Why did pirates not take women on the their ship ?

Answer 1

Women have long been believed to be "Bad Luck" on board a ship.

Consequently, there were usually nothing but men aboard a Pirate ship.

THIS is WHY we have derived the term "Butt-Pirate".

Answer 2

Pirates did take women on thier ships, but it was rare. Think about it from a woman's point of view. First, sailing the seas for weeks and months at a time with an entirely male crew is a little dangerous in any environment. Factor in the death penalty that comes with a conviction of piracy. Finally, allow for the reserved role that women were expected to play in society.

When you boil all that stuff down, you have very few women that would have wanted to be pirates. Even so, there are quite a few famous female pirates. Take a look at the links below.

http://www.katyberry.com/Dorianne/pirates.html

http://www.deadmentellnotales.com/onlinetexts/womenlist.shtml

Answer 3

That is not totally accurate, their were two very famous Pirate woman. When they were captured by the Brits the plead their bellied for they were pregnant and were spared until the kids were born, the rest such as the captain who was their lover was also killed.

MOST pirates were men and they did not have woman on the ships for the obvious reason of safety for the woman and keeping discipline of the men for they would be more un controlllable around woman.

Now these two woman that DID become pirates, they certainly did not appear as woman, they looked like men and most did not even know for along time they were woman.

Hope that clarifies, I wish I remembered the pirates names, but I don't sorry I just know their were two famous female pirates.


That is true of all kids that story Son of a Gun but in their two cases it was well known fact that the father was the captain and they were not born under a gun but in a jail taken at birth by the Brits and then executed. They were not lower than the men these Two, they were partners with the Captain according to History. The rest I am sure that is very true of and how they were treated.

Answer 4

Mainly superstition - women were considered unlucky (I think its more likely that the fights over who got the woman after the captain had finished with her and jealousy between mates were the real reason). But there were some famous woman pirates, can't think of their names - but two sailed together on a ship (disguised as boys, one's name was Anne, I think the other was Mary) and eventually one became captain? or might as well been (her sex had been revealed by this time). One had a romance with a fella named Calico Jack? got pregnant, had baby and left it behind to continue pirating with the other girl.
They were all caught in the end, but I think the women got off.

Answer 5

Women were seen as bad luck on a sea going vessel, although there were actually two famous pirates who happened to be women, this was rare but i'm sure happened a bit more often then was ever reported. Anne Bonney and Mary Reade are two of the most famous. As it was thought innappropriate for women to serve aboard ships, many who did disguised themselves as men, and were not found out, or at least not reported.

Answer 6

ARRRR No Poop Dick on my Ship!

but seriously though, the time of pirates women were still inferior, and usually only the prostitutes would go for pirates, they would stay at the ports so they could get more money and have relative saftey. Also #1 is correct they were seen as bad luck.

Answer 7

First off, at the time women did not have the rights they do now. It was still very much a man's world and women did not generally seek their own fortunes, they sought rich husbands. Women were not allowed to serve in the military or hold public office. There were rare exceptions of course, but it was not widely accepted. Also it was a very superstitious time and many sailors believed a woman on the crew would bring bad luck.

Answer 8

Women on board ship were regarded as being unlucky

Answer 9

1. Excess Baggage (Not sailors, not fighters, Eat scarce food)
2. Crew harmony( If there are no women, there are no fights over them or duels or petty female argguments)
3. Ever travel with a bunch of women? Not fun.....

Answer 10

It was considered unlucky. And if a woman did come on board disguised as a man and had a baby. The baby was delivered below the gun, it's parentage being unknown, it was called the 'son of a gun'.