The Case Study Written By Keith K. Schillo Of Suny College

David’s Story The case study written by Keith K. Schillo of SUNY College at Oneonta gives a brief argument of how the nurture theory could possibly be the cause of gender identity based on the struggles one boy had to endure during his life. The case study goes on to describe how a twin boy went from being a boy to a girl and then back to being a boy again back in 1965 to determine if gender identity was based solely on the nurture theory, or if nature was the cause. Due to the inability of both boys being able to urinate properly, it was decided to circumcise them in hopes that they could live normal healthy lives, but due to the use of unconventional methods, one boy was severely mutilated and forced to live without a penis. Based on the nurture theory of development, one psychologist from John Hopkins University believed if the child was completely castrated and reassigned gender, the parents could raise him as a girl and that she would grow up healthy and happy. While he was treated as a femal e, he still maintained the desire of being male and acted accordingly by refusing the many variables given to him such as clothing or activities that often reflect female instead of male characteristics. After many years of being trapped in a girl’s body, he underwent a double mastectomy to remove his breasts, and had a penis reconstructed so that he could once again live freely as a male. After all this, he eventually married and lived a happy life until one day he was consumed by