Helen Hulick was a 29-year-old kindergarten teacher from Los Angeles. On November 9, 1938, she went to court to speak out against two men accused of breaking into a home.
But Judge Arthur S. Guerin stopped her from testifying and delayed the case for five days. Why? Because Helen was wearing pants.
She told the Los Angeles Times, “Tell the judge I’m standing up for my rights. If he tells me to wear a dress, I won’t. I like wearing pants. They’re comfortable.”
So at the next hearing, Helen came back wearing pants again. The judge got angry and said:
“Last time she was in court, dressed like this and with her head tilted back, people paid more attention to her than to the trial—including the prisoners and the court. She was told to wear clothes proper for court. Today she came back in pants again, clearly refusing to follow the court’s order […] Get ready to be punished for not obeying.”
Helen, now making a stand for what she believed in, wore pants to court once more—and was sent to jail for five days for disobeying the judge.
Her lawyer appealed, and the higher court agreed with them. The judge’s decision was overturned. Thanks to Helen Hulick, women won the right to wear pants in court.