Dr. Money
Summary:
August 22, 1965 Janet Reimer gave birth to twins, Brian and Bruce. Who looked to be healthy babies, would lead painful lives, on account of one scientist's radical theory. At seven months the two babies were sent to the local hospital to get a routine circumcision. During the procedure the electrical equipment malfunctioned and Bruce's entire penis was burnt off. Brain did not under go the operation. The family was troubled and did not know what to do until many months later when Janet and her husband, Ron, saw a TV commercial about Dr. John Money, a well respected sexologist, featured in a debate about sex operations on transsexuals. Janet wrote to Dr. Money and they decided to turn Bruce into Brenda, they surgically reconstructed Bruce's genitals to look like a woman's and were going to raise him as a girl. Dr. Money used this as research for his theory 'The Gender Gate', he argued, before the age of two if the parents chose the sex of the child, the way they brought it up would determine the child's gender, not its physical characteristics.
Reflection:
Bruce grew up confused and probably felt very lost. He was raised to be something he wasn't and that caused a tremendous emotional impact during puberty when he was beginning to have normal teenage boy thoughts. He was lied to by everyone that loved him and supposedly had his best interest in mind. In my eyes, Dr. Money experimented on an consenting subject and altered his life forever. Part of Bruce's identity was stolen from him through these lies and he could never truly experience life as his true self. Dr. Money's theory is unethical on so many levels. How would it be okay that your parents challenge what sex they want you to be rather than the sex that you are born. Your parents raise you off of their morals and values, and shape what you believe in but in the end it is up to you and nobody can decide who you are and that is what the Reimer's tried to do with Bruce.
