Studying the Book Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl - Essay Example

As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl What were your thoughts on Dr. Money? Dr. Money is self centered as his decision to recommend to the Reimers to sexually assign their son is controversial. He sites that gender is nurtured and can be learned dismissed the biological aspect of it. He performs all this as an effort of fulfilling his personal theory on gender being nurtured rather than being dictated by nature. He goes a heard to publish a medical journal that will rather be used to ascertain Brenda’s case. He ensures that the Reimers report to him and annually report to him on the progress of their daughter (Colapinto, 2000). This was an effort not to assist Brenda but rather accomplish his project and gain his information to report to the anxious world. He reports the case to be successful despite the efforts being fruitless as Brenda developed masculine behaviors and. He also ignores the welfare of Brenda, among his recommendations he suggests that the truth be hidden from her. This where the reason behind the psychological trauma David (previously Brenda experienced earlier in life. Dr. John Money lacked future predicting and was short sighted he ignored the life time implications hi action would have both on David and future related transgender cases (Colapinto, 2000). The sexologist controversial argument lacked scientific prove and only used it for personal gains. The failure on the case was due to the fact that David no sexual differentiation which made it a case study he lacked guideline since he had no defined period at which the project could be considered a success . These traits made Dr. Money to be controversial in his choices and theory. Did your opinion about him change over the course of the book? Throughout the text Dr. Money is seen to be controversial and selective in making choices. It is evident on how his influence affected even her students. The sexology maintains the same traits and is quick to defend choices. After the failure of his case he blames the parents for not adhering to the guidelines provided and termed their late decisions as the main contributors of the failed project. This indicates how he failed to acknowledge when matters failed. He failed to admit his failures; he continued to deceive people that the whole process was a success even thought Brenda had reverted back to David (Colapinto, 2000). The case shows a man who fails in his attempts and is slow to admit but rather shifts blame in order to protect his reputation. He is egocentric and provides reasons behinds every failure. As a case study he ought to have included more parties that would evaluate his progress on the case. The lack of scientific evidence on his experimental case was evident on how Dr. Money perceived matters. The involvement of the Doctor in forcing Brenda and her twin brother to practice sexual positions clearly describe his unethical nature (Colapinto, 2000). How has your perception of Inter gendered/transgendered people changed after reading the book? The initial reactions on transgender were a resistant attitude and perception of being morally wrong and perceived it as psychological problem. The article changed this perception and understood how a person exhibiting different gender traits a part from that assigned usually undergoes transformational processes. The process usually takes place while transiting and various factors may be included. The choices by parents to choose their children gender may affect the well being of the transgender. The choices by the transgender should be respected as failure to do so may affect them psychologically and in the end results to very tragic life events. The perception of considering transgender t be mentally distorted changed. The self identification process changed this thought. They consider themselves to be unstressed hence this traits makes them normal. The nature of discrimination the transgender receive prompts them to undergo surgical procedure in order to reduce stigma associated to transgender. The article expresses the levels of support each individual needs while undergoing the transition and express the emotional feelings the transgender feels while being distressed. The article also expresses how the transgender learns of their gender differences. The choices by parents to interfere with the gender of their parents eventually affect their normal life. The articles express the freedom of choice to transgender and the societal support to them in order to ensure reduced suicide cases. What were the unique challenges facing the Reimer family? Reimer family faced different challenges which included their son’s surgical accident which contributed to their troubles through the text. In David’s case he had no sexual Differentiation disorder thus his case was the first of the kind. The traumatic events on the Reimer’s family changed their way of life. First was the unprecedented nature in which Dr. Money advised them to raise their child. The special attention given to Brenda affected his twine brother’s life as they he concluded to be neglected by the family. The root cause of their problem was the advice given to them by Dr. Money (Colapinto, 2000). David’s twin brother developed Schizophrenia. Which he attributed it to the psychological problems brain had to endure during his childhood life. The choices the parents had to reveal the true gender identity of David come with consequences. David developed suicidal characteristic and confronted the world to be the cause of her problems. He develops attitudes due to his traumatic childhood life. The twins developed similar traits and lived miserably. David dies of an overdose while his twin brother David through a sequence of events commits suicide. The death of her brother and the separation by his wife prompted him to take these actions. The family generally is faced by a series of psychological problems whose blame can be attributed to their parent’s decision to choose Dr. Moneys advice. The failure to reveal the true identify of their son come with future consequence. At his childhood life he was rejected by his colleagues and brother due to the fear of intimidations. These where the challenges the family had to endure during their enter life. In which the story ends tragically. Could their lives have gone differently? The decision of the Reimers to raise David as a girl had its future implications. Had the parents decided to follow nature and allow David to grow as boy, then the troubles would not have befallen the family. The assignment on David cause psychological trauma to both David and the family. The transition back to his true gender was long and David took a lot in order to transit emotionally and psychologically. The irony of the case is that David decided to revert back to his gender. Their lives could have been different if at all the assignment on David had not been taken then things could have been different. The measures that could have been taken were to provide David with the needed psychological assist and raise him normally to avoid the levels of stigma he faced growing up. The corrective surgery performed on him at adulthood could have assisted him if it was done during his infant years. How? Is it the responsibility of societies and governments to respond to the needs of third gendered peoples? Please explain. It is the responsibility of both the government and the society to respond to third gendered people. Regulations should be designed by the government to avoid discrimination and at the same time provide equality. They should be allowed to take job opportunities in both the private and public sectors. The society has a role in ensuring moral support through communication and should create a friendly environment in which the third party gender will feel less stigmatized. This will reduce their psychological problems brought about unfriendly environments. They should feel part of society. This will enhance emotional support needed by them. Stigma is the main problem faced by the third party gendered individuals and the society and government remains the only solution in dealing with their problem. Reference Colapinto, J. (2000). As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl. New York: HarperCollins Read More