Jean Furella was a bearded lady working in traveling circuses all over the United States in the 1920s. She met John Carroll, a circus barker and they fell in love. Unfortunately her beard was a deal breaker for John and at the same the sole mean of sustenance for Jean. For love she decided to have her beard removed and, in order to keep her job as a traveling circus attraction, started getting tattoos all over her body. She was the first attraction that traded her natural oddity for a man-made one.
At the beginning of the 20th century tattooed lady were a very popular attraction in circuses and sideshows and some also worked as tattoo artists .
Check out our gallery for some of the most amazing inked ladies of the time.
(Read full article in our first issue)
