Well, here we are again. We've just discussed some famous female pirates, but the question remains: Is the fact that there were female pirates significant, or were they just a few special women who managed to break through the stigma of reduced rights and opportunities and went to live on the high seas? There are arguments for both sides, and I'm not sure there is one right answer.
Anne Bonny by Marcospace
In terms of arguments that female pirates were simply the exceptions who proved the rule, and that female pirates were not historically significant, there are two main points:
1) As we saw in Bartholomew Roberts Shipboard ARTICLE VI "No boy or woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man shall be found seducing any of the latter sex and carrying her to sea in disguise he shall suffer death." This article is indicative of the attitude towards women on most pirate ships: that “women were weak, feckless, hysterical beings who distracted men and brought bad luck to ships, calling forth supernatural winds that sank vessels and drowned men" (Cordingly, Women Sailors and Sailors’ Women). This sexist attitude indicates that the presence of female pirates was not accepted as well as the presence of black pirates.
2) That women who became pirates had to disguise themselves as men in order to be successful further indicates that the existence of female pirates did not necessarily mean that pirates had a gender-neutral society.
Female Pirate by Dan Shive
However, there can also be an argument made that female pirates are indicitave of a more accepting society. This side claims "that women, who were traditionally prohibited from maritime labor, were knowingly included as pirates confirms both the tenacity of these individuals and the open society that characterized piracy" (Rediker, 75). There are two main points to this argument as well:
1) While it is true that some pirates, like Bartholomew Roberts, thought that women had no place on a pirate ship, there were others who were willing to elect a woman their captain. The existence of female pirate captains like Grace O’Malley and Lady Mary Killigrew shows that pirates were willing to follow women when they were the best person for the position. In addition, the pirate empress Ching Shih shows that women could command entire armadas composed of male captains.
2) While it is true that many female pirates cross-dressed, female pirates of this time also had a very unique appearance. In modern media female pirates are often shown to be dressed in the same fashion as their male counterparts. While true, there are also at least a half dozen first hand accounts, collected from port authorities as well as pirating victims, describing a style that was unique to their gender. One trend that was especially popular among female pirates of the South American Pacific coast and Caribbean was incorporating common sailing equipment such as fishing nets, jackstays, trunnels, chocks and cordage into their clothing. This would indicate that while women did wear mens clothing, they were not doing so to hide.
It is my opinion that the truth regarding the significance of women pirates lies somewhere in the middle of these two viewpoints: that while pirates did, like most other sailors, view women as bad luck, the same liberal viewpoint that allowed them to readily accept black pirates as equals provided an entrypoint to female pirates. If a female pirate was just as strong and viscious as the men, she could even eventually enter a position of leadership. However, I do believe that women were not as accepted by white pirates as black pirates were.
Johnny Collins - Leave Her Johnny (sea chantey)