Late last week, the IAAF released the results of the genetic identity test of South African runner Caster Semenya. As a female, she was breaking world records. They found internal male parts and an absorbent amount of testosterone. They're saying, she's male ... she's at least a hermaphrodite.
They said all this in a very public way, which I think is a shame. But it's out there, so let's talk about it.
Husband and I were discussing it yesterday morning and he seemed to think that she shouldn't be allowed to run. (She's pulled out of the Olympics, so perhaps it's a moot point - side note, I had this as "mute point" and thought it didn't look right. Now that it is right, I'm wondering why it isn't MUTE point. I may protest this moot v. mute business. Oh, I love the English language.)
I'm not certain, but I sort of think she should be allowed. Scientists have found that Lance Armstrong breathes more efficiently than most humans. Also, Michael Phelps' body is uniquely built for swimming - his huge feet and hands, long torso, and short legs make him, essentially, a fish. These athletes aren't punished for being at a physical advantage to their competitors - things they were born with. Also, say, Semenya was missing an arm. We wouldn't call for her to quit because she had a disadvantage.
Semenya was raised as a girl. To date, we haven't heard of her having a gender identity crisis. She's only 18, but it seems most transgendered people have known even before the onset of puberty that there was something out of place.
It's another interesting story adding to the debate that gender is not so black and white.
9.14.2009
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I think this whole thing is such a huge invasion of privacy. What gives the Olympic community the right to 1) do the testing and 2) report it to the world. She lives as a woman, was raised as a woman, feels like a woman, (also was born with female parts... if that's important) There should be absolutely no question as to letting her run and to give a second gold medal would be saying that Semenya didn't really deserve the first one. I have a feeling that her career is over anyway because of all the press and the fact that she's from a very small and conservative community. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she disappears or commits suicide over this. Damn the small minded and judgmental idiots who run this world!
ReplyDeleteThey said she was on suicide watch. I remember reading that this is not the first time they've done genetic testing, and it's not the first time "a female" has been genetically a male.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of the testing is to make sure people aren't sticking a wig on a male and having him compete as a female (clearly, I know that's a simplistic example). To a degree, I understand it. In this situation, though, I don't think there was anything malicious on her or her country's part and it would have been ideal for the committee to have exercised some better judgment when it came to the testing.
Ugh. That's reallyall I can say about that. At the very least they could have done this quietly and without a fuss. And seriously, where was the crazy police when those tiny gymnasts from China seemed to be too young?
ReplyDeleteYou are cracking me up wiht your "mute point." We had a friend from Colorado who used to say it like that and it took all of my teacher being not to correct him. Although I can see how people would substitute mute, apparently its' a legal expresion that migrated over to common usage. Have you ever seen the episode of Friends where Joey says, "it's a Moo Point. It's like a Cow's opinon--it's Moo."