In 1965, Janet Reimer, a resident of Winnipeg, Canada experienced a tragedy with her twin sons. Six months after birth, Bruce was left without a penis due to a catastrophic circumcision accident. To counter the potential emotional trauma this could cause in Bruce’s later life, Janet and her husband embarked on an experimental journey that was at the time revolutionary: they decided to raise Bruce as Brenda.
This experiment would become one of the most controversial and talked about theories in science today – and it all started in 1967 when Bruce became Brenda. Following the course of the next three decades, this case became an intriguing subject for many researchers and scientists who sought out to better understand gender development and its implications.
If you want to learn more about this story, watch ‘The Story of Bruce/Brenda: An Intersex Odyssey’, a 90-minute documentary directed by Bobbie van der List which follows Janet Reimer’s journey from 1965 until today. This acclaimed documentary is narrated by UK broadcaster Lord Michael Grade and features interviews with some of the world’s leading experts in gender development who further explore this groundbreaking idea.
Don’t miss out on your chance to uncover more information surrounding one of science’s most fascinating theories – have a look at ‘The Story of Bruce/Brenda: An Intersex Odyssey’ and delve into Janet Reimer’s incredible story.
