FRANCIS FERREL

Formerly

FREDA-FRED VAN

Male and Female in One Body

The Story of Francis Ferrel:

In response to the many questions which are put to me daily, I am writing a few facts about my life which may be of interest.

I was born in Hull, England on the 22nd of February, 1908 of Normal parents, and was considered a normal girl until after my 12th birthday.  A great change came over me at this time. The right side of my body was growing out of proportion with that of a girl; the left side was developing very small and the right side was getting large, muscular and hairy.  My mother became much alarmed and called in our family physician who, after a thorough examination, pronounced me the most complete union of male and female in the one body.  He also said that I should have been born twins, one boy and one girl, but nature, in her own way had united the two sexes in one anatomy.

Other doctors examining me pronounced me to be a half man - half woman or a doubled bodied person.

Now I am on exhibition for what I look like and not what I am.  I am a peculiar looking person having the appearance of a woman on one side while on the other is that of a man.  A person of my type is called a Hermaphrodite.  The dictionary says Hermaphrodite is a thing having the characteristics of both sexes; Bisexual.

The Greek poet, Aristophanes, relates an ancient myth that man was originally created as man and woman united in one body until he aroused the jealousy of the Gods who, for his vanity separated him into two entities, man and woman.  The cause of such an unusual birth is explained by my physicians as the union of two sperm, male and female, forming two separate sexes in one body.  Whether this is true on or not I cannot say, although it sounds possible.

I have appeared in every state in the U. S. Al. and on the largest and best vaudeville circuits.  In 1931 I made personal appearances with the motion picture "Freaks" in some of the leading theatres and am not featured with
 

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS of ODDITIES, 'ENTOUR'

Only One Exhibited At

1833  -  THE CENTURY OF PROGRESS  -  1933