Erykah Badu wore an eye-catching bodysuit at the Billboard Women In Music 2025 ceremony, but the dialogue wouldn’t just be about her. Because of the outfit’s buxom shape, it drew comparisons to late 19th-century South African woman Sarah Baartman, who was forcibly exhibited for European crowds.

Coined the ‘Hottentot Venus’ and seemed a sideshow attraction, Baartman was humiliated during her short life and was considered fascinating due to her full figure. Below, we uncover five facts about Baartman and how she was mistreated.

Baartman’s South African Origins

Baartman, also known as Saartjie Baartman, was born circa 1789 in the now Eastern Cape province. Belonging to the indigenous Khoikhoi, Baartman’s early life was struck with tragedy, as she was orphaned in her youth after the deaths of her parents. Baartman would spend a brief time partnered, although a Dutch colonist eventually murdered the man.

Forced Into Exploitation

Although illiterate, Baartman allegedly signed a contract in 1810 to participate in attractions where her voluptuous body was displayed for audiences in England and France. Along with being exhibited at London's Piccadilly Circus, Baartman could also be displayed for private exhibitions, where viewers could touch her without consent.

Baartman’s Nickname

Although offensive, Baartman was called ‘Hottentot Venus,’ a Dutch term for the Khoisan people. The term ‘Venus’ dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period, when small limestone figurines depicted shapely women as symbols of fertility and womanhood.

Later Years

Allegedly forced into sex work, Baartman died in Paris. Although her cause of death is unspecified, Baartman was alleged to have struggled with alcoholism and was said to have suffered from an inflammatory ailment.

A Long-Overdue Memorial

Decades after her death in 1816, Baartman’s preserved brain, skeleton, and genitals were controversially preserved at the Musée de l'Homme until the 1970s. To give her a more respectful posthumous honor, her remains were returned to her birthplace in the Gamtoos River Valley.