DR. MARY WALKER WALKED ALONE

An "Adamless Eden" was the incentive that drove Dr. Mary Walker, Civil War heroine, down her lonely road. She wore men's clothing and humorist, Bill Nye, called her "America's perfect example of the self-made

man.

In 1961, when we celebrate the Civil War Centennial, the homosexual desires of Dr. Walker-first woman to have a rating in any army (Assistant Surgeon, rank of Lieutenant); to win a medal of valor; to be taken prisoner and exchanged even-steven for a man of equal rank-can neither be ignored nor denied. She will have to be exalted along with the other heroes. of that great war.

When this immortal lady's basic desires become public property, homosexual women will take another giant step forward.

Dr. Walker was born November 26, 1832, of freedom-loving parents on a farm near Oswego, N. Y.

Her father, Dr. Alvah Walker, physician, farmer and educator, and her mother, Vesta Walker, teacher, maintained the first free school in that part of the state. Many of the master minds of that era visited the farm. Freedom was the talk of the day and The Constitution of the United States almost equal to the Bible.

Such was the environment in which Mary spent her childhood. In later life it was an advantage for Dr. Walker to be able to recite the Constitution from memory. It was hardly possible to outwit Dr. Walker on points of law. While she was teaching school in New York City at the age of sixteen, she designed, made, and wore her first modified, masculine garment. It was a union suit from wrists to ankles, trousers buttoned to the waist, a loose tunic and full skirt with comfortable

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by Juanita Brown

brogues completed her apparel. Her tiny body with its doll-like beauty, round face, blue eyes and golden curls hanging half-way to her waist, hurt rather than helped her cause. However, from then on she gradually changed more toward the masculine. During the war she wore a regulation Union army uniform. After she was discharged from the army, she never again wore women's clothing. During middle life, her hair was sometimes cut mannish, and at other times, shoulder length, but in later life, she wore the mannish cut.

Besides her practice of medicine (she received her degree from Syracuse Medical College in 1855); career in the army; she lectured, and also wrote two books, Hit and Un-masked, or the Science of Immorality and wrote and passed out pamphlets on Woman Suffrage.

Dr. Walker is given credit for the card that is signed for parcel post packages and the return address in the upper, left hand corner of a letter. She said, "It is only right that if a person writes a letter or sends a package, they should know what happened to it.”

In 1877 she founded a colony of women called "Adamless Eden."

Dr. Walker lived until February 21, 1919 and saw many women wearing trousers during the First World War.

She was a devout spiritualist and if she comes back from the other side of life, she will see many homosexual women reading and working for the cause she advocated.

After she is publicized in 1961, other illustrious homosexual American women who walked a lonely path will also be brought to the attention of the American public. Another advantage will be gained and another giantstep taken forward.

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