In many ways, I’m happy with how far our society has come in 2025. Sure, certain things were better in the old days, but if we look just a few centuries back, there are aspects of everyday life that well and truly belong in the dustbin of history.

In the 19th century, ”freak shows” were one of the most popular attractions out there, and viewed as a normal staple of American culture.

In essence, they were traveling circuses displaying “odd” people – such as bearded ladies and Siamese twins.

One such “odd” person, Mary Ann Bevan, became known as the “Ugliest Woman in the World” – and her remarkable history and tragic fate show why we must never forget her…

Individuals of different ethnicities or with different physical abilities have always fascinated people – but putting them on public display and making money out of them is something that is wrong, no matter the time period we’re talking about.

Today, it’s just unacceptable to treat deformed people as objects of entertainment – but in the 19th century, crowds flocked to see them. From the 1840s to the 1940s, “freak shows” were at the peak of their popularity, and exploitation for profit wasn’t considered morally wrong.