some good things planned for 2008. We hope that you will continue to support us in our efforts to help short statured people. Cheers everyone!

Message From NOSSA Chairman

2007-11-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

Members of NOSSA,

I want to thank you for your support of NOSSA in 2007. Your support is very much appreciated. I am also contacting you today to ask you if you would please consider supporting us with a voting membership in our group in 2008. I want to tell you more about what NOSSA is doing to support short statured people and also how much your voting membership helps.

NOSSA is a united organization of short men and women from around the globe, promoting the message of self-empowerment for all of its members, providing a supportive environment in which to share experiences, and committed to opposing heightism in society.

You might be asking yourself, well what exactly does that mean or in what ways does NOSSA do all of this? Well allow me to elaborate further:

There are many people in the world who struggle with issues related to their height. Some experience height discrimination at work, school, or when it comes to finding love. Some face psychological and/or physical bullying. Others have even considered suicide. Sometimes it’s just a matter of feeling a bit inadequate, or for others it could involve a profound feeling of shame. As a short statured man or woman you know exactly what’s it’s been like for you to live as an adult of below average height. Whether your experiences have been extremely tough or not so bad, you still have something to give and receive with a membership in NOSSA. At NOSSA we are all about supporting each other. If you are having a rough time, we are here to listen and support you. If you feel you have overcome certain obstacles in life, why not give something back by sharing your insights with people who are dealing with similar struggles? We are creating a community of people who truly understand and are going to listen and support you without any fear of being judged or dismissed.

At NOSSA, you set your own level of involvement. You can be very active and attend organization meetings and events, or you can simply communicate through the internet on our message forums or through e-mail. Either way you are sure to make some lasting friendships with people who share something in common with you. It’s comforting to know that you can always pick up the phone and call the group or a member when you really need someone to talk to that understands.

By now, I’m sure you know what heightism is. It’s an awful prejudice that many people simply don’t understand or even care to understand. We want to change that. We want people to understand exactly what heightism is so they can begin to re-evaluate their own beliefs about short stature. Is it really so horrible to be short? Well, yeah it can be, but it has very little to do with actually being short and mostly to do with how most of society perceives short stature and also how we might perceive it. See it’s all a matter of perception and perceptions can change. So maybe what short statured people really need is a good PR campaign? Well, that’s part of what we hope to accomplish. Let’s join together to spread the message that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being short.

At NOSSA we are disseminating knowledge about short stature to the public and encouraging more responsible research about short stature. We also promote the acceptance of short stature in everything that we do. We are committed to assisting children and young adults who are struggling with heightism. We are also monitoring the media to address negative messages that are carelessly being perpetuated about short statured people. What happens when people face height discrimination at work or are scammed by some bogus growth enhancement product? NOSSA is able to help our members with these types of problems.

Most alarming to us is the increase in the use of “cosmetic” human growth hormone injections in short but otherwise healthy kids and in an increase in painful leg lengthening procedures. It’s amazing what people are willing to do to gain a few extra inches in height. Would it upset or surprise you to learn that the United States Government approves of this? See, these kids don’t need any extra growth hormone. There bodies are healthy and make all the hGH they need. But the kids are given these injections so they can grow taller, so they can someday grow to “normal” height. The risks include the possibility of certain cancers developing, hypertension, spontaneous bone fractures, headaches, fevers, stomach problems, vomiting, impaired glucose tolerance, and kidney damage. Do you agree that there is something wrong with a society that prefers hGH body modification to the full acceptance of short stature?

If you do, we need you to join us and support what it is we are doing. For a mere $35.00 (USD) your membership helps support our activities as mentioned above. Together as a group, we will unite to address problems like these and to support one another in a way unlike anything you have ever experienced before. But the group cannot do this without you. The success of NOSSA depends on you and whether you are willing to step up to the plate and tackle the issue of heightism with us.

Please don’t put it off until later. Join NOSSA Today!

Respectfully,

Matthew Campisi
Chairman/President
NOSSA

Heightism MessageBoard Forums

2007-11-12T11:46:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who has visited and posted on our Heightism Messageboard Forum since it's creation in 2005. At last count we had over 300 members from all corners of the globe, reading and posting on our website. The site will no longer be hosted by Aimoo. We are moving the site to a new and improved location which will offer our visitors an even better forum online. NOSSA will launch the new forums soon. Check back here often for the latest news or visit www.nossaonline.org for the link when it becomes available. Thanks everyone!

Dating While Short - A True Story

2007-11-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

A recent article from one of the various dating websites:

Author Unknown:

If you're a regular reader, you probably knew that I was on the CBS Early Show in July. Appearing with me was one of my all-time favorite clients, Tom Pandolfo. Charming, charismatic, successful, warm, athletic... Tom has it all. The only thing missing in his life is a woman. So, after hiring me as his dating coach, we set to work in rebranding him on Match.com.

We took new professional photos. We had Tom fill out my long questionnaire and submit to an hour of questions from me on the phone. We wrote two new profile essays that were unique, funny and confident. We renamed him "LookMaNoHair".

And we watched as his in-box filled up with interested women.

You can see what a great experience it was in this CBS Early Show clip:

What I haven't yet mentioned is that Tom Pandolfo is 5'3".

I didn't want to mention it for the same reason that Tom didn't want to mention it in his profile: because it's irrelevant to anything that makes him a good accountant, husband, or father. Yet his height defines him, since it has prevented otherwise interested women from being interested in him over the course of his entire life.

This instantly reminded me of a story that ABC did years ago on this very issue.

To see if the women would go for short guys who were successful, ABCNEWS' Lynn Sherr created extraordinary résumés for the shorter men. She told the women that the shorter men included a doctor, a best-selling author, a champion skier, a venture capitalist who'd made millions by the age of 25.

Nothing worked. The women always chose the tall men. Sherr asked whether there'd be anything she could say that would make the shortest of the men, who was 5 feet, irresistible. One of the women replied, "Maybe the only thing you could say is that the other four are murderers." Another backed her up, saying that had the taller men had a criminal record she might have been swayed to choose a shorter man. Another said she'd have considered the shorter men, if the taller men had been described as "child molesters."

Lest you think this is an example of reality TV finding evidence to support a story, Tom tried his own experiment last week. Sure enough, few women give a fair shake to a man who is 5'3", no matter what else he has going for him.

I'm going to let Tom take it from here.

So I tried changing my profile for three days just to see what the difference was between being 5'3" and 5'10". I wanted to know if height was the only difference and the constant deal breaker. So I moved my profile from Pittsburgh and posted it for 3 days in a town where nobody knew me ( Philadelphia). Here's what I found:

5'3" in Pittsburgh 5'10" in Philadelphia

Mutual matches 0 80

Reverse matches 12 400

Petite women w/pics w/in 50 miles 45 650

Views in 3 days 11 212

Emails received - unsolicited 0 32

Winks received - unsolicited 2 28

Emails sent out 6 6

Replies received to emails sent out 0 6

This proves, in stark and undeniable terms, two things:

Life - and people - can be incredibly unfair. We talked about this just the other day. People want what they want. They're attracted to what they're attracted to. And no amount of complaining is going to change it.

Oh, and I am one helluva dating coach. 60 unsolicited contacts in three days? Six replies from six emails sent? Come on. That's pretty damn good!

Okay, I'm kidding about the last part, but only because I'm so serious about the rest of this. Really, it kills me.

Believe me, Tom is no "woe-is-me" kind of guy. He's just been confronted with a very ugly reality that has shaken his confidence in people. And even though we had good initial results, the fact remains, empirically: women don't want short men.

And although you can feel free to substitute "older women", "older men", "heavier women", or "Asian men", I honestly feel that nobody gets a rawer deal than short guys.

Short Men More Prone to Pedophillia?

2007-10-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

Recently, a study was conducted by the Toronto Center for Addiction and Health, which suggested that shorter men were more prone to pedophilia than were taller men. The study cited the fact that adverse conditions inside the mother's womb, which may lead to underdevelopment, can contribute to short stature and some psychological issues. This led to the assumption that a shorter man can have an attraction to children. Here is a link to an article from the Toronto Star:

http://www.thestar.com/article/269404

NOSSA questions the validity of this study and wonders what purpose it is serving by releasing this information. Even if it is flawed, or skewed, it can still cause people to view us shorter people, especially men, with more cynicism than they already do. This story is inflammatory and could potentially lead to physical harm against short men who are otherwise innocent.

We are not going to question that fact that poor prenatal care, or irrresponsible mothering while a child is inside the womb, leads to poorer health down the road. However, to go as far as equating those issues with a propensity to commit heinous sexual acts against a child is preposterous and irresponsible!

It's bad enough that we are viewed as less intelligent than someone taller, seen as childish and immature, and unfairly labeled with a "Napoleon Complex" if we dare to be ambitious or outspoken; now we may have to deal with the stigma of pedophilia. Any other group would be outraged with this and NOSSA is no exception!

We do hope that all media types will address this particular issue immediately and not print or air the results of this fallacious and hurtful study.

I would like to thank Toronto Star reporter Lynda Hurst for her attention to this matter and giving us the opportunity to have our voices heard.

-Chris Hamre
Vice-President, NOSSA