John Money (1921-2006) was a New Zealand-born psychologist and sexologist who is perhaps best known for his work on gender identity and sexual orientation. He spent most of his career at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, where he founded the Gender Identity Clinic in 1965.
Money was born in Morrinsville, New Zealand, and studied psychology at Victoria University in Wellington. He received his PhD from Harvard University in 1952, and began teaching at Johns Hopkins in 1951. His early work focused on animal behavior, but he later shifted his attention to human sexuality.
Money is best known for his work on gender identity, which he defined as "the private experience of being male or female." He argued that gender identity was a product of both biological and social factors, and that it could be influenced by early experiences and socialization. He coined the term "gender role" to describe the cultural expectations and norms associated with being male or female. One of Money's most well-known contributions to the field of gender studies was his theory of gender neutrality, which posits that gender is a social construct that is learned through socialization, rather than being inherent or biologically determined. Money believed that individuals are not born with a pre-existing sense of gender identity, but rather that they develop a gender identity through socialization and cultural conditioning.
Money also studied intersex individuals, or individuals with ambiguous genitalia or reproductive systems, and his work in this area challenged traditional notions of binary gender categories. He argued that gender was not solely determined by biological factors such as chromosomes or genitalia, but rather was a complex interplay between biological, social, and cultural factors.
What was Money's hypothesis on gender studies?
John Money's hypothesis was that gender identity is primarily shaped by social and environmental factors rather than biological ones. He believed that gender was a social construct, and that individuals' gender identity could be shaped by their upbringing, socialization, and cultural environment.
Money's hypothesis was based on his observations of intersex individuals (individuals born with ambiguous genitalia) and his work with transgender individuals. He argued that gender identity was not determined by genetics or hormones but rather by socialization and the way an individual was raised.
Money's hypothesis led him to advocate for a more flexible approach to gender identity, promoting the idea that gender was not fixed and that individuals should be able to choose their own gender identity. He used the case of the Reimer twins as evidence to support his hypothesis, claiming that Brenda's gender identity as a girl was a result of her upbringing as a girl, despite being born male.
John Money story with the Reimer twins ?
The John Money story with the twins is a well-known case study in psychology that illustrates the potential consequences of gender identity development.In 1965, John Money, a prominent psychologist and sexologist, was approached by the parents of two infant twins, Bruce and Brian Reimer, who were born as identical males but had their penises accidentally destroyed during a circumcision procedure. The parents were distraught and sought Money's help in raising their sons as girls.Money convinced the parents that the best course of action was to surgically alter Bruce's genitals and raise him as a girl, renamed Brenda. Money believed that gender was primarily a social construct and that he could use the twins' case to prove that gender identity could be shaped by upbringing and environment, rather than biology.For several years, Money monitored Brenda's progress, using her case as evidence to support his theories. However, the experiment was not successful. Brenda did not identify as a girl and instead exhibited masculine behavior and interests. Her relationship with her parents and brother also suffered, and she struggled with depression and anxiety.In the late 1970s, Brenda, now a teenager, learned the truth about her past and decided to transition back to male. He underwent hormone therapy and surgery and changed his name to David. Unfortunately, the trauma of his childhood and the failed experiment with his gender identity left David with lasting emotional scars, and he eventually died by suicide in 2004.
The John Money story with the twins illustrates the complexity of gender identity development and the potential consequences of attempts to alter it artificially. It also highlights the importance of respecting individuals' gender identity and allowing them to express themselves authentically.
However Money's work on gender identity was controversial, and some of his ideas have been criticized for being overly deterministic or reductionist. He also became embroiled in a scandal in the late 1990s, when it was revealed that he had used unethical methods in a case involving twin boys, one of whom had undergone sex reassignment surgery.
Despite these controversies, Money's work continues to influence the fields of psychology, sexology, and gender studies. His legacy includes the Gender Identity Clinic at Johns Hopkins, which he founded and which continues to provide care to transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.