Dr. Money: Was he a medical Saint or Menace?
Dr. John Money was a renowned sexologist and psychologist. The bulk of his work was geared toward gender identity issues throughout his career. He developed his gender identity theories based on case studies. He was very keen on studying intersex individuals. The goal was to understand the complexity of sexual differentiation. He was known for his infamous experiment with the Reimer twins in the 60s. This experiment was later revealed to be one of the most unethical experiments in psychology. Money was responsible for developing the concept of gender as a social construct. However, his treatment of the Reimer twins was detrimental.
Who were the Reimer twins & why are they significant to science?
Bruce Reimer was born as a biological male. Due to a botched circumcision performed on him at eight months old, his parents were medically advised to raise him as a female. This seemed like the best logical answer at that time to avoid future complications. At least, that’s what they were told. What the Reimers didn’t know was that they were really a part of an experiment run by Dr. Money. Dr. Money, the advising doctor, claimed that the child would easily adapt to the new identity. What Dr. Money was really doing was using the twins as subjects to test his hypothesis. He believed that gender was a social construct. The doctor separated Bruce from his twin named Brian. Bruce underwent surgery and hormone therapy to become a female as an infant. Bruce became “Brenda”. Brian, his twin, was raised as a male.
Dr. Money’s lack of medical ethics and informed consent
Dr. Money’s unethical practices in this experiment have been widely criticized. Critics pointed out that there was no proper informed consent or ethical oversight. Furthermore, Dr. Money used the Reimer twins’ case to propagate his theories of gender identity. Nothing was based on scientific evidence. He neglected to inform the child’s family about the possible long-term psychological implications. Dr. Money also failed to acknowledge Brenda’s discontent with the process. Dr. Money didn’t disclose the risks associated with this procedure. This was extremely unethical and caused significant harm to Brenda.
Introducing David
The family tried for years to raise Bruce as “Brenda” under medical advisement from Dr. Money. The attempts were unsuccessful. It didn’t matter what he looked like. Brenda identified as male from an early age. He grew up feeling like an outsider in his perceived female role. Brenda underwent another surgery to become male again at the age of 14. He renamed himself “David”.
Recap: He was born “Bruce”, and transitioned into “Brenda”. He underwent sexual reassignment surgery once again to become “David”.
More Unethical Behavior
To add insult to injury, Dr. Money also lied about the twins’ success rate. His hopes were to convince other doctors and parents to attempt gender reassignment surgeries on more children. Moreover, he failed to acknowledge the psychological and emotional aspects of this experiment. David underwent a lot of trauma as a result of reassigning his gender as an infant.
What did this experiment do for the field of Psychology?
Dr. Money’s experiment was extremely detrimental to the field of psychology. The investigation was flawed from the start. Biology plays a crucial role in shaping an individual’s gender identity. Dr. Money’s lack of acknowledgment of these biological factors in gender assignment led to more blundered theories. These theories are still being debunked today by newer research and studies.
The Final Outcome: What happened to the Reimer twins once they reached adulthood?
Both twins struggled with identity issues. They suffered significant psychological trauma throughout their childhood and adolescent years. Brian Reimer struggled especially hard even though he had not been physically tampered with. He also battled schizophrenia and depression later in life. Brian succumbed to his pain via suicide at age 38 by overdosing on anti-depressant medication in 2002.
David Reimer spent the later years of his life as an outspoken advocate against forced gender assignment procedures. He went public with his story in the book “As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As A Girl”. His story was co-authored by John Colapinto in 2000. The book brought attention to the ethical implications of gender reassignment surgeries.
In 2004, David took his own life with a fatal self-inflicted gunshot to the head. His death came after years of struggling with financial difficulties and personal turmoil. Both of the Reimer twins died by suicide before the age of 40.
In Conclusion
The Reimer case unfolded as one of the most tragic examples of unethical human experimentation ever conducted. Dr. Money, was widely recognized for his contributions to gender identity. He is also responsible for one of the most unethical experiments in psychology. lies surrounding the experiment’s success covered the truth of what these twins endured. Let’s not also forget the lack of regard for the psychological damage caused.
Dr. Moneys’ complete disregard for the biological factors in gender assignment led to his flawed theories. Money’s experiment is a warning to cautiousness and carefulness while conducting psychological experiments. They might have significant long-term negative effects not just on the individual but the whole field of psychology.
Disclaimer: This article is not degrading or berating any group. This article is discussing a huge medical injustice.
