Indeed... one of the things that bothered me (apologies for the delayed response I was struggling to make another computer work) was that one of the reasons given for the decline of the midway was that it was exploitative of people with real serious medical conditions and or deformities... but I always figured the problem was they just had a tendency to go "you can't do that.. you're being exploited" whilst ignoring any positive aspects of the life that 'freaks'led and the social support network that would have developed within the sideshow community and also just used it as a way to further exclude and marginalise people ... ie.. 'They' took away a lifestyle and a livelihood but didn't replace it with any other kind of support.
On the subject of sword swallowing... I can't imagine supressing my gag reflex... I have enough trouble brushing my back teeth :-(
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Re: freaks
Date: 2001-06-02 03:56 pm (UTC)On the subject of sword swallowing... I can't imagine supressing my gag reflex... I have enough trouble brushing my back teeth :-(