Voting Station

Mary Walker

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Doctor

The Resume

    (November 26, 1831-February 21, 1919)
    Born in Oswego, New York
    Second woman to graduate from medical school in the US
    First female US Army Surgeon (1864-65)
    Received the Congressional Medal of Honor (1865)

Why she might be annoying:

    Her first medical practice failed because most people were not ready for a female physician.
    She was arrested repeatedly for wearing men’s clothing.
    A government review board revoked her Medal of Honor (along with 910 others) on the grounds that it had not been earned in combat (1917).

Why she might not be annoying:

    She opposed ‘confining and unhygienic’ fashions such as corsets.
    When the army initially would only accept her as a nurse, she worked without pay as a field surgeon near the front lines at the battles of Fredericksburg, Chattanooga, and Chickamauga.
    After she was captured by the Confederates, she was proud to be exchanged ‘man for man’ for a Confederate surgeon.
    Her Medal was restored posthumously (1977).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 23 Votes: 43.48% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 40 Votes: 47.50% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 89 Votes: 37.08% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 56 Votes: 33.93% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 140 Votes: 45.00% Annoying