Question

1. The early theories of sex assignment argued for a blank slate for gender like language. How does the case of John-Joan speak to this?

2. What is Dr. Milton Diamond’s stance on sex assignment?

3. Which appears to predominate in sex assignment—nature or nurture?

Answer 1

1. The case of John-Joan in which due to an accident in a medical procedure one of the identical twin lost his penis, was later brought up as a girl, was castrated, given female hormones, but still couldn't identify himself as Joan. Later, he gave up his female identity, and lived as a man, though was not able fully live as a man as he couldn't perform sexual activities, till he committed suicide. Thus, the case of John who was turned into Joan speaks that biology plays an important role in determining one's gender identity and that children are not born as a blank slate with neutral gender identity, but are born with a certain gender identity that is revealed with their development and growth.

2. Dr. Milton Diamond takes the stance that nature plays a prominent role in gender identity. He states that it's not the sexual organs that decide for one's gender identity but more prominently the brain. The brain decides one's gender identity. Hence, parents should holdback from making their intersex children undergo surgical procedures for sex change because ultimately it's their children to decide for their sexual identity.

3. The biological asoects the genes, the hormones play an impotimpo role in one's gender identity than the way one is brought up. Hence, nature is predominant over nurture in this case.