Wonder Woman of the Week: Anne Bonny

Anne Bonny, born around 1697 in Ireland, was one of the most notorious female pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy. The illegitimate daughter of a lawyer and his maid, she emigrated to the American colonies with her family and grew up in the Province of Carolina. Known for her fiery temper and independent spirit from a young age, Anne rejected the expectations of a conventional life. After marrying a poor sailor named James Bonny—much to her father’s disapproval—she relocated to the pirate haven of Nassau in the Bahamas. There, she became immersed in the pirate culture thriving under the unofficial protection of corrupt colonial governors. Dissatisfied with her marriage and lured by the freedom and danger of pirate life, she eventually joined the crew of the English pirate John “Calico Jack” Rackham, becoming his lover and partner at sea.

Bonny quickly proved herself a capable and fearless pirate. Disguising herself as a man during raids, she fought alongside her male counterparts and reportedly held her own in combat. She formed a close alliance with another female pirate, Mary Read, who also dressed as a man and was similarly known for her bravery. The two women were said to be fiercer in battle than many of the men aboard, gaining the respect and fear of those they encountered. Bonny’s reputation was not only built on violence but also on her refusal to conform—she defied traditional gender roles and embraced a life of danger and autonomy at a time when women were largely excluded from such choices. Her exploits alongside Rackham and Read became legendary, not only for their brutality but also for the rare presence of women in the cutthroat world of piracy.

In 1720, Bonny’s pirating career came to an abrupt end when Rackham’s ship was captured by a British naval force. While the men were reportedly too drunk to fight, Bonny and Read resisted fiercely, trying to hold off the attackers. They were ultimately overpowered and taken to Jamaica for trial. All were sentenced to hang, but Bonny and Read "pleaded the belly," claiming they were pregnant, which delayed their executions. Read died in prison, likely of illness, but Bonny’s fate remains unclear. Some accounts suggest she was released due to family influence and lived a quiet life under a new identity. Regardless of how her story ended, Anne Bonny’s name has endured as a symbol of rebellion, freedom, and fierce female defiance on the high seas.