Photo by Michelle Martinka.
By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News
In early December, Michelle “Chelley” Martinka uploaded a video to YouTube.
The words faded into view: “Dear Mr. Spektor (sic), I’m the mom of an LP [Little Person].”
The video was intended to grab the attention of Barry Spector, President of Gedney Foods, the company that produces Cains brand “midget” pickles. Martinka sought to remove the word, which she views as offensive, from the pickle labels.
Martinka, a 28-year-old Cranston resident, is the mother of 10-month-old Adelaide, who was diagnosed with a common form of dwarfism called Achondroplasia nine weeks after birth. Martkina said when it comes to labels, she prefers to call her daughter “Adelaide.”
“I don’t particularly love the term little person,” Martinka told WPRO Tuesday. She explained that if someone had to classify her daughter, they would say she “has form of dwarfism” or “Addie is a little person.”
But never “midget,” said Martinka, who explained that the word is offensive. So when Martinka went pickle shopping in December and saw a jar of Cains Kosher Dills labeled with the “M word,” she was shocked.
“It was just a little upsetting,” said Martinka, who said in the months before, her husband had done the bulk of the pickle shopping; pickles were often Martinka’s food of choice during pregnancy.
“I wanted to smash these jars, it’s a mean word,” she said. But instead, she took a deep breath and thought, “Maybe I can change things.”
Martinka said she realizes there are many things out in the world that are unintentionally offensive, and said she knows the pickle company was not trying to hurt anyone.
In the past, Martinka said “midget” wasn’t seen as a derogatory word, and was simply understood to mean “something unusually small.”
“The point really, to me, is that the word is offensive to people now,” she said. Adding, “The best part about being in this country is that we can change these things.”
So Martinka picked up the phone and called Cains. She made a video about the offensive label and posted it to YouTube. Eventually, she got in touch with the correct person at Gedney Foods, who produces Cains pickles, and explained her concern.
“The company was great,” said Martinka, who said they told her they would make changes to the labels.
In a post to Martinka’s blog, “A is for Adeliade,” dated Feb. 8, Martinka wrote:
“New labels are [being] designed now- currently waiting on a new name. [Barry Spector, President of Gedney Foods] pointed out some companies use “baby”, but he didn’t seem sold on it. I think “lil’ bits” would be fun, but I didn’t say that!”
“I don’t blame a company,” said Martinka Tuesday. “I don’t blame a person. I’m not angry at anybody.”
Martinka said her effort to change the label is “not about being politically correct.”
“It wasn’t an attack as in, ‘Let’s tear down the castles walls,’ it’s like, ‘Hey I’m not passively sitting here,’” she explained.
Adelaide’s form of dwarfism is not outwardly detectible right now. Martinka said height-wise, her daughter is only a few inches shorter than other babies her age. Only 1 in 40,000 children are born with Adelaide’s condition.
Martinka said she also takes issue with sports leagues and other organizations that use the term “midget.”
“I’m just hoping to educate,” said Martinka, whose story was splashed on the front page of Tuesday’s Providence Journal. “I’m not hoping to change anyone’s mind. I’m not looking for sympathy. I’m just trying to make sure we’re all more sensitive to everybody’s differences.”
Martinka said “there are no words for the amount of respect [she] has” for Gedney and their decision to change the label.
“I’m very thankful that they made this decision to say, ‘Let’s make a change. It’s 2013… let’s move with the time.’”
A representative from Gedney Foods offered this email statement:
"Gedney Foods Company is in the process of updating the name of a few small pickle varieties based on recent consumer feedback. The company is not seeking any attention related to this matter and believe that any publicity should be more appropriately placed on the children and families dealing with Achondroplasia."
This article has been updated.
