Being short probably has many overlapping
similarties to having a cleft. I'm average height so I am not
talking from personal experience. It has been well
documented in studies that tall people make more money than
short people. How many 5'5 CEO's of large companies are
there? I also remember reading a study of singles ads.
They created the perfect short guy and he got few, if
any responses.<br> The major difference with clefted
people is that the physical difference causes people not
to trust our judgement. We are not asked our
opinions about things nearly as often as nonclefted
people. This behavior and many others causes us to
quickly fall down the social hierarchy. It lowers our
opinions of ourselves as well as those around us. I'm
amazed looking back on events in my life how society has
quietly kept it's doors shut when I tried to do things.
This includes not being invited to any parties in high
school, etc. I am fortunate to be around some super
bright people. I've explained what is really going on to
some of my friends. When they start to tell me that I
am paranoid or reading into things I inform them
that virtually all people with clefts have similar
experiences. The problem is that very few clefties realize the
clear correlation of their problems to this physical
difference. Once I inform my friends that I have done
extensive research of the issue on the net their behavior
tends to become somewhat less bigoted. <br> One
interesting point. I have noticed no difference in terms of
how this physical difference effects more or less
intelligent people. More intelligent people don't seem to be
able to read the issues at all. I find this kind of
suprising.<br><br>Later,<br> Brian