She had wives, which in Crow social terms was a male-coded institution.

She carried warrior equipment and had warrior horses and warrior honors.

She was recognized by the Crow community as a chief — bacheeítche — using the same term that would have been applied to male chiefs.

The Crow themselves clearly had ways of understanding and accommodating her position.

The evidence for this is the position itself: she held it for years, with the recognition of her community.

Crow society did not simply ignore the gender dimension of her situation; it navigated it in ways that allowed her to hold genuine authority.