"David Reimer, a Canadian man who was raised as a girl in a controversial case that drew international attention to issues of gender and biology, took his own life last Tuesday.
According to press reports, Reimer, 38, had been depressed following a series of personal and professional setbacks, including the loss of his job, separation from his wife and the death of his identical twin brother two years ago.
[...]
As detailed in Colapinto's book, Reimer's parents were swayed in their decision by an influential medical psychologist, John Money, of Johns Hopkins Medical Center, who insisted that gender and sexual identity could be determined by a child's environment.
[...]
But Reimer's transition to female was hardly successful. As a young girl, Reimer was an isolated, social outcast, mocked for being a masculine tomboy. As an adolescent, Reimer appeared increasingly masculine, with broader shoulders and more musculature than most girls. He battled suicidal depression until age 14, when his parents finally told him the truth about his body.
"I was raised as a girl. I was not comfortable with the situation. That was not the true me," Reimer told Reuters in a 2000 interview.
Reimer quickly changed his name to David, and, through a series of surgeries and testosterone treatments, reclaimed his male identity. He eventually married and was the stepfather of three children.
His willingness to reveal the truth about his life in print and on film elevated him to hero status for many intersex people. "He taught people it's OK to be proud of who you are, to speak out and to be yourself regardless of what the doctors around you are trying to say," said Betsy Driver, director of Bodies Like Ours, an intersex education and activist group.
By going public, Reimer drew unprecedented attention to intersex issues, which has gradually helped change egregious medical practices, Driver told the PlanetOut Network.
But Reimer paid a heavy price. His mother, Janet Reimer, told the Canadian Press that she believes the devastating experiences of his childhood contributed to his suicide.
"I think he felt he had no options," she said."
Ugh! And I thought there was light at the end of the tunnel after all! What a sad story.
He later got married and adopted three kids. AND THEN HE KILLED HIMSELF!!! HIS BROTHER DIED BEFORE THAT TOO!!! What would you have done in the parent's place? Wait until puberty and let the kid decide? If nurture has little to do with sexual orientation, what about those who turn gay after sexual molestation?
What does sexual molestation have to do with anything? People actually "turn" gay because they got molested???!!!!
I dunno. I think it's all about nature.
Did you add the death bit, MJ? Did that really happen?
Yes and yes. I can't remember what the first brother that died passed away from? Either it was an overdose or suicide. When he was told that his "sister" was actually a boy, he went bananas after that. Things weren't the same.
Then Brenda/David's wife decided to seperate so that just got him even more depressed hence the suicide.
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Knock people down at their own expense, they'll take it as a compliment!!!!
That is such a difficult situation for a parent to be in. In hindsight they probably have regrets over their decision. I personally think it would have been best to leave the boy intact but do what is necessary to ensure proper basic bodily functions. I would then sue the hospital for their mistake and demand that they agree to perform any future surgeries free of charge.
I heard that about alot of gay peole........that they was molested as children. Wouldn't it be to much coincedence if the child molesters can spot a gay kid and choose to molest him? Because of what I've heard I think that it is possible to turn gay. I guess that would be nurture.
He later got married and adopted three kids. AND THEN HE KILLED HIMSELF!!! HIS BROTHER DIED BEFORE THAT TOO!!! What would you have done in the parent's place? Wait until puberty and let the kid decide? If nurture has little to do with sexual orientation, what about those who turn gay after sexual molestation?
What does sexual molestation have to do with anything? People actually "turn" gay because they got molested???!!!!
I dunno. I think it's all about nature.
Did you add the death bit, MJ? Did that really happen?
Lahtina wrote: So, I was reading about this case about some twin brothers and I have to ask: Homos... born or made? Case: Bruce and Brian (1965). While getting circumcised the procedure went terribly wrong for Bruce. His penis was so badly burnt that it could not be repaired. At 21 months of age he was examined and his parents were advised to have reconstructive surgery and raise Bruce as a female. Bruce had the surgery and went home with a new name, Brenda. His parents were instructed to never tell Brenda the truth and to raise him as a girl. This case was later hailed as proof that children are psychosexually neutral at birth and that nurture has more to do with sexual roles than nature. The treatment became focused on what was surgically possible and little attention was given to the psychological, social, or ethical consequences of these decisions. In general, males with a small or malformed penis were "altered" into females because it is easier to make a vagina than a penis. In spite of the glowing reports about Bruce's progress as Brenda, the reality was much different. As a child, Brenda refused to wear dresses and preferred to play with boys. As a young teen, Brenda rebelled at having further surgery to construct a vagina and threatened to commit suicide. One day, dad, worst secret keeper ever, friggin spilled the beans and within weeks Brenda demanded a sex change surgery. Someone thinks sexual organs grow on trees. After surgery to reconstruct a penis (I thought they said that was hard), it changed its name to David. He later got married and adopted three kids. AND THEN HE KILLED HIMSELF!!! HIS BROTHER DIED BEFORE THAT TOO!!! What would you have done in the parent's place? Wait until puberty and let the kid decide? If nurture has little to do with sexual orientation, what about those who turn gay after sexual molestation?
What does sexual molestation have to do with anything? People actually "turn" gay because they got molested???!!!!
I dunno. I think it's all about nature.
__________________
Knock people down at their own expense, they'll take it as a compliment!!!!
That is such a difficult situation for a parent to be in. In hindsight they probably have regrets over their decision. I personally think it would have been best to leave the boy intact but do what is necessary to ensure proper basic bodily functions. I would then sue the hospital for their mistake and demand that they agree to perform any future surgeries free of charge.
That is such a difficult situation for a parent to be in. In hindsight they probably have regrets over their decision. I personally think it would have been best to leave the boy intact but do what is necessary to ensure proper basic bodily functions. I would then sue the hospital for their mistake and demand that they agree to perform any future surgeries free of charge.
I think it's wrong to raise a child by making them believe they're something or someone they aren't. It will only get harder once they find out. Every truth is bound to surface. The shock of finding out that their whole life was a lie is disturbing.
I would let nature take it's course, boy or girl, my child would be raised with the mannerisms of the gender they were born with.
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The opinions expressed by this poster can be offensive and are mainly directed at Dogo. Delta gamma b i t c h-orama. Copyright 2008 All rights reserved.
The parents where probably so overwhelmed that they thought this was the best options, plus in '65, the research was probably not as advanced.
I think they did the best as per their criteria. I don't think I'll have my kid sex's changed if something like that would happen but I'll go through reconstructive surgery.
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A person who doesn't make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.
So, I was reading about this case about some twin brothers and I have to ask: Homos... born or made?
Case: Bruce and Brian (1965). While getting circumcised the procedure went terribly wrong for Bruce. His penis was so badly burnt that it could not be repaired. At 21 months of age he was examined and his parents were advised to have reconstructive surgery and raise Bruce as a female. Bruce had the surgery and went home with a new name, Brenda. His parents were instructed to never tell Brenda the truth and to raise him as a girl.
This case was later hailed as proof that children are psychosexually neutral at birth and that nurture has more to do with sexual roles than nature. The treatment became focused on what was surgically possible and little attention was given to the psychological, social, or ethical consequences of these decisions. In general, males with a small or malformed penis were "altered" into females because it is easier to make a vagina than a penis.
In spite of the glowing reports about Bruce's progress as Brenda, the reality was much different. As a child, Brenda refused to wear dresses and preferred to play with boys. As a young teen, Brenda rebelled at having further surgery to construct a vagina and threatened to commit suicide. One day, dad, worst secret keeper ever, friggin spilled the beans and within weeks Brenda demanded a sex change surgery. Someone thinks sexual organs grow on trees. After surgery to reconstruct a penis (I thought they said that was hard), it changed its name to David. He later got married and adopted three kids.
What would you have done in the parent's place? Wait until puberty and let the kid decide?
If nurture has little to do with sexual orientation, what about those who turn gay after sexual molestation?
Daaaaah! It's true! 
Case: Bruce and Brian (1965). While getting circumcised the procedure went terribly wrong for Bruce. His penis was so badly burnt that it could not be repaired. At 21 months of age he was examined and his parents were advised to have reconstructive surgery and raise Bruce as a female. Bruce had the surgery and went home with a new name, Brenda. His parents were instructed to never tell Brenda the truth and to raise him as a girl. This case was later hailed as proof that children are psychosexually neutral at birth and that nurture has more to do with sexual roles than nature. The treatment became focused on what was surgically possible and little attention was given to the psychological, social, or ethical consequences of these decisions. In general, males with a small or malformed penis were "altered" into females because it is easier to make a vagina than a penis. In spite of the glowing reports about Bruce's progress as Brenda, the reality was much different. As a child, Brenda refused to wear dresses and preferred to play with boys. As a young teen, Brenda rebelled at having further surgery to construct a vagina and threatened to commit suicide. One day, dad, worst secret keeper ever, friggin spilled the beans and within weeks Brenda demanded a sex change surgery. 
