Question

The “men are men and women are women” assumption – otherwise known as the “mamawawa”- is generally considered valid in our society. Does the outcome of the ablatio peni sex reassignment case of Bruce/Brenda/David Reimer provide evidence for and/or against the “mamawawa”? Support your answer.

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) The “men are men and women are women” statement means that the inherent traits or orientation that one is born with are what one is inclined to throughout their lives. For instance, if a woman or man is born effeminate, they will be inclined to be feminine. Similarly, if a man or woman feels masculine, it is likely that they will be that way all their lives.

The David Reimer is a unique but, tragic case where the dynamics of gender and orientation were seen through new perspectives. The case of David Reimer is firstly a terribly sad case because it was one where a child was the experimental subject. Since the doctor who attempted to fix his birth defect accidentally botched the circumcision that he recommended, David was advised to be raised as a girl.

This is where psychologist John Money lied that one’s gender is a matter of how they are nurtured or brought up. However, gender is a matter of one’s nature. As a result, David was not pleased to be a girl and decided to be a boy once he found out what had happened to him.

David eventually had a troubled life and died by committing suicide. This is a case that has not only proven the importance of ethics within the medical community but, also helped value one’s choice in the gender that they are assigned. This case is clear evidence for the “mamawawa” ideology.