Nonfiction

As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl

Name: As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl
Author: John Colapinto

John Colapinto

21 minAudio8 insights

What you'll learn

•The tragic story of David Reimer and the consequences of infant sex reassignment.
•John Money's theories on gender identity and their impact on medical practice.
•The psychological and social challenges faced by children subjected to gender reassignment.
•The scientific debate between nature and nurture in gender identity formation.
•The ethical implications of medical interventions on intersex and gender-variant infants.
•The role of activism and personal narrative in changing medical protocols.
•The evolving understanding of gender identity from biological and psychological perspectives.

Who should read this

✓Medical professionals and ethicists
✓Psychologists and psychiatrists
✓Students and scholars of gender studies
✓Parents of intersex or gender-variant children

About this book

A profound true story revealing the tragic consequences of infant sex reassignment and the enduring debate over nature versus nurture in gender identity.

Did You Know?

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David Reimer’s case was kept anonymous for decades, but he eventually chose to speak publicly to prevent others from suffering similarly.

Audio Summary

Section 1

The Fragile Beginnings: A Family's Unexpected Trial

3:45

7 Sections

Preview: The Fragile Beginnings: A Family's Unexpected Trial

In the quiet neighborhoods of Winnipeg, where the gentle hum of daily life unfolds in the backdrop of changing seasons, a young family welcomed identical twin boys into the world. The Reimers, shaped by a Mennonite heritage rich in resilience and simplicity, nurtured their children with hopes as tender as the soft prairie breezes. Yet, fate had cast a shadow on this hopeful beginning. One routine medical procedure, a circumcision, turned into a catastrophic accident that forever altered the course of one twin's life. The infant, barely eight months old, was subjected to a surgical mishap that resulted in the complete loss of his penis—a tragedy that thrust the family into a whirlwind of medical consultations, emotional turmoil, and impossible decisions.

This accident was not just a physical injury; it was a rupture in the very fabric of identity and future. The parents, Ron and Janet, found themselves grappling with grief, guilt, and the daunting task of seeking solutions within the medical community. The hospital, a place of healing, now became a stage for uncertainty and fear. Despite the rarity of such accidents, their impact is profound, reverberating through every aspect of the affected family's life.

Amidst this crisis, the cultural backdrop of the Reimers played a subtle yet significant role. Their Mennonite roots, defined by a commitment to faith, community, and endurance, framed their approach to adversity. They were ordinary people thrust into an extraordinary situation, facing decisions that no parent should have to make.

As the family navigated hospital corridors and medical offices, the weight of the unknown pressed heavily upon them. The accident set in motion a series of events that would challenge not only their understanding of gender and identity but also the very ethics of medical intervention. This beginning, marked by loss and hope, invites us to reflect on the fragility of life and the complexities that arise when science and humanity intersect.

From this poignant starting point, we move forward to explore the controversial medical experiment that would follow—one that sought to rewrite the narrative of gender itself.