Susan Meiselas’ frank depiction of the lives of carnival strippers – in both images and words – brought a hidden world to public attention in the 1970’s. Taken during the height of the women’s movement, her images reflect the struggle for identity and self-esteem that characterized a complex era of change. In the thirty years since Meiselas began photographing the girl shows of New England, attitudes toward documentary photography, public sexuality, and feminism have evolved, but the power of these pictures, and of Meiselas’ keen eye remain unchanged.