Engendering The Sciences:

1
Engendering The Sciences Non-Normative Bodies
And The Construction Of Scientific Authority

• Womens Studies Senior Seminar
• Chelsea Azevedo

2
POINT OF FOCUS

• Feminist critique of scientific discourse
• Non-normative bodies
• Call to end forced genital reassignment surgery
  (GRS) on interexed infants

3
OUTLINE

• Introduction
• Critique of current standard protocol
• John/Joan Case
• Gendering the Science of Genital Reassignment
  Surgery

1. Ethics How GRS Violates the Cardinal Rule of
   Consent and Informed Consent

1. Conclusion

4
JOHN/JOAN CASE

• Bruce Thiessen/Brenda Thiessen/David Reimer
• Dr. John Money
• Born a genetic XY male
• Reassigned in infancy because of damage to
  phallus
• Re-Reassignment

David Reimer August 22, 1965-May 5, 2004
5
THE BIAS OF INHERENT SEXISM WITHIN THE PRACTICE
OF GRS

• Sex Re-Assignment Default
• Adequacy/Normalcy
• FemaleInferior
• Pre-Judgment of Maleness
• Microphallus
• Psychosexually devastating

6
CONCLUSION

• Perpetuation of a false dichotomy
• Cultural framework of GRS
• Advocation of cessation of forced GRS at birth