Walter Sholto Douglas (1790–1830), born Mary Diana Dods, was a Scottish author who wrote books, short stories, and other literary works during the early nineteenth century. Although assigned a female identity at birth, Douglas lived his private, public, and professional life as a man. He published the majority of his literary output under the masculine pseudonym David Lyndsay. His chosen name, Walter Sholto Douglas, may have been inspired by his grandfather, Sholto Douglas, the 15th Earl of Morton.
Throughout his life, Douglas moved within prominent literary and social circles. He was a close friend and confidant of the writer Mary Shelley. Douglas was also married to Isabella Robinson, navigating the social and literary landscapes of his era by living entirely as a man.
For many years, Douglas's identity and authorship remained obscure. In 1980, scholar Betty T. Bennett conducted research that linked his birth name to his pseudonym David Lyndsay and his lived identity as Walter Sholto Douglas. Although Bennett's initial findings presented controversial and disputed assertions regarding his motivation and mental health, her work succeeded in recovering Douglas's literary contributions and historical footprint.
