answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

In British sailor lore, women were believed to be "bad luck" on a ship -- and they often were, because the crew would fight for sexual access to them.

However, there were many ships which carried women -- captain's wives and daughters, passengers, boatloads of colonists, boatloads of slaves -- despite the superstition about women being "bad luck."

Some women served on pirate ships while hiding their gender; we will never know how many of those there were. Some served openly, like Ann/Anne Bonney/Bonny. However, it is not easy to hide your gender when the only "toilet" is a board you sit on out in the open off the back of the ship, so there could not be too many women who were able to serve on pirate ships secretly.

Serving openly would be even more difficult, because of the great risk of sexual assault and because some crews or captains simply would not permit a woman on board.

Even if that weren't a problem, there would be simple questions of skill and strength. Most women would not have had a chance to learn the skilled jobs at sea -- navigator, etc. -- and most women would not have the raw physical strength needed for the unskilled jobs.

The answer is, there were probably more pirate women than we know about -- but superstition, sexual assault, skill, and strength issues always kept the number very low.

For very entertaining fictional representations of being a woman pirate, see "Jade" by Sally Watson (which has four female pirates in it, including an escaped slave woman), or Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy by L. A. Meyer. Meyer has a whole series of "Bloody Jack" adventures.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why were there very few pirate women?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Who is Mary Pierce in I spy treasure hunt?

Mary pierce is the pirate who hid the treasure that you are trying to find. basically without her there would be no story to the game. she was a women who posed as a pirate and no one knew she was a women. she was a very good pirate nonetheless.


Did women sail on galleons?

There were a few but not many. Women were considered to be bad luck at sea in those days. There was one famous pirate but I can't remeber her name.


What is a job that very few women do?

One job few women do is forensic science.


Did women have very few rights in Sparta or Athens?

Very few in Athens.


Do all pirates have hooks?

Actually, very few pirates had hooks. This is part of a largely fictional pirate stereotype.


Does everyone have implantation bleeding?

No, very few women have it. answer 1 in 3 women get it


Is Anne Bonny the only women pirate?

No, Mary Reid was a pirate too. In fact, the two were friends serving on the same pirate ship.


What Irish pirate of the 16th century was a women?

Grace O'Malley


What women disguised herself as a women to become a pirate?

This question cannot be answered in its present meaningless state. It should probably read: What woman disguised herself as a man in order to become a pirate?


Are there any women volcanologists?

Yes, there are some women who are volcanologists. However, they are very few women volcanologists because the field is dominated by men.


Can a panner be a woman?

Yes, nowadays there are very few jobs that women cannot do.


Did women mine for gold in the gold rush in Australia?

Yes but very few!