SIDESHOW X-DRESSERS III

These two midget men were actually exhibited as the children of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thumb.  But the "girl" on the right is actually Joseph Handler aka "Col. Small"

I had always believed Abomah was a woman but now I'm not so sure.  Giant men were a dime a dozen, but a tall woman was much more rare and could create a bigger draw.

Martha Jane Cannary as "Calamity Jane" worked with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. It's not that she was pretending to be a man, it's just that she found men's clothing more to her liking.

Just one of many sideshow performers who claimed to be an Intersex. Usually, they were used as the "blowoff" (after paying admission you had to pay extra to see this part of the show)

It takes a lot of guts to get up on stage dressed like that - or does it? "Sultane Vernet" was actually Charles Vernet who once came to America to appear with the Dreamland Circus Sideshow in 1921 as "the man with fins". I guess he decided to play it safe with the American audience and not "dress up"

Zola was once married to alligator-skinned man John Wiliams.  He/she could have at least tried to fake some breasts

MAS