Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Reimer, David
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
- Reimer, Bruce
- Reimer, Brenda
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1965-2004
History
David Peter Reimer was a Canadian man born biologically male but raised female following medical advice and intervention after his penis was accidentally destroyed during a botched circumcision in infancy.
Psychologist John Money oversaw the case and reported the reassignment as successful and as evidence that gender identity is primarily learned. Academic sexologist Milton Diamond later reported that Reimer failed to identify as female since the age of 9 to 11, and transitioned to living as a male at age 15. Well known in medical circles for years anonymously as the "John/Joan" case, Reimer later went public with his story to help discourage similar medical practices. He later committed suicide after suffering years of severe depression, financial instability, and a troubled marriage.