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John Money

Definition

John Money was a psychologist who pioneered theories about gender identity and argued that it was primarily learned rather than innate. He was involved in the controversial case of David Reimer.

Analogy

Think of John Money as an architect who believed he could design any building (or in this case, gender identity) regardless of the materials (or biological sex) he had to work with. However, his blueprint didn't always match reality - just like you can't turn bricks into glass no matter how you arrange them, you can't change someone's inherent sense of their own gender through social conditioning alone.

Related terms

Gender Role: These are societal norms dictating what types of behaviors are generally considered acceptable, appropriate or desirable for a person based on their actual or perceived sex.

Gender Dysphoria: This is a psychological condition where a person experiences discomfort or distress because there's a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity.

Biological Determinism: This is the idea that all human behavior is innate, determined by genes, brain size, or other biological attributes. It contrasts with theories which emphasize that human behavior is primarily shaped by learning or nurture.