From the Los Angeles Times:

Performer Jackie Molen was born with only one tiny leg. Now 24, she’s appearing in a sideshow at the Colorado State Fair as “The Human Tripod,” along with a man whose shortened arms have earned him the name “Flipper Boy.”

Some say Molen’s act amounts to exploitation, displaying people with disabilities for the entertainment of the masses. She says she’s continuing a tradition and advocating on behalf of people with disabilities.

“I feel like I’m educating people about diversity and how people can be born different,” she said. “I’m in there doing amazing things. . . . This show is about what I can do. It’s not a pity party. I’m proud to be a freak.”

Andy Imparato, president of the American Association of People with disabilities sees it differently. “You can find people willing to do that for a living, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for society,” he said.

(Denver Post/LA Times photo)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 at 11:46 pm and is filed under advocacy, employment/jobs, entertainment, public attitudes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.