This past weekend saw one of the most talked-about events in Spanish celebrity circles – the 18th birthday party of Lamine Yamal, which drew public attention after it emerged that some of the entertainers were people with dwarfism.
The incident prompted a swift response from the Association for People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias (ADEE), which released a statement condemning the use of people with dwarfism as entertainment.
Response from ADEE to Yamal party controversy
Just days after the controversy erupted, the performers involved issued a joint statement – reported by El Partidazo de COPE – distancing themselves from the ADEE and offering their own perspective on the backlash. “We want to make it clear that the ADEE does not represent us, nor does it speak on our behalf,” the statement began.
“As adults with achondroplasia – what is commonly referred to as dwarfism – we have our own voices, our own judgment, and full autonomy over our personal and professional lives. We are not part of this association, nor were we consulted or asked for our views before public accusations were made that directly affect us,” they wrote, criticizing what they see as a lack of consultation.
Their main concern, they explained, was not feeling heard by an association that has now attempted to speak for them. “No one can claim to automatically represent an entire group without first listening to the individuals they claim to defend. Fighting for the dignity and rights of people with disabilities cannot come at the expense of silencing our voices or deciding for us from a paternalistic perspective.”
“We’re proud to have been invited to the event”
The performers went on to share how they felt about taking part in the birthday celebration, insisting that they were treated with dignity. “Let us say this loud and clear: we are deeply proud to have been invited to the event. It was both a professional and human experience in which we were treated with respect.”
They ended their statement with a call for true inclusion. “Genuine inclusion means accepting that we too have the right to choose how we want to live our lives – without being judged or used as pawns. With respect, conviction, and our heads held high.”
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