Saturday, 16 February 2013

Body of Ugliest Woman in the World returns to Mexico for burial more than 150 years after her death

A woman branded the 'ugliest woman in the world' after a rare disease left her body covered in hair has finally returned to her birthplace in Mexico for a proper burial - 153 years after her death.


Julia Pastrana was exploited as part of a traveling exhibition through Europe until she died from complications of childbirth in 1860. Even after her death, her body was exhibited across the world.

It eventually ended up in a storage room at an Oslo research institute, and after learning of the body's whereabouts, visual artist Laura Anderson Barbata campaigned to have it returned to Mexico.

'I felt she deserved the right to regain her dignity and her place in history, and in the world's memory,' Barbata, who learned Pastrana's story while working on a play about her life.

Pastrana was born in Mexico in 1834 and suffered from congenital terminal hypertrichosis, which left her face and body covered in thick hair.



She also suffered from gingival hyperplasia, which made her lips and gums thick. She was not diagnosed with either condition in her lifetime.

In 1854, she was bought by a Mexican customs administrator and he began exhibiting her through the U.S. and Canada. While in New York, she married Theodore Lent, who became her manager.

Historians believe that while she was in love with Lent, he only married her to control her earnings.

Lent toured his wife, whom he called a 'bear woman', through Europe. Critics called her 'revolting in the extreme' and doctors said she was the result a human mating with an 'Orang Outang'.
But she is also documented in 19th century history books as having an affinity for singing, music, dancing and languages, as well as great generosity to local charities.

In 1859, she fell pregnant and her son inherited her hypertrichosis and died 35 hours after his birth. Pastrana died from complications of the birth five days later - aged just 26.
But the death did not stop Lent, and he began exhibiting his wife and son's embalmed bodies propped up a in glass cabinet.


Julia Pastrana

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