Animal Person
On Circus "Slaves"

Posted: 30 Mar 2008 07:54 AM CDT

In "Circus 'Slave' Forced to Swim with Piranhas," we learn that two Bulgarian sisters were forced to perform in an Italian circus.

It's a five sentence article but so much about it (not the obvious parts, mind you) struck me as bizarre and made me want to scream: Hello? Is there anybody paying attention to these words? Don't they sound like they can apply to a very, very similar situation?

Let's deconstruct:

Police rescued the 16- and 19-year olds, one of whom was forced to swim with piranhas "for the amusement of guests." The other was forced into a container where circus staff tossed snakes at her. Not really sure what's entertaining about either, but here's my question: The animals are taken from their homes and forced to do whatever the circus staff wants them to do, for the amusement of guests, and the police aren't doing anything about that. Why not? In one situation, people are enslaving and denigrating others, and in the other situation people are enslaving and denigrating others. It's the same scenario with the exception of species.
"The women were paid 100 euros ($155.8) per week and lived in a trailer that had previously been used to transport animals, they said." Oh, wait, it's not the same scenario, as the sisters were paid. Not well paid--and the money doesn't make up for what happened to them--but paid.
However the sisters came to be "enslaved" by the circus, the situation was obviously dreadful for them and a violation of their rights. I would never minimize what has occurred to them.

However, this phrase tells me everything: "[they] lived in a trailer that had previously been used to transport animals," as if that's the most degrading thing you can do to a human being.

My hope would be that anyone appalled by this story would think twice about it and wonder why it's so horrifying, and maybe entertain the thought--make the connection--that after the liberation of the sisters, the circus is still horrifying. There are many others to liberate.

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