The tragic yet inspirational story of Mary Ann Bevan highlights the enduring power of parental love and sacrifice while exposing the darker side of 19th-century entertainment. In 1874, Mary Ann was born in East London’s Plaistow. When she began exhibiting symptoms of acromegaly, a rare condition characterized by an excess of growth hormone production, her world was turned upside down.
Mary Ann’s life took a challenging turn when her husband passed away, leaving her to raise her four children alone and deal with the physical and psychological affects of acromegaly while having a promising future as a nurse. Due to the negative connotations associated with her appearance, Mary Ann encountered increasing difficulty in obtaining employment, prompting her to undertake extreme measures to support her family.
In an odd turn of events, Mary Ann answered an advertisement placed in the newspaper by Claude Bartram, an agent for Barnum and Bailey’s circus, seeking the “ugliest woman.” At first, Mary Ann accepted the offer grudgingly, but later, her great desire to provide for her children left her with little alternative.
When Mary Ann embarked on her journey with the circus, she received both respect and derision from the general public. She gained notoriety at Coney Island Circus as “The Ugliest Woman on Earth,” mesmerizing audiences with her uplifting story and resilient demeanor. Beneath the façade, however, was a lady grappling with concerns of exploitation and societal criticism.
Regardless matter the level of financial success Mary Ann achieved, her legacy is characterized by her selflessness and love for her children. With the money she made, she gave her kids a brighter future by sending them to an English boarding school, all the while keeping herself in the limelight of the circus.
Mary Ann’s narrative illustrates the morally complex entertainment industry, where human curiosity and exploitation intersect. Although her employment with the circus provided her with only brief financial security, her narrative demonstrates the enduring power of mother love and selflessness in the face of adversity.
Mary Ann, who passed away in 1933 at the age of 59, left behind a legacy of determination and fortitude. Her ultimate resting place in South London’s Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery is proof of her enduring spirit and the long-lasting impact of her amazing journey.
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The “Believe” singer also addressed her anxieties about what the future for trans people will look likе in an interview with ‘The Guardian’Cher might not be “strong enough” to survive another Trump presidency.
In an interview with The Guardian released Wednesday, the “Believe” singer opened up about how “horrified” she’d feel if former President Donald Trump was once again re-elected.
“I almost got an ulcer the last time,” she told the outlet. “If he gets in, who knows? This time I will leave [the country].”The actress/musician is particularly concerned with what the future for trans people looks likе. It’s something likе 500 bills they’re trying to pass,” she told the publication. “I was with two trans girls the other night – and of course my own child [Chaz is trans]. I was saying ‘We’ve got to stand together.’ I don’t know what their eventual plan is for trans people.
I don’t put anything past them.”
Cher has been a longtime critic of the 45th president calling him a “f—ing traitor” on X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2016 and saying in a 2018 interview with The Washington Post that he had done “so much damage” to America.
The pop legend, whose birth father was Armenian, also addressed the tensions between Armenians and Azerbaijan in her conversation with The Guardian, which she has been tweeting about lately as well. She began to identify strongly with her heritage once she took a trip years ago when she visited its capital, Yerevan.
“When I got there, I thought, ‘Wow, everybody looks likе me! How could I not have strong feelings about this?’” she told the publication. The album is a 13-track project, which features collaborations with pals including Stevie Wonder and Cyndi Lauper, covers of classics likе Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run” and original tracks such as the dance-pop single “DJ Play a Christmas Song.”
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