The world’s smallest couple have opened up about the discrimination small people face in their Brazilian homeland.
Katyucia Lie Hoshino Barros and Paulo Gabriel da Silva Barros – who married six years ago – have a combined height of 1,81 metres (5’9’’).
The pair use their page @paulinhogigante to upload fun Instagram clips to shed a light on the difficulties small people face.
And they have recently revealed the lack of awareness surrounding dwarfism in Brazil, according to local media reports.
The couple decided to speak candidly about the lack of respect they sometimes receive in honour of the National Day to Combat Prejudice against People with Dwarfism, marked in Brazil on 25th October.
Paulo told local media: “When talking about inclusion and accessibility, people think of paraplegia or similar disabilities.
“Dwarfism is almost never mentioned.
“That’s why there are practically no smaller bank tellers, adapted toilets and the like.”
One of the couple’s videos shows them being given a ride on luggage trolleys as they make their way through an airport.
Another shows Paulo pushing a trolly around a supermarket with most of the produce stacked high on shelves he cannot reach.
Paulo, AKA ‘Paulino Gigante’ (Giant Little Paulo) went on to talk about the positive comments they get.
He said: “Diversity must be accepted! A lot of people send messages saying that we bring joy, that they beat depression with our content.
“That’s gratifying.”
Paulo, a professionally trained chef, and Katyucia, a beautician and businesswoman, met online in 2006.
They were then married in 2016, which was the same year the happy pair flew to London to receive the Guinness World Records certificate for the smallest couple in the world.
This was despite the fact that Katyucia initially ‘blocked’ Paulo for a year and a half after they first connected online, according to reports.
Katyucia local media: “He added me, we chatted on ‘MSN’, and he kept hitting on me, p*ssing me off, until I blocked him.”
Paulo joked: “I was trying to win you over.”
The couple then met in person in 2008 before they moved into a specially adapted house together in the municipality of Itapeva in Brazil where they live with an adorable Yorkie named Milady.
Paulo added: “Having children is not yet part of our plans.
“Now, we have other plans, professional goals and achievements.”