CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A woman and her mother are raising awareness about dwarfism.

What You Need To Know

  • Joy Ivey, who was born with dwarfism, said strangers point and laugh when they see her

  • Joy Ivey prefers to be referred to as a little person

  • Joy Ivey and her mother are sharing their story in hopes of raising awareness and empathy

Joy Ivey, a 22-year-old student at UNC Pembroke, was born with dwarfism. 

"I thought it was beautiful that God thought so much of me to embrace me with a beautiful child that was unique,” said Joy Ivey’s mother, Gidget Ivey."I thought it was beautiful that God thought so much of me to embrace me with a beautiful child that was unique,” said Joy Ivey’s mother, Gidget Ivey.

However, not everyone embraces Joy Ivey’s uniqueness. 

“People don’t know what to say. They automatically point and take pictures. Laugh,” she explained. 

Recently, a stranger shared a screenshot of Joy Ivey's profile picture on his Facebook with a cryptic comment.

“She’s not a joke. She’s a human. She has a heart,” Gidget Ivey said. 

They are unsure about the poster's intentions, but one little thing Gidget Ivey said would’ve been better is not posting at all. 

“Just think about how you would like to be treated,” Gidget Ivey said. "If you had a child born unique, how would you feel about someone posting about your loved one, something they can’t change?"

Some who commented on the post used the derogatory word "midget" to describe Joy Ivey. She prefers others to use the term "little person" instead. 

“You need to get to know a person, not calling them by what they have been diagnosed with,” Joy Ivey said. 

Her achondroplasia, a disorder affecting bone growth, has brought health complications. This includes having legs curving outward at the knee, or bowed legs, which made it difficult to walk. In addition, she’s developed spinal stenosis, which puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. 

Joy Ivey underwent four surgeries to correct her bowed legs, which allowed her to regain her balance and take longer walks. 

“She’s had to learn to walk again three times,” Gidget Ivey said. 

Despite the challanges, Joy Ivey has not given up and will soon graduate from college with a degree in social work. 

“No matter what accommodation you have to make, you can do whatever you put your mind to and you can set your goals,” she said. 

Joy Ivey, who will turn 23 this month, is also a dancer and a hair braider. 

After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree at Johnson C. Smith University.