Art, obsession, and identity
Bearded ladies are rare, and sadly many have been exploited for their appearance. While some were indeed taken advantage of by their parents, many others had to join circuses and other shows in order to survive. There are, however, exceptions where some women with beards had (and some still have) a happy, fulfilling life.
In this gallery, we look at the conditions that may cause beard growth in women, and bring you the stories of some of history's most famous bearded ladies. Click on to find out all about them.
Excessive facial hair in women can be caused by a wide range of conditions; some more common, others a lot more rare.
Excessive body hair in areas that are usually hair-free or have very little hair is known as hirsutism. This can be caused by an endocrine imbalance in the adrenal glands, ovaries (i.e. polycystic ovary syndrome), or in the brain.
Hirsutism is measured using a method called the Ferriman-Gallwey score, which assesses hair growth in nine different areas of the body. Treatment varies, depending on the root cause, but birth control pills as well as antiandrogens, or insulin sensitizers, are often used.
A rare cause of excessive body hair is a condition called hypertrichosis, also known as "werewolf syndrome." This can be divided into generalized hypertrichosis (over the whole body) and localized hypertrichosis (specific area).
The causes can be congenital or acquired. In the first instance, it is caused by genetic mutations, and it’s present since birth. As for acquired hypertrichosis, it can be caused by medication side effects, cancer, and even some eating disorders. There is no cure for congenital forms of hypertrichosis.
Now, let’s take a look at some famous bearded ladies throughout history.
Wilgefortis is a female folk saint from the 14th century. Legend has it that she prayed to God to make her repulsive after being promised to marry a Moorish king.
God attended her prayer and she grew a long beard. The engagement was terminated, and Wilgefortis' father was so angry that he had her crucified.
Helena Antonia was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1550 and worked as a court dwarf for Maria of Austria, Holy Roman Empress.
Helena Antonia was also a lady-in-waiting for Constance of Austria, Queen of Poland.
'La Barbuda de Peñarando' is a portrait of Brígida del Río, painted by Spanish artist Juan Sánchez Cotán in 1590.
Josephine Clofullia was born Josephine Boisdechêne in 1829 in Versoix, Switzerland. Her beard started growing at age eight, and by age 14 she began touring Europe, where she met her husband, painter Fortune Clofullia.
Madame Clofullia (as she was billed) moved to the US and toured with P. T. Barnum's American Museum. Clofullia died in 1870, in Bridgwater, England.
Julia Pastrana was an indigenous woman born in 1834 in Sinaloa, Mexico. Her excessive facial hair was caused by hypertrichosis terminalis, and her abnormally large lips were caused by a condition known as gingival hyperplasia.
Pastrana went on to perform in a number of freak shows under derogatory stage names such as "Baboon Lady," "Dog-faced Woman," "Ape Woman," and "The Nondescript."
After her death, Pastrana's body was taxidermically preserved and put on display in museums and circuses for years. It was not until February 2013 that Julia Pastrana was given a Catholic funeral and buried in a cemetery near her birthplace in Mexico.
Annie Jones was born in Marion, Virginia, in 1865. She stared working as an attraction in P. T. Barnum's show when she was just under one years old. Jones was billed as "The Infant Esau." Her parents were paid US$150 a week (which was a lot back then). By age five, Jones already had facial hair, and became well known as the "Bearded Girl."
Jones worked for many years as part of Barnum’s Greatest Show on Earth. Annie Jones married twice but died a widow in New York City in 1902 at the age of 37. The cause of death was tuberculosis.
Krao Farini was born in Laos in 1876. She was adopted by Canadian entertainment promoter William Leonard Hunt, aka Guillermo Antonio Farini or The Great Farini, who exploited Krao Farini as an attraction.
Krao Farini was advertised as "The Missing Link" between humans and apes, and exhibited in Europe as proof of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
Farini traveled across Europe to North America, where she was exhibited. Krao Farini died of influenza in 1926, in New York City.
Alice Elizabeth Doherty was born on March 14, 1887 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She suffered from hypertrichosis lanuginosa and had hair covering her face since she was a child.
Doherty was exploited by her parents from a very young age as a sideshow attraction. "The Minnesota Woolly Girl," as she was billed, worked in entertainment until 1915. Doherty died of bronchopneumonia in Dallas, Texas, in 1933, aged 46.
Mary Ann Devere, aka Madame Jane Devere, was born in 1858 in Bracksville, Kentucky. Devere worked with numerous circuses, including those of the Sells Brothers and Campbell Brothers. Her beard was 15 inches (38.1 cm) long. Madame Devere died in 1912.
Clémentine Delait was born in 1865 in Thaon-les-Vosges, Lorraine, France. At age 20, she opened a café. Delait suffered from hirsute, but usually shaved. Until she made a bet with her husband and grew a beard. This proved to be great for business. Soon her café became known as Le Café de La Femme à Barbe (the café of the Bearded Woman).
Delait started selling photos and postcards of herself, and became a celebrity back then. Soon after, she was touring and attracting crowds across Europe. Delait is said to have taken great pride in her beard, and visited the barber's three times a week. Clémentine Delait died in 1939.
Jane Barnell was born on January 3, 1879 in Wilmington, North Carolina. She went on to tour with a number of circuses billed as "Lady Olga." Barnell starred in Tod Browning's 1932 film 'Freaks.'
Mrs Baker B Twyman grew facial hair and entered a circus to support her children after her husband fell sick in the 1920s.
Jennifer Miller was born in 1961 in the US. Miller has worked as a circus entertainer, writer, and as a college professor.
Harnaam Kaur was born on November 29, 1990 in Slough, Berkshire, England. Kaur is a famous social media influencer and motivational speaker.
Kaur was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) from a young age. Harnaam Kaur is an influential voice in the body positivity movement.
Sources: (Listverse) (The Human Marvels) (Alter) ('One Thousand Beards: A Cultural History of Facial Hair') (Artble) (New Advent) (Sideshow World)
The dark history of bearded ladies
Meet some of the most famous bearded women in history
LIFESTYLE Body image
Bearded ladies are rare, and sadly many have been exploited for their appearance. While some were indeed taken advantage of by their parents, many others had to join circuses and other shows in order to survive. There are, however, exceptions where some women with beards had (and some still have) a happy, fulfilling life.
In this gallery, we look at the conditions that may cause beard growth in women, and bring you the stories of some of history's most famous bearded ladies. Click on to find out all about them.