Bearded woman

The Bearded woman has been a phenomenom of legend, curiosity and ridicule.

A small number of women are able to grow what may appear to be a moustache. This is usually not truly beard growth, but simply dark body hair. Cultural pressure leads most to remove it, as it may be viewed as a social stigma. Notable exceptions were the famous (and usually fake) bearded women of the circus sideshows of the 19th and early 20th Centuries, before so-called freak shows became unpopular. Some famous women known for pushing the boundaries of social norms, including artist Frida Kahlo, have also not removed visible facial hair.

In some rare cases, female beard growth is the result of an hormonal imbalance known as hirsutism, or an even rarer genetic disorder known as hypertrichosis.

See also

• Hirsutism