our queer elders
mary edwards walker
“I don’t wear men’s clothes, I wear my own clothes.”
—m.e.w., when criticized for her attire
mary edwards walker in her customary trousers and skirt, photo from library of congress
mary edwards walker (1832-1919) is the only woman to receive the medal of honor. as a young woman, mary worked as a medical doctor, despite public skepticism. mary also began to wear trousers, scorning corsets and petticoats as both impractical and unhygienic. after the civil war began, walker joined the union army as a civilian contract surgeon, after being denied an official post several times. when civilians were wounded, mary would consistently cross enemy lines to provide necessary care. she wore an officer’s coat, tailored down to her size. walker was captured by the confederacy in 1865 and was a prisoner of war for several months. that same year, andrew jackson awarded her the medal of honor for meritorious service. in 1917, mary was removed from the list of medal of honor recipients because she was not in active combat when captured. mary refused to return the medal and wore it every day until she died. her medal was reinstated by jimmy carter in 1977.
about the song
mary edwards walker and belva lockwood, long time roommates, photo from library of congress
mary edwards walker was a key player in the practical dress reform movement, despite being ridiculed and, several times, arrested. she dedicated her book on key issues of the day, hit, to, among others, the practical dress reformers: “you, who have lived the precepts and principles that others have only talked.”
mary never remarried after divorcing her unfaithful husband, though she did move in with belva lockwood, one of the first female lawyers in the united states, shortly afterwards. the two remained roommates (or is it “roommates”?) for almost eight years. this song celebrates mary’s queering of societal and gender norms. I hope you’ll sing along the next time you hear it!
what we wear
when I was eight years old I first tried on my brother's clothes
and I never knew that I could climb so high
now I wear my own clothes; I tailored down an officer's coat
I wear it across enemy lines when I fight for what's right
what I wear is healthy
what I wear is good
what I wear is godly
and what I want is what I should
it was 1863 and no man wanted to follow me
the surgeon for the infantry in my army fatigues
and since 1865, when I'd gotten out alive,
the medal on my left lapel will shine til I die
what I wear is healthy
what I wear is good
what I wear is godly
and what I want is what I should
I will always be someone who won't stop until the work is done
I'll live the precepts and doctrine that others only talk
let's spurn the corsets and throw away the frocks
til freely we can walk
what we wear is healthy
what we wear is good
what we wear is godly
and what we want is what we should
what we want is what we should!
k.a.castagno 2022
recommended reading
‘I wear my own clothes’ by cate linberry, published by the new york times in 2013.
mary walker's quest to be appointed as a union doctor in the civil war by alexis coe, published in the atlantic in 2013.
mary walker wears the pants: the true story of the doctor, reformer, and civil war hero, a charming children’s book written by cheryl harness and illustrated by carlo molinari, published in 2015.