Sandra Eder Boeken

This timely history examines the invention of 'gender' in American medicine, tracing its evolution from a pragmatic tool for assigning sex to intersex children in the 1950s to a crucial category for transgender patients in the 1960s, and later a focal point in feminist debates in the 1970s. While our current understanding of gender may differ from earlier definitions, the legacy of this development remains influential. Sandra Eder highlights the transformative nature of the gender concept as it emerged from practices in pediatric endocrinology clinics. The book reveals that 'gender' lacked a single, unified meaning, shaped instead by the behaviors and needs of those who engaged with it. This narrative does not simply present a straightforward introduction of a liberating idea nor does it solely address the medical regime that subjected intersex infants to irreversible surgeries. Instead, it explores the complex discussions surrounding sex, gender, and sexuality in modern US history. The medicalization and popularization of gender concepts were messy processes, with the treatment of intersex patients reflecting contested understandings. This work delves into how intimate ideas were operationalized in medicine and how those practices have influenced contemporary perceptions of gender.