BROWSE THIS SIDESHOW SITE:

INSTEAD OF MAKING MY OWN TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT AMERICAN SIDESHOWS, I'VE SELECTED MY FAVORITE SITE FOR EVERYONE TO VISIT.

SIDESHOWS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY. NOWADAYS, THEY AREN'T PREVALENT. I IMAGINED THEY BEGAN MAGNIFICENT, PROVIDING A WONDERFUL STAGE FOR MATCHLESS ENTERTAINERS.

BUT THEN GREED BLOSSOMED IN THE FORM OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. MANY SIDESHOWS BECAME CORRUPT. SUDDENLY, THE GAZE WAS TURNED AGAINST THE ARTIST AND THEY WERE BILLED AS "FREAKS." JUST FOR THE SIDESHOW OWNERS TO MAKE MONEY… AND AS THE MONEY KEPT COMING, THE ETHICS VANISHED.

THIS REVOLTING TREATMENT OF UNUSUAL HUMANS (READ ANYONE WHO FAILS TO PLEASE OUR SOCIETY'S CONVENTIONAL EXPECTATIONS) HAS LONG INFECTED THE AMERICAN CULTURE.

IMAGINE THE KIND OF TREATMENT YOU MIGHT GET, SAY, IF YOU LOOKED DIFFERENT... TALKED DIFFERENTLY... DRESSED DIFFERENTLY...

I IMAGINE EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS PLANET HAS EXPERIENCED SOME OF THIS PAINFULLY CRUEL BIGOTRY: WOMEN ARE TOLD THEY SHOULD BE THINNER. MEN ARE TOLD THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE STRONGER. OLDER FOLKS ARE TOLD TO GO TO SLEEP AND YOUNGER ONE'S TOLD TO KEEP QUIET. SINGERS ARE TOLD THEY CAN'T ACT, ACTORS ARE TOLD THEY CAN'T SING, PAINTERS ARE TOLD THEY CAN'T DANCE. THE COLOR OF SOMEBODY'S SKIN DEFINES. THE GENDER OF THAT BODY DEFINES. HUMANS ARE LABELED, TITLED AND CATALOGED. TURNING EACH OTHER INTO NOTHING MORE THAN AN EXHIBIT. FOR EACH TO DISSECT AND CRITIQUE…

NO ONE'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE A VOICE.

UNTIL NOW… LET US GO.

VISIT WAMEGO, THE MURDER, THE AUDIO TAPES.

IF YOU AREN'T CURRENTLY ON OUR CONFIDENTIAL MAILING LIST AND WOULD LIKE TO BE - PLEASE CLICK HERE AND WE'LL PUT YOU ON THE LIST TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN FUTURE SESSIONS ARE POSTED.