Editing Cross-dressing (section)

=== War ===
One of the most common instances of gender disguise is in the instance of war/militaristic situations. From Joan of Arc in the 15th century to young girls in [[World War II]], there have been many different people of many different [[sex]]es that disguise themselves as men in order to be able to fight in wars.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

==== Joan of Arc ====
Born {{circa|1412}},<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joan of Arc |date=26 March 2024 |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joan-of-Arc |access-date= |archive-date=30 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130222443/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joan-of-Arc |url-status=live }}</ref> St [[Joan of Arc]] or the Maid of Orleans is one of the oldest examples of gender disguise. At 13, after receiving a revelation that she was supposed to lead the French to victory over the English in the [[Hundred Years' War|100 years war]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joan of Arc -- World History |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Joan_of_Arc/ |access-date=}}</ref> [[Cross-dressing, gender identity, and sexuality of Joan of Arc|Joan donned the clothing]] of a male soldier in the [[French Army|French army]]. Joan was able to convince King Charles the VIII to allow her to take the lead of some of the French armies in order to help him get his crown back. Ultimately, Joan of Arc was successful in claiming victory over the English but was captured in 1430 and found guilty of [[heresy]], leading to her execution in [[1431]]. The impact of her actions was seen even after Joan's death. During the suffragette movement, Joan of Arc was used as an inspiration for the movement, particularly in [[Great Britain|Britain]] where many used her actions as fuel for their fight for [[political reform]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=How Joan of Arc Inspired Women's Suffragists |url=https://publicmedievalist.com/joan-of-arc-inspired-suffragists/#:~:text=Still%2C%20Joan's%20life%20and%20legend,Reims%20a%20few%20months%20later. |website=The Public Medievalist |date=10 September 2020 |access-date=10 October 2023 |archive-date=18 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718122627/https://publicmedievalist.com/joan-of-arc-inspired-suffragists/#:~:text=Still%2C%20Joan's%20life%20and%20legend,Reims%20a%20few%20months%20later. |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Deborah Sampson ====
Born in 1760 in [[Plympton, Massachusetts]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deborah Sampson |url=https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/deborah-sampson?gclid=CjwKCAjwyNSoBhA9EiwA5aYlbyKd_p6BMuOINFc0a10m6ORAqIBvuaOgE1alHQCnOT_QC0dC5VMD_RoCXU4QAvD_BwE |website=National Women's History Museum |access-date=2023-10-10 |archive-date=2024-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718122010/https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/deborah-sampson |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Deborah Sampson]] was the first female soldier in the [[United States Army|US Army]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deborah Sampson, U.S. Army |url=https://foundationforwomenwarriors.org/deborah-sampson-u-s-army/ |website=Foundation for Women Warriors |date=March 2017 |access-date=2023-10-10 |archive-date=2024-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718123622/https://foundationforwomenwarriors.org/deborah-sampson-u-s-army/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The only woman in the [[American Revolution|Revolution]] to receive a full [[Pension|military pension]], at age 18 Deborah took the name "Robert Shirtleff" and enlisted in [[Patriot (American Revolution)|revolutionary forces]]. In her capacity as a soldier, she was very successful, being named [[captain]] and leading an infantry in the capture of 15 enemy soldiers among other things.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deborah Sampson |url=https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/deborah-sampson/ |website=George Washington's Mount Vernon |access-date=2023-10-10 |archive-date=2023-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017105659/https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/deborah-sampson/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=January 2025}} One and a half years into service, her true [[sex]] was revealed when she had to receive medical care. Following an [[Military discharge|honorable discharge]], Deborah petitioned congress for her full pay that was withheld on the grounds of being an "invalid soldier" and eventually received it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hassencahl |first=Fran |title=Mary Hayes and Deborah Sampson: The Rhetoric of Neglect, Praise, and Expectation |date=December 1974 |url=https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED102620 |access-date=2023-10-10 |archive-date=2024-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718122001/https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED102620 |url-status=live }}</ref> She died in 1827 at age 66.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deborah Sampson: American Revolutionary War Hero |url=https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deborah-sampson-american-revolutionary-war-hero |website=Mass.gov |access-date=2023-10-10 |archive-date=2023-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012023926/https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deborah-sampson-american-revolutionary-war-hero |url-status=live }}</ref> Even after her death, Deborah Sampson continues to be a "hero of the [[American Revolutionary War|American Revolution]]".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deborah Sampson: American Revolutionary War Hero |url=https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deborah-sampson-american-revolutionary-war-hero#:~:text=Deborah%20Sampson%20became%20a%20hero,participation%20in%20the%20Revolutionary%20army. |website=Mass.gov |access-date=2023-10-10 |archive-date=2023-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012023926/https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deborah-sampson-american-revolutionary-war-hero#:~:text=Deborah%20Sampson%20became%20a%20hero,participation%20in%20the%20Revolutionary%20army. |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2019, a [[diary]] from corporal Abner Weston shares about Deborah Sampson's previously unknown first attempt to enlist in the [[Continental Army]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amrevmuseum.org/press-releases/revolutionary-war-diary-reveals-new-details-about-deborah-sampson-who-disguised-herself-as-a-man-to-join-the-continental-army#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAs%20someone%20who%20has%20spent,17%20months%20as%20a%20soldier.|title=Revolutionary War Diary Reveals New Details about Deborah Sampson, Who Disguised Herself as a Man to Join the Continental Army - Museum of the American Revolution|access-date=2023-10-10|archive-date=2024-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718123627/https://www.amrevmuseum.org/press-releases/revolutionary-war-diary-reveals-new-details-about-deborah-sampson-who-disguised-herself-as-a-man-to-join-the-continental-army#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAs%20someone%20who%20has%20spent,17%20months%20as%20a%20soldier.|url-status=live}}</ref>

These women are just a few among many who have disguised themselves as men in order to be able to fight in many different wars. Others who have used gender disguise for this purpose include [[Christian Davies|Kit Kavanaugh/Christian Davies]], [[Hannah Snell]], [[Sarah Emma Edmonds]], [[Frances Clayton]], [[Dorothy Lawrence]], [[Zoya Smirnow]], and [[Brita Olofsdotter]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Heather |date=2021-03-30 |title=Women Who Dressed as Men and Made History {{!}} Headlines and Heroes |url=https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/03/women-who-dressed-as-men-and-made-history/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=The Library of Congress}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='I Wanted to Do My Part': Women as Soldiers in Civil War America {{!}} Mercy Street Revealed |url=http://mercystreet.lunchbox.pbs.org/blogs/mercy-street-revealed/i-wanted-to-do-my-part-women-as-soldiers-in-civil-war-america/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website='I Wanted to Do My Part': Women as Soldiers in Civil War America {{!}} Mercy Street Revealed |archive-date=2023-03-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324152544/http://mercystreet.lunchbox.pbs.org/blogs/mercy-street-revealed/i-wanted-to-do-my-part-women-as-soldiers-in-civil-war-america/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>