What is the role of testimony, or telling, in As Nature Made Him? You may choose to include references to the field of psychiatry, to the role of friendship and family, and/or to the field of medical research.

Why does Colapinto so precisely reproduce descriptions of medical procedures and debates in his text? What is the relationship between those descriptions and his overarching discussion of identity development?

How does Brenda/David’s relationship with twin brother Brian shape their childhood and adult experiences? How does that relationship shape the nature/nurture debate that Colapinto features in his writing?

Track Colapinto’s attention to Dr. John Money across the text of As Nature Made Him. What are the opportunities and problems of Money’s work and presence in the medical field? What is Colapinto’s ultimate judgment of Money’s work?

Why does Colapinto begin As Nature Made Him by describing Ron and Janet Reimer’s upbringing? How does the couple’s nature and nurture shape the future of their family?

Depression and suicide plague the Reimer family throughout their lives, even through to David’s death by suicide in 2004. Why does Colapinto describe these episodes in such detail? What does a reader stand to lose or gain in such detailed description? Why does the family choose to share them with the broader world?

What are the broader ethical questions that surface in As Nature Made Him? Select three ethical questions raised by the text and take a position on one. Be sure to reference at least three specific examples from the text to support your position.

Think about Colapinto’s journalistic style. What are the major themes in his narration, and why does he include each of them? Which are most necessary to producing his overall thesis, and which (if any) seem less persuasive?