Buzz
Throughout history, individuals have altered their identities for a range of reasons. These women chose to disguise themselves as men in order to advance in battle or in their careers.
They went on to accomplish remarkable feats, whether through temporary cross-dressing, adopting a false identity, or assuming a male persona for extended periods to fulfill their ambitions. This often came with great personal risk. It turns out, the world isn’t quite as male-dominated as it may seem.
10. Rena ‘Rusty’ Kanokogi
In 1959, Rusty Kanokogi participated in the YMCA Judo Championship in Utica, New York. She cut her hair short, bound her chest, and emerged victorious. However, when she approached to collect her medal, the tournament organizer questioned her gender. Upon confirming she was a woman, she was stripped of her medal. Kanokogi later said, “It instilled a feeling in me that no woman should have to go through this again.”
Her goal was to have women’s judo recognized as an Olympic sport. In 1984, her vision began to materialize during the Los Angeles Games when women’s judo was introduced as an exhibition sport. By the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, it had officially achieved medal status.
Often referred to as the mother of women’s judo, Kanokogi passed away from cancer complications at the age of 74 in 2009. One year before her death, the Japanese government honored her with the Order of the Rising Sun, Japan’s highest distinction for a foreigner.
9. The Bronte Sisters
Sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë published their poetry collection Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell under male pseudonyms in 1846. The following year, Emily’s novel Wuthering Heights was released under the name Ellis Bell. In 1847, Charlotte’s Jane Eyre appeared under the name Currer Bell, and Anne’s Agnes Grey was published under the pseudonym Acton Bell.
In the preface to the 1910 edition of Wuthering Heights (published posthumously after Emily’s death in 1848), Charlotte explained why the sisters chose male pseudonyms for their works. She wrote:
Averse to personal publicity, we veiled our own names under those of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell; the ambiguous choice being dictated by a sort of conscientious scruple at assuming Christian names positively masculine, while we did not like to declare ourselves women, because—without at that time suspecting that our mode of writing and thinking was not what is called “feminine”—we had a vague impression that authoresses are liable to be looked on with prejudice.
After receiving favorable critical reviews for their works, the Brontë sisters began publishing under their own names. They are now regarded as some of the most influential authors in literary history.
8. Joan Of Arc
Joan of Arc (also known as “The Maid of Orleans”) is celebrated as a heroine for her remarkable achievements during her brief life from 1412 to 1431. Born into a poor family in northeastern France, she believed that God had given her a sacred mission to liberate France from its enemies and that Charles VII should be crowned king. At just 16, she dressed as a man and traveled to Chinon with a small group of supporters.
Joan successfully persuaded Charles VII that she was a divine messenger and that her mission was to see him crowned as France’s rightful king. Despite opposition from his advisers, Charles VII entrusted Joan with an army, which she led to the liberation of Orleans.
In 1430, while trying to protect Compiegne from attack, Joan was thrown from her horse and captured by the Burgundians. She faced 70 charges, including cross-dressing and witchcraft. After a coerced confession, she was executed by burning at the stake the following year.
7. Anna Maria Lane
In 1776, Anna Maria Lane enlisted in the Continental Army. While most women served as cooks, nurses, or laundry aides, they did not typically join as soldiers. However, Lane was determined to fight alongside her husband, John, so she disguised herself as a man. This allowed her to serve in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.
Her true identity remained hidden, as 18th-century soldiers rarely bathed and often slept in their uniforms. Historian Joyce Henry explained:
As far as enlistment, there are no physicals when one enters the army in the 18th century. One must have front teeth and an operating thumb and forefinger so one may be able to reach in, grab a cartridge, tear off the paper, and be able to successfully load your musket.
During the 1777 Battle of Germantown near Philadelphia, Lane was injured but survived. It’s unclear when her gender was discovered, likely after her injury. Regardless, she successfully remained by her husband’s side throughout the war.
Her courage was acknowledged with a lifetime pension of $100 annually, honoring her military service. She passed away at the age of fifty-five on June 13, 1810.
6. Deborah Sampson
Deborah Sampson became the first woman to receive a full military pension for her participation in the American Revolutionary War. Once a teacher, she disguised herself as a man named Robert Shurtleff and enlisted in the Patriot forces in 1782.
During her time in the military, she led an expedition of about 30 infantrymen, captured 15 soldiers, dug trenches, and endured cannon fire. For nearly two years, her true identity went undetected until she fell ill and was taken unconscious to the hospital.
In 1783, Deborah Sampson was honorably discharged and began touring as a speaker. She shared her experiences while often dressed in full military attire. Upon her death in 1827 at the age of 66, her husband sought congressional support that would have been granted to a female widow without question.
Congress agreed to award her husband a spousal pension, recognizing there was “no other similar example of female heroism, fidelity, and courage” like Sampson’s. However, her husband passed away before receiving any of the funds.
5. Joanna Zubr
Joanna Zubr, a Polish soldier, kept her true identity hidden from the fellow soldiers she fought alongside during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1808, she enlisted in the army alongside her husband, Michal Zubr, and eventually rose to the rank of sergeant.
Her unit was later renamed the Greater Polish Division and took part in Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. During the retreat, she was separated from the division. Despite this, Zubr managed to escape from Russian territory on her own and safely return to Poland.
After reuniting with her husband, they were unable to return to the parts of Poland under Austrian and Russian control. Instead, they settled in Wielun, where she spent the remainder of her life.
Joanna Zubr became the first woman to be awarded the Virtuti Militari medal, Poland's highest military honor. This made her the first woman in history to receive such an award for acts of bravery in battle. She passed away in 1852 during a cholera epidemic, at approximately 80 years old.
4. Maria Quiteria De Jesus
In 1822, Maria Quiteria ran away to enlist in the Brazilian Army. She disguised herself by cutting her hair and wearing men's clothing, managing to avoid detection until her father, who had previously denied her request to join, found out the truth. Despite his objections, she remained in the army, and Major Silva y Castro welcomed her presence due to her combat skills.
From October 1822 to June 1823, Maria Quiteria ambushed her enemies in Bahia by drawing them into a nearby camp, where she would strike back with her concealed bayonet. In August 1823, Emperor Pedro I promoted her to the rank of lieutenant—a rare honor for a woman.
In 1953, a century after her passing, the Brazilian government honored Maria Quiteria by placing her portrait at their military headquarters as a national tribute.
3. Kathrine Switzer
In 1967, Kathrine Switzer made history as the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, despite the fact that women were prohibited from competing at that time. She had entered the race under a male alias. When officials discovered a woman was participating in the 42-kilometer (26-mile) race, they attempted to physically stop her.
Switzer remembers the moment:
Before I could react, he grabbed my shoulder and shoved me back, shouting, “Get the hell out of my race, and hand over those numbers!” Then he swiped down my front, trying to rip off my bib number, just as I jumped back from him. I was so startled and scared that I almost wet myself and turned to run.
She continued, “I knew that if I gave up, no one would believe that women were capable of running more than 26 miles. If I quit, everyone would claim it was just a publicity stunt. If I quit, it would hinder the progress of women’s sports. My fear and humiliation turned into anger.”
In 1972, women were officially allowed to participate in the marathon.
2. J.K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling, the author behind the Harry Potter series, chose to go by her initials, J.K. Rowling, when she was still an unpublished author. This decision was made with the intention of appealing to a young male audience. The Harry Potter books became the best-selling series in history and have been translated into more than 60 languages.
In 2013, Rowling adopted a male pseudonym once again for her crime novel The Cuckoo’s Calling, wanting to distance her writing identity from her own. She published the book under the name Robert Galbraith, stating, “I successfully channeled my inner bloke!”
At first, editor David Shelley read the book without knowing Rowling was behind it. He later admitted, “I never would have thought a woman wrote that.” Galbraith’s secret didn’t last long, as a lawyer’s friend leaked the truth. The book became another literary success for Rowling.
1. James Barry
James Barry, a military surgeon, held the position of Inspector General in the British Army, overseeing military hospitals. His efforts led to significant improvements in the care of soldiers. Barry also made history as the first surgeon in South Africa to successfully perform a Cesarean section in which both mother and child survived.
Barry, born Margaret Ann Bulkley, kept his true identity concealed throughout his life. It wasn’t until his death in 1865 that the secret was revealed, when a maid preparing his body for burial made the shocking discovery. The British Army was so stunned that they withheld all Barry’s documents until historian Isobel Rae reopened the case in the 1950s.
One famous figure who was not impressed by Barry was Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. She described her encounter with Barry as follows:
He made me stand in front of a large group of soldiers. Every one of them behaved with courtesy, but he acted like a savage. After his death, I learned that [Barry] was actually a woman. I would say that [Barry] was the most callous person I’ve ever encountered.
