Q&A with Canada’s Lil Gabi D!

Q&A with Canada’s Lil Gabi D!

Gabi, a short stature content creator, who is a self confessed promoter of kindness, is well-known for her educational Instagram reels, all about Dwarfism, in particular, Achondroplasia. Our founder, Chamiah, wanted to learn more about how Gabi has discovered and defined her style online, and the challenges she’s faced as a short stature blogger. 


Chamiah: Hi! Please introduce yourself in whatever way feels most authentic to you.


Hi I’m Lil Gabi D! I’m a 3'10 black female little person from outside Toronto, Canada. I like to call myself the ‘Friendly Internet Little Person’. This name is a two parter:

  1. to promote kindness/friendliness on the internet
  2. an ode to Spiderman my favourite superhero!

Gabi, a black female little person with Afro curly hair, sits on a pastel pink and red sofa, smiling, holding a Pinterest cushion.

We’ve seen some of your amazing work with Pinterest, why is this such an important role for you?

I started working with Pinterest last year (2022) and have loved being a Pinterest creator ever since. I love Pinterest because it’s such a positive platform that has something for everybody. I love being able to use Pinterest to post educational content about Dwarfism but also collect sources and articles from others to add on my board for a wider perspective.
It’s important for me to take on the role as Pinterest creator because it can allow me to provide Dwarfism representation that the world currently lacks. If I can educate the minds of the world then I’m doing what I was placed on this Earth to do.

I love that! It’s so true that a wide range of perspectives is so needed in an area as political as Dwarfism and Disability. Also, Pinterest has got to be the most positive platform online right now, so what an amazing way to utilise that!


Going back to fashion, who are your main style icons and inspirations?


My style icons would be people like Yara Shahidi, Keke Palmer and Lupita Nyong'o. I love outfits with bright colours and cool patterns. Personally I prefer colourful outfits over black and white outfits.


Yara, Keke, and Lupita, all women with rich tones and dark hair, pictured in different looks. Yara, a woman with Afro curly hair, wears a white suit, and is pictured in Black and white. Keke, a pregnant woman, holds her belly, and wears a beige dress. Lupita, a woman with deep skin and short Afro hair, wears a bold, red suit with flowing trousers and a bandeau top.

Firstly, amazing style inspirations, all of these women have an effortless style, that just looks put-together! So, how do you choose your outfits and accessories?


When it comes to choosing my outfits I focus a lot on comfort. I believe that you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for fashion. When building an outfit I first choose a piece that I can get excited about wearing and then build onto it. For example, recently I wanted to get into wearing open white button-downs so I built an outfit off of that shirt and somehow all the pieces came together.
When it comes to accessories I go very simple. With day to day casual looks, I’ll usually have a scrunchie on my wrist, for fashion and practicality, some sunglasses and a crossbody bag. These are usually my top three essentials for when I run out on errands or hang out with friends. If it is a more smart or formal event I will usually either style my look with a bracelet and/or necklace.

Gabi wears white trainers, khaki shorts and a white shirt, with a pair of black sunglasses, and a cream handbag on her arm.


A scrunchie and cross-body bag is essential for me too! As well as lip balm, I can’t leave the house without it! Also, what person with long hair could seriously leave the house without a scrunchie on hand?!

What is your favourite trend right now?


My favourite trend right now is a graphic tee with high waisted pants. I love pairing jeans for a casual day or trousers for an upgraded look. I feel like graphic tees are so unique to the wearer and can show off our style, passions and interests.



And if could be in charge of any fashion house/brand, which would you pick and why and what would you change?


I don’t think I can pick just one brand but whichever brand I would change their prices. As a little person I have to get my clothes altered at least 80% of the time (t-shirts & shorts being the exception).
If I was in charge of a brand I would create a system that either lowered the price of the item based on alteration costs or had a cashback program for you to return the leftover fabric to the brand after the alterations. This way those who needed alteration would be paying an equal amount as those who don’t. Also the leftover fabric can be upcycled to create more clothing pieces later on, making it more eco-friendly.

What an amazing idea! Love the cash back option. I think it would be great if more shops offered an alteration service for smaller and disabled customers, to get alterations done in-house, at a lowered cost.

Gabi wears a floral blouse, brown blazer (hanging off one shoulder), navy checkered trousers, and holds a brown clutch bag.


How did you first get interested in fashion and become an online content creator?


When it comes to fashion, I would still consider myself as very new. I still seek help from the ladies in my life (i.e. mom, sister, friends) on their advice on my looks. I think the main reason I got into it was to see what suited me and if I could wear the cool outfits I saw others wearing.
When it came to becoming an online content creator, I was interested in it because I didn’t see anyone in the media like me. Growing up on tv or magazines or anywhere really, I didn’t see myself properly represented. If there was a little person on screen they would be portrayed as a mythical character or a Christmas elf never an everyday human. So I started posting about my life so that the next generation can see someone who looks like them, a young female little person, specifically a little person of colour.

 

Yes, Yes, Yes 👏 Representation of little people, in authentic, everyday ways, is so needed!! You’ll be making such a difference to the next generation of people with Dwarfism. 


And have you faced any challenges or discrimination as a short stature influencer? If so, how did you handle it?


Thankfully I went to a great elementary school that made sure I was never discriminated against, which gave my confidence. I was able to use this confidence throughout high school and university so I never had much troubles.
My main trouble came in the form of rude comments online. People would write this to me on my Instagram or on my TikTok videos that were just not nice. For me I wasn’t affected that much, I found it more tiring than sad. Because I had grown up with confidence I didn’t let the comments hold me down. Plus I knew that the people behind those comments were uneducated and internally angry and I never wanted that to affect my positive vibes. Nowadays when I get rude comments I’ll either delete and block them or call them out publicly, it depends on how I’m feeling that day.

Firstly, I’m so glad you had such supportive role models growing up, moulding you into an independent, confident woman. Unfortunately, I’m not surprised about the online comments; but as you pointed out, uneducated and angry people do things like that. I always remember the quote ‘hurt people, hurt people’, when it comes to things like this. There’s no excuse, but I can give a little reassurance when the comments get tough!

What message do you hope to send to other short stature individuals/your followers through your fashion and platform?


I think the message I want to send to other short statured people is:

“We can do anything everyone else can do, just in a different way”.

Whether it be through finding clothes to fit us or just living our daily lives we can do it no matter what anyone says!


I love that! It’s so true, you can do anything in life, it just may be a little different than how others may do it! 

Well, thank you so much Gabi for taking the time to talk to us, I really appreciate your openness and passion for educating people online.

 

Not only has Gabi achieved all of this, but she actually features on the program Fashion Dis, all about adaptive fashion, you can watch her episode here (featuring our clothing!).

 

Gabi is being shown our white LUNETTA blazer

 

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1 comment

Gabi is a real queen. She’s very talented actually I have listened to her speak and I was amazed, she has the vocals that can make anyone wanna pause everything and listen to her. Actually I wonder why she isn’t doing voice overs yet! Anyway lil Gabi I want you to know that I really like you and I have a crush on you! Your vibes and your personality are things that captures my attention and thus the crush! I hope one day I can get an opportunity to have some tea masala with you at downtown! Keep the good work you doing, so much love from me!

King ostentatious

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