I found this article while catching up on some sports news yesterday and found it rather interesting. Caster Semenya of South Africa has taken the world of track by storm by winning the 800 meter race at the recent World Championships.
What makes this story relevant for our purposes is that there are people, including a couple of runners that lost to her, accusing her of being transgendered. The South African team and Semenya’s relatives assert that she is indeed a woman and are appauled at the accusations.
Now, the IAAF wants her tested, and if she is found not to be a genetic woman, her gold medal will be revoked. In the meantime, Semenya is not speaking publicly.
I’m interested in the outcome of these tests, but I hope that Semenya is treated with dignity throughout the whole process. So, is this a case of mainstream crossdressing or just sore losers looking to tear down the champ?
One headline, “Is women’s world track champion really a man?”, is absolutely disgusting to me. On the one hand, I realize that for athletic competition there are certain rules to follow, but this headline is a perfect example of the media’s insensitivity to gender identity.
So, what do you think about this story? Do you support Caster Semenya completely, even if the “gender tests” that she is subjected to reveal that she is not qualified to compete as a woman? I’d love to hear your opinion and feelings on the matter.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
New information is coming out every day. Which is a shame because the tests should have been a rumor at worst until long after they’ve taken place and its decided one way or the other.
Yes, I feel very bad for her, a lot of people just seem to be jealous of her accomplishment.
The worst part about this, is that Caster Semenya has to be either a man or a woman, definitively. There’s no space in between, in sports (and most other arenas) for a transgendered or androgynous person. And when it’s gotten to the point where we are becoming superhuman, should it really even matter when someone has a little more testosterone or not? I understand that rules are rules, but times are changing, and our bodies are changing. They should keep up.
Even before we tackle the idea of gender identity, there is nothing fully male or female about her physical body. High levels of testosterone don’t make a person any less of a woman.
I hope she gets through this and becomes a better person for it. She earned it, and she deserves every bit of praise for her win.
Steph,
You are so right about that. They are superhuman, so why do hormone levels come into play?
Great comment.