The Boy Raised as a Girl: The David Reimer Case
After a botched circumcision in infancy, Bruce Reimer was reassigned and raised as a girl named Brenda in a famous experiment to prove gender was learned. This episode follows the timeline of John Money’s experiment, the eventual unraveling of that identity, and what the case revealed about the biological limits of socialization.
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A routine circumcision accident in nineteen sixty-six led to the permanent destruction of Bruce Reimer's penis.
Psychologist John Money used the Reimer case to argue that gender identity is a social construct.
Despite being raised as Brenda, the child resisted feminine markers and preferred masculine activities and toys.
David Reimer reclaimed his male identity at age fourteen after learning the truth about his infancy.
The case proved that gender identity is resistant to external redirection and social performance.
Modern medical protocols now prioritize patient autonomy and informed consent over nonconsensual infant surgeries.
- 01Intro1 min
- 02The Accident in Winnipeg2 min
- 03The Architect of Gender2 min
- 04The Unraveling of Brenda2 min
- 05Scientific Reckoning and Legacy2 min
- 06The Modern Consensus2 min
- 07Outro1 min
- David Reimer and John Money Gender Reassignment ...
- David Reimer
- BBC - Science & Nature
- Full text of "Psychology Information for Students No.5"
- [PDF] B A CKSTORY - TimeLine Theatre
- David Reimer - Wikipedia
- David Reimer, 38; After Botched Surgery, He Was Raised ...
- David Reimer, 38, Subject of the John/Joan Case
- Dr Money and the Boy with No Penis
- Dr. John Money Gender Experiment: Reimer Twins
- The Story of David Reimer: Is Gender a Social Construct?
- Paternalism in DSD Management: A Real and Present Threat
- John Money - Wikipedia
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