The Woman with Four Legs — and the Courage to Stand Tall: Josephine Myrtle Corbin

In 1868, a baby’s cry rang through a small Tennessee town—and doctors fell silent. Josephine Myrtle Corbin was born with dipygus, a rare condition that split her body below the waist, giving her two pelvises and four legs. Two were strong; two were smaller but fully formed. The world called her a marvel. Her parents called her Myrtle—and chose pride over shame.

She grew up quick-witted and bright, meeting stares with a smile sharpened by humor. As a teen, she toured briefly as “The Four-Legged Girl from Texas,” and audiences came for curiosity but left softened by her grace. Physicians marveled at her unique anatomy—two complete reproductive systems—yet she refused to be reduced to a specimen.

In 1886, she married Dr. Clinton Bicknell, who loved the woman, not the spectacle. Together they raised five healthy children, building a home stitched with laughter and stubborn hope.

When Myrtle died in 1928 at 59, she made one last request: protect my rest. Her family honored her wish, ensuring no one could exploit her again.

Today, Myrtle’s legacy isn’t shock—it’s strength. She reminds us that beauty isn’t perfection; it’s the courage to live out loud, exactly as you are.