Wait Pulaski might actually be cool?

 

Today is Casimir Pulaski Day which I have always thought of as a made up holiday since outside the Midwest it is totally not a thing.

But I started to do a bit of research and found out that the Pulaski dude actually might have been cool. Now I doubt he will ever be quite as adorable or cool as America's favorite fighting Frenchman the Marquis de Lafayette but then again I don't know how good Pulaski was as a rapper LOL.

But I discovered Pulaski might have been cool. Like really cool. Like intersex cool*. When looking at Pulaski's bones there were indications of female bone structure and while it is not completely clear since "intersex" was not an identified identity back then there are several theories such as Pulaski had

... a condition called congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), which can cause females to develop genitals that look more male than female, Estabrook said. Increased androgen production from CAH could also cause someone who was chromosomally female to have a slightly receding hairline and facial hair — as evident on Pulaski in portraits of the general. livescience.com

I am drawn to the idea that Pulaski might have been intersex, a) because intersex is just cool, b) while intersex is a different story than being ace there are parallels and intersections in being an identity that was not named for long periods of history. So this just reminds me of the power of words and identities. 

We will never know what Pulaski felt about his body, if he suffered any body dysmorphia, if he had any idea that he might have been different from others around him... because he would not have had language to even ask those questions about himself.  

So on this Casimir Pulaski Day I just want to say: 

• Sorry Pulaski dude for not previously believing in the realness of your holiday
• Thank You Pulaski dude for coming here and helping us out/writing the book on calvary.
• While I don't tend to feel any real connection with my hodgepodge of random European heritages right now I feel a bit of connection and pride in the Polish heritage bit of that heritage. I feel some connection, some pride, in this possibly cool dude called Pulaski. 

*If you want the quick version of who Pulaski was in general check out Who was Casimir Pulaski? BBC Casimir Pulaski may have been woman or intersex, study says, Smithsonianmag Was the Revolutionary War Hero Casimir Pulaski Intersex?