Why Was It Illegal to be “Ugly”?

Published: 12 June 2018
on channel: PBS Origins
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For nearly 100 years it was illegal to be “ugly” in America. Of course, “ugly” wasn’t actually about physical attractiveness, it was a way to criminalize disability and disfigurement and it lead to the rise of the freak show. So how did we put an end to these ridiculous laws? Watch the episode to find out.

Written and Hosted By: Danielle Bainbridge
Graphics By: Noelle Smith
Edited By: Linda Huang and Mike Petrow
Fact Check: Sarah Edwards
Produced By: Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)



Works Cited:

The Ugly Laws: Disability in Public Susan Schweik
Rachel Adams. “Disability and The Circus .” Published in The History of the Circus in America, ed. Kenneth Ames. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012. 2-20.
Keywords for Disability Studies Edited by Rachel Adams, Benjamin Reiss and David Serlin
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/op...
http://www.adainfo.org/content/histor...
https://dredf.org/about-us/publicatio...
https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35t...
https://www.ada.gov/ada_intro.htm
http://guides.ll.georgetown.edu/c.php...


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