As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl

As Nature Made Him chronicles the true story of David Reimer, who was raised as a girl following a circumcision accident in infancy in 1966. The case became one of the most famous in the history of gender studies and sexual identity research. Dr. John Money, a renowned sexologist at Johns Hopkins, convinced David's parents to raise him as a girl through surgery, hormones and strict psychological conditioning. The family followed this guidance while keeping the original circumstances secret from their child. The book follows David's journey through childhood and adolescence as he struggled with his assigned identity, despite the medical establishment presenting his case as a success. Colapinto conducted extensive interviews with the family and examined medical records to piece together this landmark case. This work raises fundamental questions about gender identity, medical ethics, and the complex relationship between nature and nurture in human development. The ripple effects of this single case influenced decades of medical practices and theories about gender.

Readers describe this book as both fascinating and disturbing, with many noting they finished it in one or two sittings. The clear, journalistic writing style helps make complex medical and psychological concepts accessible. Readers appreciated: - Thorough research and extensive interviews - Balanced presentation of facts without sensationalism - Important insights into gender identity and medical ethics - Clear timeline of events Common criticisms: - Repetitive sections - Too much focus on Dr. Money's background - Some medical details feel excessive - Writing becomes dry in technical passages Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (15,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (300+ ratings) Reader quotes: "Couldn't put it down. A haunting look at how arrogance in medicine can destroy lives." -Goodreads "Important story but gets bogged down in details." -Amazon "Should be required reading for medical students." -LibraryThing

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🔸 David Reimer's case (the subject of the book) was originally known as the "John/Joan case" in medical literature, and for years it was cited as proof that gender identity was primarily determined by nurture rather than nature. 🔸 The author, John Colapinto, first wrote about David Reimer's story for Rolling Stone magazine in 1997, and the overwhelming response led him to expand it into this full-length book. 🔸 Dr. John Money, the psychologist who convinced David's parents to raise him as a girl, never admitted he was wrong about the case, even after David's devastating testimony about his childhood experiences and eventual return to living as male. 🔸 The tragic aftermath of David's story continued beyond the book's publication - he died by suicide in 2004 at age 38, two years after his twin brother's death from an overdose of antidepressants. 🔸 The book's publication in 2000 helped reshape medical practices regarding intersex children and gender reassignment, leading many medical institutions to become more cautious about performing early gender surgeries.