In Episode 266, discover how a 1930s courtroom appearance by a woman in pants turned into a lesson in values, justice, and change.

In this episode of Anecdotally Speaking, Mark shares a story in two parts, beginning with Helen Hulick’s defiance of courtroom dress codes in 1938 and ending with her extraordinary legacy in deaf education.
This episode offers an example of how standing up for your values often comes at a cost, but can lead to lasting change.
Shawn and Mark explore how this story can be used in a business setting to highlight principles in action, systemic change, and the power of persistence.
For your story bank
Tags: Values, Values in action, Justice, Storytelling, Change, Gender
This story starts at 0:20
Helen Hulick was 29 years old and from Pennsylvania. She received a PhD in 1930, specialising in teaching profoundly deaf children to communicate. She worked in various places across the United States, and by the late 1930s, she was in Los Angeles, California.
On the 9th of November 1938, she appeared in court to give evidence against two men accused of breaking into a home. When she took the stand, the judge, Arthur S. Guerin, stopped her from testifying and delayed the case for five days, all because she was wearing pants. He said her attire was inappropriate for a woman in court and ordered her to return dressed properly, not in slacks.
The incident drew public attention. In an interview with the LA Times, Helen said, they could tell that judge she’s going to stand up for her rights. If he tells her to wear a dress, her won’t. She likes wearing pants, they’re comfortable.
Five days later, she returned to court wearing slacks again. The judge was angry and said that last time she appeared, people—including the prisoners—were paying more attention to her than to the trial. He said she had defied his order and should be prepared to be punished.
The case was deferred again, and she returned the following day, still wearing slacks. The judge charged her with contempt of court and sentenced her to five days in jail. She was handcuffed and taken to the local lockup.
Her lawyer appealed the ruling. A higher court reviewed the case and overturned Judge Guerin’s decision. Helen was allowed to return to court and give her testimony, this time having won the right to wear pants. Interestingly, when she came back for that final appearance, she chose to wear a dress, because now she had the choice.
Later in life, Helen married and took the name Helen Beebe. She went on to found the Helen Beebe Speech and Hearing Center, where she was director for 40 years. She became a pioneer of the unisensory approach to auditory-verbal communication. She wrote numerous newspaper articles and gave lectures around the world. She believed that any child with residual hearing, no matter how little, could develop spoken language. She also authored a book on the subject.
When she passed away, she donated the centre to a not-for-profit. Many people shared testimonials about the impact she had on their lives. In 1985, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Lafayette College.
Despite all of this, she remains largely unknown—an example of someone who stood up for her values and left a lasting legacy, even if history hasn’t widely remembered her.