#human oddities

The Ultimate Betrayal.

Julia Pastrana, was believed to be the ugliest woman who ever lived. However, she had many true God given talents. Despite the fame, and fortune she gained in such a short life nothing made her happier than being the wife of her manager Theodore Lent.

Theodore Lent, was a controlling, overbearing, and unknown to Julia a master manipulator.

When they crossed paths for the first time, he knew she was a rare find. She could speak multiple languages, dance, sing, and had features that no matter how hard people tried they couldn’t ignore.

Once Theodore became her manager, he took complete control of her money and life. He would not allow her to go out in public for anything. This was beyond difficult for her because once she had the ability to see the world she longed to do it.

Theodore, ever the manipulator, convinced her that he was only trying to protect her. He convinced her she was so special she deserved to be paid before gracing people with her presence. He also convinced her if people saw her in public for free why would they pay to see her.

Julia was not greedy but she needed money to live so she listened. As her fame grew so did others eyes for her. Many wanted to take her for their own. Lent knew he had to make sure that didn’t happen.

Luckily the answer fell right into his hand. He noticed that every man that approached Julia for romance she rejected them. It soon became clear, to Theordore, his false claims of wanting the best for her and to protect her made her fall in love with him.

So he played his cards. He asked her to marry him and she happily accepted without a second thought.

On the day of her wedding, it is said she radiated with happiness because…

“He loves me for myself, for myself alone.”

A quote she often used when the few friends she was allowed to have asked her what she saw in him. It is said she smiled with joy every time as she declared he loved her. However, he did not find much favor in the eyes of her friends.

Marriage and kind words were not the only way he convinced her he loved her despite her features. Not long after getting married Julia became pregnant.

It was the happiest time of her life. However, it would end tragically.

XILITTA: The Incredible Bat Girl

1884 • Fortuno's Circus and Cabinet of Curios, Paris

"Roll up! Roll up! Step right up ladies and gentleman. Come and view for yourselves the 8th wonder of the world - Xilitta the Incredible Bat Girl! Discovered in the depths of Borneo's darkest jungles, this human/bat hybrid will astound and entertain!

See her walk the tightrope and hang from her razor sharp claws, see her drink real human blood, her aerial feats of fantasy, see her spread her fearsome scaled wings!"

Elmer McCurdy was a failed outlaw. His life was unremarkable. However, his “afterlife” became one of the most bizarre chapters in American history. For 66 years, his mummified remains traveled across the United States. They appeared in carnivals, wax museums, and even a Hollywood film. No one realized they were handling a real human being. A Career of Botched Robberies McCurdy was born in Maine…

The Tragic Life Of Lucia Zarate: The Smallest Woman Ever

Last fall, I did a article on human oddities, specifically on the sideshow circuit of the early 20th century, everything from a guy who smoked with his eyeballs to the tallest man of all time, Robert Wadlow, but one person I forgot to talk about was the smallest person Of all time, Lucia Zarate, the human doll growing up.

I was always the smallest kid in my class, which I guess kind of gave me a…

Many people post photos of their meal or journeys on instagram to share with the world but somehow... I don't believe it means anything. While traveling I saw couples taking pictures of them kissing every time their lips met, people discussing which photo from instagram would be the best, and always running around with a selfie stick... every time I see these people correct their posture, fix their hair before making a not spontaneous photo.

I have the impression that having made a picture from the experience is way more valuable than the experience itself.

In fact I do think many unlearnt to shut up. In the sense of keeping quiet in the right moment, meaning to not posting everytime about themselves as absurdly faked self depiction. It looks to me like too many unlearnt to keep impressions to their very own, experiences and emotions that are their very own. When was the last time one of you sat somewhere and watched at a scenery or picture for long without snatching out your camera? Whenever I go to exhibition I see nothing but an absolute consume attitude that people look at one picture for 10 seconds then the next and quickly snapping a photo of it to let world see what they do. But is it all necessary to always exploit yourself about your whereabouts and activities to everyone for... for what? aren't instagram numbers nothing but ego stroking? This era annoys me terribly of the fixation of self depiction which is so faked and over all not individual at all! so many famous people on the web wear the god damn same make up, cat lids and overuse of concealer swallowing up to all individual traits, the same cute costumes and funny filters... have your fun, that's not the issue but I have to frown at the attitude of copying each other all time but feeling like the center of the universe just because you have a FB/insta/tumblr account on their own.