Alice Domurat Dreger

About the Author

Alice Domurat Dreger is a distinguished historian and bioethicist whose work explores the intricate intersections of medicine, gender, and identity. With a PhD in the history of science and medicine, she has dedicated her career to uncovering the social and ethical dimensions of human variation, challenging conventional narratives in healthcare and society. Dreger's scholarship draws on rigorous archival research and compassionate storytelling to illuminate how scientific practices have shaped our understanding of sex and bodies. A former professor and director of the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities at Northwestern University, she now advocates for evidence-based policy and patient rights. Her influential book, Hermaphrodites and the Medical Invention of Sex, remains a cornerstone in the study of intersex conditions and medical history, praised for its bold critique of medical interventions and its call for greater empathy in clinical practice.