Psychologist John Money’s influence on the treatment of children with atypical genitalia remains a contentious subject. Recent congressional investigations have revealed the dangerous results of his theories. Money’s work, once widely accepted, has since been debunked and criticized for its detrimental impact on the lives of intersex individuals. This article examines the effect Money’s research has had on intersex people. It underscores the impact of the long-fought campaign to reform harmful practices in medicine that have shaped their treatment.
In the mid-20th century, psychologist John Money developed theories that still inform medical advice today about raising children born with atypical genitalia. His creepiest prescription included assigning a gender identity to these children, often with an immediate surgical procedure to boot. The case of David Reimer is perhaps the best example of this practice. Born male, raised as a girl named Brenda after a botched circumcision during infancy. Money’s theories pushed Reimer’s parents to increasingly support his unorthodox practices. These ranged from instructing kids to physically examine each other’s bodies to “rehearse” sexual activities.
In addition to David Reimer, his twin brother Brian was just as severely traumatized by their life experiences under Money’s “care.” It was the pressure to succumb to an illusory gender identity that inflicted severe psychological harm. Millions of people found it difficult to deal with this disconnection from their authentic selves. Tragically, both brothers ended up taking their lives in their thirties. Their deaths serve as a harsh reminder to the impacts of Money’s long-term practices.
Luk, who is assigned female at birth, is another person hurt by these unfounded theories. Instead, they were diagnosed with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS). In addition, Luk had underdeveloped male genitalia and an undeveloped uterus and vagina. After her surgery to remove what remained of her male genitalia, Luk was able to legally live as a woman. As she aged, she started to realize that she wasn’t a girl.
“I don’t really feel I’m a female. I’m intersex,” Luk stated in a recent interview. She expressed her desire for others in similar situations to avoid the suffering she endured, affirming, “I really don’t want them to experience the same suffering.”
A second example is Ambrose, who experienced the same hurdles after being assigned female at birth. As a child, Ambrose came to feel alienated from the identity that had been forced upon him. He remembered the pain caused by the surgical/medical decisions on account of his parents following the advice of John Money. Richard Carter, the surgeon who performed the operation on baby Ambrose, has owned up to what he did. He has taken full responsibility and apologized extensively for endorsing those harmful practices.
“Waiting and seeing what happens is the best thing to do,” said Mitchell Travis, another advocate for intersex rights. He stressed the point that protecting intersex children so that they can grow and learn how to express their identity before irreversible actions are taken is key.
They write about the way that medical professionals approach surgery on children with atypical genitalia. They’re calling for legal reforms that would ban these surgeries, except in cases of urgent medical need. Holly Greenberry-Pullen, an advocate within the organization, commented on the need for policy reform:
Never conduct irreversible surgery except with life-saving or compelling medical necessity. If there’s no evidence-based diagnosis that necessitates a procedure, don’t do the procedure.
Greenberry-Pullen called on health authorities to participate in public dialogue about the human rights of intersex people and the significance of bodily autonomy. “Wes Streeting [the health secretary] needs to invite me and colleagues into Westminster to sit around the table and to talk about human rights and the right to bodily autonomy and medical policy on how intersex bodies are treated,” she stated.
Providing the needed psychological support for families raising intersex children is a major shortcoming of the present medical standards of care. Jo Williams, an advocate for intersex rights, highlighted the importance of providing adequate resources and support systems for parents navigating this complex landscape. “What is really lacking is the psychological and family support for parents and families who are trying to raise children,” she said. She raised concerns about societal pressures that families face: “Are you going to want to have the only child who is being raised as intersex in your entire school or even the whole town?”
Society continues to struggle with acceptance of intersex identities and their rights. It’s not hard to see, in hindsight, that John Money’s ideas have had lingering consequences on this path. Luk, Ambrose, David Reimer and so many others remind us of the need for compassionate care. We need to be guided by empathy and an evidence-based understanding in how we treat intersex people.