Becky didn't date much in high school — she has achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, and she says she was afraid she'd make people uncomfortable if she flirted with them. She had a crush on one boy for seven years, but never acted on it. Things changed when she got to college and started going to events hosted by the organization Little People of America (LPA): she started getting a lot more attention from men who were also little people. Becky, who's now 28 and prefers that her last name not be used, says: "My whole life I was saying, I'll date whoever I connect with, but it happens that my two relationships have been with little people." She says that's probably because they've faced common obstacles — but dating other little people has brought challenges of its own.

Little people are probably just as likely to marry or have long-term relationships as average-sized people, says Leah Smith, vice president of public relations for LPA. However, it may take them longer. They may have to deal with prejudice from average-sized people — Smith says lots of her female friends have been told by men, "If you weren't little I would date you." And if they want to date other little people, they have to navigate dating in a community that's small and spread out — and can have a big gender imbalance.

Smith says about one in every 30,000 people is born with some condition that leads to small stature. So even if you grew up in a big city, there may be only two or three other little people in your age group — and since families who have children with dwarfism often connect, "the likelihood is you grew up with them, and they're like a brother. It doesn't mean you can't date, but it's harder."

Because of this, a lot of relationships between little people start out long-distance. That's how things are right now for Becky and her boyfriend of a little over a year. They met at an LPA convention, and though they talk every night, they've only spent about three weeks together in person. Becky says they'll give it another year before one of them relocates so they can be together — she and her last boyfriend, who she also met at a convention, moved in together more quickly, and it put a lot of pressure on the relationship. He couldn't find a job in the area, and he didn't get along with her friends; they ended up breaking up.