Dr Money and the boy with no penis.

Date:
2004
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About this work

Description

This is the story of David Reimer, one of two twin boys named Bruce and Brian, who was born in Canada in the 1960's. Catastrophically for his entire family as well as himself, his penis was burnt off in a botched circumcision operation when he was still a tiny baby. The parents were both traumatised by this event and in a dilemma about their son's future when they saw psychologist Dr. John Money being interviewed about sex change operations on national television. They contacted Money and he recommended they raise David as a girl, so between the ages of 2-14 David was known as Brenda. Brenda then became an inspiration for the two books on gender that were to make Money's career. This documentary looks at the effects of this decision on the life of David and his family. Much attention is paid to Money's likely manipulation of the truth of the success of David's sex change, as well as his inability to acknowledge the 'experiment' was failing - the programme includes dramatic reconstructions of some of the psychologically draining sessions David was forced to endure with Dr. Money. There are also (mostly archival) interviews with David, his father, his mother and twin brother who went on to become a schizophrenic. Tragically David committed suicide in May this year.

Publication/Creation

UK : BBC 2, 2004.

Physical description

1 DVD (50 min.) : sound, color, PAL.

Series

Copyright note

BBC TV

Creator/production credits

Written and produced by Sanjida O'Connell. Narrated by Dilly Barlow.

Type/Technique

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores
    1971D

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