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The presence of a circus society and culture is studied using interviews and field observations. Research begins with an in-depth literary analysis of deviance and its influence on the construction of self-identified deviant identities and a respective deviant community and culture. Results acquired from field work are put into discussion alongside literary theorists, and dispute the application of deviance to circus. Literature concerning deviance uses incriminating language and examines deviance from an outsider's perspective. Thus, the application of deviance applies negative undertones to the subject under analysis and leads to misrepresentation as it is studied from an outsider's perspective. This paper argues that deviance is not an appropriate concept with which to analyze circus. Circus should rather be studied more autonomously along with an insider's perspective to highlight the positive aspects of uniting and constructing a shared identity, community and culture. [author summary]