The transgression of sexual taboos
Some argue that the sideshow freaks were little more than prostitutes or predecessors to the exotic dancer, calling them the pornography of the disabled. It is true that sideshow freaks and prostitutes use their bodies and the fascination of others with said bodies for monetary gain.
The freaks would often parade or dance across a stage, much like an exotic dancer. The difference is that whereas the go-go dancer attacks the moral biblical law of chastity, the freak’s performance threaten the very heart of our lives.
For occidental culture, freaks are often associated with the sexual act that produced them and the underlying taboo of incest. Until recently, freaks have been considered as the result of incest and profane alliances between incompatible sexual partners.
