Female gets various medals (6)
I believe the answer is:
damsel
'female' is the definition.
(damsel is a kind of female)
'various medals' is the wordplay.
'various' is an anagram indicator.
'medals' anagrammed gives 'DAMSEL'.
'gets' is the link.
(Other definitions for damsel that I've seen before include "An old girl, often in distress" , "Someone in distress?" , "Girl (literary)" , "Girl - type of fly" , "Young girl" .)