Sarah Baartman: A Life On Show

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

History Hit

Society, Sex, Scandal, Education, History

4.8 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 7 June 2022

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Who was Sarah Baartman? Why was she paraded across Europe as part of a 'freak' show? And why did it take until 2001 for her remains to be repatriated to her birthplace of South Africa?

Born around 1770, Sarah, who was derisively named as the 'Hottentot Venus', was publicly examined and exposed inhumanly throughout her life. Her brain, skeleton and sexual organs remained on display in a French museum until 1974.

Dr Robin Mitchell from joins Kate Betwixt the Sheets to discuss the tragic life of Sarah Baartman.

You can find out more about Robin's book here, or follow her on Twitter here.

*WARNING this episode includes adult themes, explicit words, and graphic discussion about slavery and racism featuring words which are now rightly deemed as offensive.*

Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Thomas Ntinas.

Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit. This episode includes music by Epidemic Sound.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Everyone leaves a legacy.
0:02.2	But a legacy can change over time as new generations
0:05.6	re-examine old preputations.
0:07.6	From Wundery and Gohanger podcasts, I'm F4hersh.
0:11.0	I'm Peter Frankapan, and in a brand new series,
0:14.0	we're exploring the lives of some of the biggest characters in history,
0:17.4	from Napoleon to Picasso.
0:19.2	And asking, what does their past tell us about our present?
0:23.4	This is legacy.
0:24.7	Follow now wherever you get your podcasts.
0:30.0	Hello, it's me, Kate Lister.
0:34.5	Just jumping in here to let you know that this episode is a tough lesson.
0:38.9	We have got descriptions on racism,
0:41.4	on enslaved people, inhumane behavior,
0:44.4	and historical language that today is rightly considered offensive.
0:54.0	Who was Sarah Bartman?
0:56.6	What do we know about her?
0:58.5	In the 19th century, she was a woman that was exhibited across Europe,
1:03.4	as a side show.
1:04.8	Images of her were printed on postcards that were widely sold.
1:09.9	But why? Why was she there?
1:12.5	Why did she draw crowds?
	...

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