BIO

Hello! My name is Lucie Grace Lovato, and I am a first-year student from Pensacola, Florida majoring in English with a concentration in Literature, Media, and Culture. Along with being an Honors student here at FSU, I am also a member of the Presidential Scholars class of 2026. My research interests revolve around gender studies, which is part of what lead me to work on this project over the past year. Once I complete my undergraduate studies, I am hoping to continue my education by attending law school.

Ungentlemanly Warfare: Historical Research Research on Women Spies of the Special Operations Executive

Abstract

The Special Operations Executive was founded during the Second World War. This organization's main mission was espionage and irregular warfare. The roles and contributions of the SOE are often attributed towards men, with men receiving the majority of the awards post WWII. However, through research and data that has been collected, it has been discovered that the role of women in the SOE is overlooked and undervalued. Many of these women faced substantial hardships and their names and stories should be recognized at the same level as their male counterparts. This study uses literature analysis, historical record analysis, and transcriptions in order to bring to light the experiences and contributions of these women that are so often repressed. The data collected from text is coded and focuses on the use of gendered language throughout the literature studied. Transcriptions included oral interviews detailing first-hand experiences in the Special Operations Executive. The focus of this study was to not only collect this data, but to also give credit and a name to the women who were involved in the SOE. Preliminary results found that the involvement of women was consistently understated, if women were mentioned at all. By expanding our understanding of the past, we can better analyze of the present. Further efforts can be made to combat sexism and prejudice in the modern workplace and social environment.
Key words: Special Operations Executive, gendered language, sexism, World War II, F Section, espionage

Keywords: espionage, gendered language, Special Operations Executive