Dr. Mary Walker

U.S. Army surgeon in the Civil War and the only woman to be awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor

Born into a world with clearly defined gender roles, Mary Walker (1832–1919) defied them all. One of America’s first female physicians, she believed that restrictive clothing such as the corset encumbered healthful movement. She wore and advocated for “reform dress”—a shortened dress and pants as shown below, before she abandoned the skirt altogether, although she was physically attacked and arrested for wearing pants in public.

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