David Reimer

David Peter Reimer (born Bruce Peter Reimer; 22 August 1965 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – 4 May 2004) was born a boy, but brought up as a girl.

David Reimer was the elder of identical twin boys. He had a complete penile amputation due to a complication of non-therapeutic elective circumcision.

David Reimer said, referring to nature being stronger than nurture to define gender identity:

"I'm living proof, and if you are not going to take my word as gospel, because I have lived through it, who else are you going to listen to? Who else is there? I've lived through it. Is it going to take someone killing themselves, shooting themselves in the head for people to listen?"

David Reimer shot himself not too long afterwards.

John Colapinto's book, "As nature made him"^[1] also states that Reimer decided to come public when he learned that potentially thousands of children had been sexually reassigned over the alleged success of his own (failed) sexual reassignment. Until then, David believed that his case was unique.