Women at Sea: Hidden Stories of Crossing Boundaries and Oceans
In this Sea and Society Talk, Martina Hjertman explores the hidden stories of women who defied maritime boundaries by disguising themselves as men to work at sea during the 19th century.
The sea has not always been accessible to everyone. For centuries, maritime work was male-dominated, with women often erased from historical narratives. Some women defied these restrictions by disguising themselves as men to serve in military and merchant fleets.
But how did the maritime space and economy eventually become more accessible? This talk explores the hidden stories of these disguised women and their contributions to maritime labour in the long 19th century. By tracing their presence in the press and popular culture, we will discuss how oceans of exclusion were challenged as debates over seamanship, women’s roles, and gendered maritime boundaries unfolded.
About the speaker
Martina Hjertman is a researcher at the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Gothenburg. Her research explores gender divisions in maritime work, focusing on Nordic women working disguised as male sailors in military and merchant fleets during the 19th century. She gathers traces of these women defying gender norms, analyses the practice and popular discussions, and the impact on female emancipation and the concept of seamanship.
About Sea and Society Talks
Sea and Society Talks is a lunch seminar series for researchers and ocean professionals, focusing on the challenges for a sustainable development and management of coasts and the sea.
Link to Webinar
Link to zoom webinar will be sent out after registration.