Sex & Gender - Diamond & Sigmundson (1987)

PROCEDURE

Bruce Reimer was one of a pair of Canadian twins born in 1965. When the twins were 8 months old, they were taken to hospital to undergo circumcision. However, during this procedure, a majority of Bruce's penis was burnt off due to the presence of lasers in a new procedure. At this time, there was not enough medical knowledge to reconstruct a new penis for him. A psychologist Dr John Money suggested that they raised boy as a girl, as he believed that we are psychosexually neutral at birth.

Thus, at the age of 17 months, he was castrated and renamed Brenda, from there onwards they were raised as a girl. Dr Money monitored Brends using interviews and observation.

RESULTS 

As Brenda approached puberty, she was given hormones, yet she still maintained a relatively masculine appearance and mannerisms. Additionally, she experienced attraction to girls and rejected boys who showed interest in her. Finally, she preferred masculine activities such as sports.

When she was 13, Brenda's parents revealed what had happened to her. Relieved, Brenda renamed himself as David, had his penis reconstructed, and married a woman.

This means that this study supports the biological theory.

CRITICISMS

1 - The study features a very small sample

• This means that it cannot be generalised to a larger population, as this person could be an exception.

2 - Extraneous variables could've effected the outcome

• Extraneous variables such as the presence of a twin brother, and his parents' knowledge of his original sex could affect the way his gender identity developed.
•  Furthermore, the contamination effect may have affected his gender development, as he was raised as a boy for the first 17 months of his life.

3 - Dr Money became biased, and was considered unethical

• Dr Money made the twins pose in compromising positions in order to further enforce gender roles.
• Dr Money also didn't report Brenda's presence of masculine features.

4 - It ignored ethical guidelines

• Bruce was subject to psychological harm
• Bruce could not provide informed consent for the sex change operation
• Bruce also didn't provide informed consent for being studied, and wasn't given the right for withdrawal.