6 Women in History Who Adopted Male Personas

These women for a variety of reasons decided to adopt a male persona and (with one exception) dressed as and pretended to be men, often fooling their contemporaries. Some only did this for a short period, while others did this for their entire lives.

1. Deborah Sampson

Deborah was born in 1760 and she took part in the American Revolution in 1782 as Robert Shurtiff. During her time in the war she had some close calls, including a wound in her leg that she treated with a penknife and sewing needle so that they wouldn't discover her secret. She managed to make it work until 1783 where she got sick and the Doctor treating her realized that she was actually a woman although he didn’t reveal that until a few months later. She ended up being honorably discharged and received a full military pension getting married, having three children, and dying in 1827 at 66. Her husband actually campaigned after her death to receive spousal benefits and won. (although he died before receiving them).

2. Hannah Snell

Hannah Snell was born in 1723 in England and joined the military as James Gray. She had been married with a daughter, but before she gave birth her husband abandoned her. She ended up joining after her daughter died. She actually was quite active in battle and was shot in her groin and went to a local woman so she wouldn’t be revealed. She ended up selling her story after choosing to reveal herself and was still honorably discharged and received a pension. She later remarried and had children.

These two weren't the only ones who dressed as men and entered the military. It happened in various countries and different wars throughout history.

3. Margaret Ann Bulkley

Margaret Ann Bulkley who was born in Ireland in 1792. She took the name James Barry in order to enroll in a university, something women were not allowed to do, and study medicine eventually becoming Dr. James Barry. I guess there was an issue when she first attempted to gain entrance in the university that they thought James Barry was actually a young kid since she didn’t sound or look like a man at that time. She was the first woman doctor in Britain, even though obviously people didn’t know she was a woman. She also went into the Army after she was part of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1813. She was the personal surgeon to Lord Charles Somerset. There were rumors and even accusations based on the relationship between Barry and Somerset which would have been considered illegal at the time time if it was true. It wasn’t until she died and they were preparing the body that they discovered Dr. James Barry was actually a woman.

4. Katherine Switzer

Katherine Switzer is a unique addition to the list because she never dressed as a man. Switzer was a long distance runner who was interested in running in the Boston Marathon (which had began in 1897 and until 1967 didn’t really have a rule against women). She registered as K.V. Switzer after she and her coach double checked that it was not against the rules for a woman to enter (despite this another woman ran unofficially the year prior because they denied her application). So she did not officially pretend to me a male when entering the race, she only used her initials. Since the previous year another woman had registered (but was denied a number and ran unofficially) it can be assumed that the officials of the Boston Marathon assumed that K.V. Switzer was a man. At the actual race many of the male participants were very supportive of Switzer. Except for one of the race officials who attacked her while running trying to pull off her bib number.

5. Catalina de Erauso

So Catalina was born in Spain around 1585 although the exact date isn’t certain. During this time girls were often put in the nunnery by their families (cheaper than a dowry, more girls than marriage prospects, etc) Some of these women actually enjoyed it (wouldn’t be subservient to a father/brother/husband, devotion to religion, have a chance for a stellar education). Some were not so happy, and this is where Catalina falls. So she was put in the nunnery by her family and she hated it. At 15 she escaped by stealing the keys to the nunnery and fashioning boys closing for herself. She traveled around Spain doing various jobs including secretary, page/servant. There was one instance where her own father didn’t recognize her when he was asking around trying to find her and was talking to her. She was involved in many relationships with women becoming betrothed and often taking advantage of the situation and running off with the money and items. She got into fights and wound up in jail numerous times. After traveling around the Americas she was caught and gave herself up to avoid the noose. She got a special grant from the Pope to continue dressing as a man.

6. Saint Marina

Marina was very religious, as many were during that time. After being raised by her father he intended to have her marry than he was going to become a monk and enter the monastery. Marina who did not want to marry decided to do the same, dressed as a man and entered the monestary with her father under the name Morino, which I will use for now on since that was the name until death. When she was in the monestary Morino was accused of having a child with a woman, the daughter of an innkeeper where Morino and several other monks stayed. Now this obviously would have been impossible. Instead of denying this or explaining why this would be impossible, Morino adopted the boy and raised him after he was expelled from the monestary. It wasn’t found out that Morino did not father the child until he died and they discovered the truth.