The Intersection of Dwarfism and Gender in Alisa’s Tale: Raising Awareness through Graphic Narrative

Abstract

This note explores how the experiences of people with dwarfism are explored in the comic Alisa’s Tale (A short story) by Al Davison (2013). The aim is to discuss how the comic educates readers about the lived experiences of people with dwarfism. According to Foss, Gray and Whalen (2016) comics offer the unique potential for transforming our understanding of disability in truly profound ways. Unlike conventional forms of awareness raising, this note argues that the comic forces the reader to stare at the female dwarf body and witness their everyday experiences through multiple modes of representations. The note argues that using comics to raise awareness, encourages average-sized readers to question their ableist beliefs and reactions towards people with dwarfism. A Disability Studies lens was used in order to analyse the comic's visual and textual data. This note argues that comics are beneficial in raising awareness about dwarfism.