Wow, here's something that goes counter to what I learned.

[Adex_Xeda]

On the issue of male/female identity being hormonal vs. taught.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120914,00.html

[Xzion]

Damn, imagine being 18 and finding out the truth, that would suck.
Hey, Brenda, you used to have a penis, but we accidentally cut that little fucker off and turned you into a girl

[Lalanae]

Yeah I saw a documentary on this person. Quite sad.

I think its unwise to assume that only one or the other plays a role. I think they both do, just as genetics and environment both play a role in personality development. I think gender identity is triggered by nature, but how it is manifested is often a combo of societal influences and natural "instincts".

[Adex_Xeda]

I previously thought that gender could go both ways before someone gets the hormonal bombardment of puberty.

This article relates that "Brenda" showed strong signs of maleness long before puberty despite his parent's attempts to raise him as female.

[vn_Tanc]

What a disgraceful practice. Did anyone else hear the echoes of the work of Dr Mengele in what went on?

[Siji]

She's a man baby!

[Voronwë]

gender is genetic and it is a hard wired feature of the brain in-utero.

[Toshira]

gender is genetic and it is a hard wired feature of the brain in-utero.

True, but gender-specific behavior is not soley genetic. While there may be certain behavior patterns more likely to emerge depending on a person's gender, society also has a role when it reinforces those patterns through negative and positive feedback.

To think that it's purely a black and white issue is to oversimplify it.

[Adex_Xeda]

What throws me is this failure of assumption was known prior to five years ago, and non the less I was told in a gender studies class that gender is 99% societal conditioning.

The prof had to know about this case, but chose not to present it.

It makes me wonder what else she was witholding from the topic.

[Lohrno]

I think if you make such statements you have to clarify what you mean by 'Gender.' Does Gender mean that boys play with tanks, and girls play with dolls? Does Gender mean sexual orientation? (IE: attracted to which sex...)

No matter how you slice it, there are only certain things that are societal, and certain that are genetic.

[Toshira]

What throws me is this failure of assumption was known prior to five years ago, and non the less I was told in a gender studies class that gender is 99% societal conditioning.

The prof had to know about this case, but chose not to present it.

It makes me wonder what else she was witholding from the topic.

Typical woman, lying and deceitful...it must be hard-coded!

[Lynxe]

I can't help but think that the media attention, publications, reports and no doubt social issues this person had to deal with as a result of the whole ordeal created or amplified the problem.

I mean, if he never knew that his gender was switched and neither did anyone else other than his parents/doctor... would "she" have had such a problem or issue with it? The mind is a powerful thing (in certain people ). Regardless of the scientific findings since his suicide, many adults undergo sex change operations and are happier for it.

[Voronwë]

yeah toshira, i wasnt trying to suggest that behaviors that are culturally defined as pertaining to one gender or another are 'genetic'.

[MooZilla]

And this is why i'm never getting circumsized. I'm happy with my extra skin