ABSTRACT
Bruce Reimer was eldest of twin boys. While undergoing a routine circumcision, his penis was accidentally burned off. After consulting a world renowned sex researcher, the boy's parents decided it was in the interests of Bruce to raise him as a girl, to be called Brenda. This involved a proposed surgical sex change and a 12-year programme of social and mental readjustment. The case was reported in scientific literature as an unqualified success and unbeknown to Bruce, he became the most famous case studies in medical and psychological literature. Infant sex reassignments, where a child is born with ambiguous genitalia, continue to this day based, in part, on the evidence from this case Ron and Janet Reimer grew up with similar rural backgrounds near Winnipeg, Canada. Nevertheless, while academics continue to debate the best course of action, the life of David Reimer 'the ultimate case study' serves as a poignant reminder as to the crucial importance of the debate.
