rose for emily thesis essay
How parents raise boys and girls
1) Bruce Reimer, who lost his penis as the result of a botched circumcision in 1996 and was raised by his parents as a girl. As Bruce grew up he knew something was wrong in his life, and he later reclaimed his male identity. Reimer’s story is often cited in nature – versus – nature debates as evidence that people are shaped more by their biology than by their environment.
2) Colapinto was understandably curious about his own son earliest expressions of boyishness. He and his wife, Donna gave their baby range of toys that included soft, cuddly playthings, as well as cars and plans. Colapinto tired not to stack the deck in any way, though he knew that parents, relatives and friends are always sending subtle signals to children. But to and behold he first word Johnny said was “car”.
3) He was given a policewoman doll and was particularly curious about the gun at her side. The first time he was able to pick up and play with a toy by himself, Johnny chose a plane and made engine noises as he looped the plane through figure eights in the air. In Colapinto’s eyes, his son was confirming what he learned while researching his book that much of what makes boys and girls behave the way they do is hard – wired. Says Colapinto: “ Clearly it’s a reality.”
4) Many parents would agree. Most little boys do play and act so differently from most little girls and do so from such an early age, that it’s only natural for parents to conclude that gender differences reflect something innate and biological rather than the influences of the cultural surround.
5) John Money, a renowned sex researcher who advised Bruce Reimer’s parents started believing that nurture held the upper hand, and that a person’s identity is made not born. Although it can seem these days as if the Zeitgeist is pushing the pendulum back to nature’s side – mapping the human genome, for instance, brings almost daily pronouncements about how DNA determines the course of our lives
1) Bruce Reimer, who lost his penis as the result of a botched circumcision in 1996 and was raised by his parents as a girl. As Bruce grew up he knew something was wrong in his life, and he later reclaimed his male identity. Reimer’s story is often cited in nature – versus – nature debates as evidence that people are shaped more by their biology than by their environment.
2) Colapinto was understandably curious about his own son earliest expressions of boyishness. He and his wife, Donna gave their baby range of toys that included soft, cuddly playthings, as well as cars and plans. Colapinto tired not to stack the deck in any way, though he knew that parents, relatives and friends are always sending subtle signals to children. But to and behold he first word Johnny said was “car”.
3) He was given a policewoman doll and was particularly curious about the gun at her side. The first time he was able to pick up and play with a toy by himself, Johnny chose a plane and made engine noises as he looped the plane through figure eights in the air. In Colapinto’s eyes, his son was confirming what he learned while researching his book that much of what makes boys and girls behave the way they do is hard – wired. Says Colapinto: “ Clearly it’s a reality.”
4) Many parents would agree. Most little boys do play and act so differently from most little girls and do so from such an early age, that it’s only natural for parents to conclude that gender differences reflect something innate and biological rather than the influences of the cultural surround.
5) John Money, a renowned sex researcher who advised Bruce Reimer’s parents started believing that nurture held the upper hand, and that a person’s identity is made not born. Although it can seem these days as if the Zeitgeist is pushing the pendulum back to nature’s side – mapping the human genome, for instance, brings almost daily pronouncements about how DNA determines the course of our lives