Assignment: Sex Unknown

The links for the documentary are found with the Week 6 PowerPoint. The film has been divided into four ~ 15 minute segments.

You are asked to view the Nova documentary “Sex Unknown”. This film investigates the complicated topics of biological sex, intersex, and gender identity. While it an older documentary, the issues discussed in it are still relevant today.

Part 1

– Begin your paper with a short summary of the movie.

– From there, discuss what you found most important, interesting, surprising/shocking and, importantly how the information pertains to what you have learned in class thus far. For example, what was the dogma regarding gender change in Dr. Money’s day, who tried to alter the existing paradigm, and what did researcher learn find about the hypothalamus.

– Address the questions:

1. Why can’t they simply test a child born with ambiguous genitalia to determine if they are XX or XY and base surgical alterations on what find?

2. Is infant surgical reassignment still being done today? How do they decide what to do?

– Conclude with your final thoughts and overall opinion of the documentary. Remember, you are writing about your personal reaction to the movie and relating what you understand based on your previous studies.

Part 2

Next search online to learn the end of the story. Write what became of the people involved in the story: the Reimer family, Dr. Money, and Dr. Diamond

Part 3

Go to the companion site http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/gender/ (cut and paste address into your browser) and write up what you learn by viewing one of the five the topics.

Assignment requirements 1.5-2.5 pages, 12 point font, 1 or 1.5 space, 1 inch margins. Spell check, no typos, grammatically correct. Add citations and bibliography for information presented in your paper from the online resources.