#castersemenya

[schooloffeminism]

#Herstory #UnDiaComoHoy Mokgadi Caster Semenya (Limpopo, Sudáfrica; 7 de enero de 1991), conocida como #CasterSemenya, es una #atleta sudafricana especialista en la prueba de 800 metros, donde ha conseguido ser dos veces #campeonaolímpica —en Londres 2012 y Río de Janeiro 2016—, y tres veces #campeonamundial —2009, 2011 y 2017. Semenya es una mujer cisgénero #intersexual, asignada como mujer en el nacimiento,​ con cromosomas XY y con niveles naturalmente elevados de #testosterona debido a una deficiencia de 5-alfa reductasa.​ Después de su victoria en el Campeonato Mundial de 2009, fue anunciado que sería sometida a un test sexual.​ Fue retirada de las competiciones internacionales hasta el 6 de julio de 2010, cuando la Asociación Internacional de Federaciones de Atletismo (IAAF) le permitió regresar. En 2019 nuevas normas de la IAAF entraron en efecto, impidiendo a mujeres como Semenya participar en eventos de 400, 800 y 1500 metros hasta que tomaran medicación para bajar sus niveles de testosterona. El 25 de febrero de 2021, su abogado dijo que apelaría en el Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos. Semenya fue nombrada como una de las 100 Personas Más Influyentes de 2019 de la revista #Time. — Wikipedia #mujerydeporte #educarenigualdad #educarenfeminismo #schooloffeminism https://www.instagram.com/p/CYcCXc6q-S5/?utm_medium=tumblr

[scarrow]

Sex is not a binary. Here’s a fascinating report by Vox on the recent difficulties of trying to put sex into two boxes by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The report features Caster Semenya, who has been in the news this year (2019) for court issues around her sex and whether of not she’s allowed to compete. She’s a gold medalist from the Rio Olympics. She has naturally high testosterone. When Michael Phelps (swimmer) has naturally size 14 feet, he’s admired.

But a woman with naturally high testosterone is brought to court.

There are many factors that contribute to performance- no reason to single testosterone out as the defining factor.  It’s just IAAF’s most recent way to determine sex. 

The video has an excellent history of women in the Olympics. There have been suspicions around female athletes for a long time. And when the testing began, they would change it to make it more strict and harder to pass.

1966: Polish athlete Klobukowska had to submit to a “nude parade” where physicians examined her genitals to confirm she was a women. 

1967: Klobukowska tested again, this time looking at her chromosomes. She failed.

We’re taught that male and female is a simple matter of xx and xy hormones. But, it’s actually more complicated. There’s a lot of options in the middle. 

DSD- differences of sexual development, intersex. Many people can reach sexual maturity without ever knowing they have a DSD.

In 201, the IAAF switched to testestorone testing.

Dutee Chand, an Indian athlete with naturally high testosterone, failed the test and was banned. She appealed the decision and won, because IAAF didn’t provide scientific evidence for linking testosterone and performance. But, then IAAF conducted a study that supported their views. They lowered the testosterone level requirements even more, leading to Semenya’s ban in 2019. 

The ban has a way out: “She’ll have to take drugs to lower her testosterone levels in order to complete.”

Sementa isn’t interested in that option. “I’d rather just be natural, you know, be who I am. I was born like this. I don’t want any changes.” She has also appealed and won, but the fight continues. 

(It’s fascinating to me how the same people who don’t want to allow transgender people to take hormonal medication also want to force someone cisgender who doesn’t fit their expectations to take the same medication.)

Other top winners from the Rio Olympics are under the same discrimination. 

Only athletes who look “suspicious” need to be tested. It depends on appearance… Non-white athletes from the global south are being selected because they don’t fit someone’s stereotype of what a woman looks like. So, racism is an obvious factor here. 

Caster Semenya has been wrongly reported as transgender- she isn’t. (She was assigned female at birth and still identifies as female.)

“This is rooted in sex and athletic official’s inability to find a criteria that will fairly divide athletes into the two categories of men and women.” (Appearance draws the line at one location, chromosomes draw the line somewhere else, testosterone draws the line somewhere else…)

Sex is not a binary.

[crossdreamers]

Why should transgender, hyperandrogenous and intersex athletes be treated differently?

On Wednesday, double Olympic champion Caster Semenya lost her appeal against the introduction of new rules regulating the testosterone levels for athletes with a difference in sex development (DSD).

Julia Serano over at twitter makes an important argument about human diversity and sports.

Note that hyperandrogenism is a medical condition estimated to occur in 5% to 10% of women. How on earth are they going to police this?

[trackandfieldimage]

Mokgadi Caster Semenya, South Africa 🇿🇦, Olympic gold medalist / World Champion. . . . . . . . Trackandfieldimage.com . . . . . #CasterSemenya #mokgadi #mokgadicastersemenya #jeffcohenphoto #southafrica #olympicchampion #worldchampion #400m #800m #trackandfield #athlete #athletics #iaaf @castersemenya800m @team_mzansi @nike https://www.instagram.com/p/BxCyldSlytj/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1poflm1gpg9o3

[thatwritergirlsblog]

#castersemenya #castersemenya🇿🇦 #iaaf https://www.instagram.com/p/BxCMfI7HpTk/?igshid=1ckbn2gbfop56

[theworldismyoysterandiamthepearl]

“Court Rules Against Caster Semenya, Says She Must Lower Testosterone To Compete”

The IAAF wants to hobble Semenya.  

Michael Phelps feet are size 14 and bend 15 degrees further back than most people.  Should his feet be hobbled?

Usain Bolt has double twitch fibers in his leg muscles.  Should his leg muscles be hobbled?

pic and title from https://www.npr.org/2019/05/01/719119864/court-rules-against-caster-semenya-says-she-must-lower-testosterone-to-compete 

(Michael Phelps comment from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-makes-michael-phelps-so-good1/)

(Usain Bolt comment from https://qz.com/1043997/usain-bolt-is-the-fastest-human-in-the-world-heres-the-science-that-shows-how-he-does-it/)

[weightsandpsychology]

Now be it my humble opinion, I believe this is the greatest article relating to the Caster Semenya Saga.

If you dont know, Caster Semenya is a South African athlete that has come under scrutiny and controversy, in some landmark events, she was forced to take a gender verification test. Her results were somewhat leaked online. I am unsure of the exact details and wish not to comment. However, what is true is she is intersex. Genetically she is not a woman (XX chromosomes).

There is a lot of love and hate been thrown around. Some female runners applauded her. Other agree with talk of bans.

Before I go on, let me identify myself as a feminist, and I believe I am speaking from a Critical Paradigm. I fully support LGBTQI rights. What is ridiculous is the IAAF wants her to take medication to lower her testosterone level. Why this is ridiculous the IAAF want her testosterone under 5 nmol/L Which is 7.5 times the average for women!

I see this as the beginning of the death of sports. At this rate soon we going to have divisions for any sex (biological) based on testosterone levels. Coming soon, the 1-2 nmol/L division, 2-3 nmol/L division, 3-4 nmol/L division, 4-5 nmol/L division….

And if there is no division by biological sex, obviously a middle age man, with his testosterone levels in the toilet could partake in the ‘womens’ 3-4 nmol/L division…

I am not trying to hate on anyone or point out anything wrong. Merely saying that penalising someone for having high testosterone is not the answer. Remember during all that training up to a sporting event (IE her whole life) she has reaped the benefits of high testosterone. These include neuromuscular adaptations, more muscle mass, faster recover, increased VO2 max, etc.

I see it quite simply- division should be based on genetic traits. XX, XY, other.

Else we see headlines like this: Trans powerlifter smashes records and draws backlash (link: https://www.outsports.com/2019/5/6/18527075/transgender-powerlifter-records-backlash-transphobia-virginia-marygregory-trans-usapl).

I am not saying the headline is offensive. Merely in the domain of sports, it is known testosterone will be a huge boost. In order for fairness, divisions should compete with based on the same sex chromosome profile.

[khatter9]

#Repost @bllaklabel ・・・ #CasterSemenya (28) is a South African 2x Olympic Champion for track and field. She has a higher than "normal" testosterone level for women. Testosterone is the hormone that increases muscle mass, strength, and hemoglobin, which affects your endurance. Her competitors are complaining about her "unfair advantage." Semenya does not take testosterone, she was simply born this way. ----- A rival runner and known critic, #LynseySharp (28-years old, of Britain) complained about Semenya's "advantage" in middle distance races. (Yahoo Sports) After making her public comments, she claims she is now getting death threats. She said, "I've had death threats. I've had threats against my family and that's not a position I want to be in." ----- This week, The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that they will regulate anyone with differences in sexual development (DSDs) to ensure fair competition. They will require that these individuals take medication to reduce their testosterone levels to under 5nmol/L if they want to compete in races between 400 meters and a mile. ----- When asked about taking the medication, Semenya replied, "Hell no!" ----- "Actions speak louder than words," Semenya said. When you are a great champion, you always deliver. It's up to God. God has decided my life, God will end my life, God has decided my career, God will end my career. No man, or any other human, can stop me from running." ----- Semenya won her 30th straight 800m race in Doha yesterday!!! Her winning time was 1:54:98 - Sharp finished 9th. Sharp was the 2012 European 800m champion. She says it's been a difficult time for her and other running dealing with "the situation." Sharp says, "By no means am I over the moon about this, it's just been a long 11 years for everyone." Sharp says Semenya is "light years ahead" of her competitors. ----- If Semenya declines to take the medications, she will not be allowed to compete at the Olympics or other international competitions. According to the ruling, "Discrimination is necessary, reasonable and a proportionate means of achieving the IAAF requirement to preserve the integrity of female athletics." https://www.instagram.com/p/BxF6L_jl5Np/?igshid=klnpy644pzx5

[unicorntyrant]

FUCKING BULLSHIT! 🤬

[caliworkoutcom]

⠀⁣⠀ I am a fighter.⁣⠀ I never give up.⁣⠀ - Caster Semenya⁣⠀ .⁣⠀ You are a fighter of your life👊💪🔥❗️ ⁣⠀ Never give up and fight until winning, bro👊💪🔥❗️⁣⠀ You can make it👊💪🔥❗️⁣⠀ ⠀⁣⠀ #calisthenics #workout #calisthenicsworkout #calisthenicsmovement #bodyweight #streetworkout #fitness #middleaged #ageisjustanumber #caliworkoutcom #fitover50 #fitover40 #quotes #castersemenya ⠀⁣⠀ ⠀⁣⠀ 💪🔥👊💯👊💥💪 https://www.instagram.com/p/BwwtWuonUPc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=g5w158ef6j6n

[moonsprinquel]

Day 21. Caster Semenya is an Olympic gold medalist who has found herself at the center of an international debate. Semenya is a cisgender woman with a genetic condition that results in elevated testosterone levels. Because of this she has been subjected to “sex verification testing” and questions of whether or not she deserves her many athletic honors and if she should be allowed to compete against other women. For the past several years she has fought hard against various rulings that seek to exclude, discredit, and humiliate athletes such as herself. Her battle is far from over, but she continues to compete on the track and use her celebrity to bring attention to these issues. *** #castersemenya #feminist #heroine #inktober #portrait #art #illustration https://www.instagram.com/p/CGoHmchANXy/?igshid=12i1jiea9i14u

[inside-sport]

The Natural Cheat?

For some women, their integrity to avoid any aspect of cheating might not be enough to save their disqualification from competition – their bodies naturally label them ‘a cheat’… [1]

As an avid sports fan, ‘fairness’ in the field of competition matters to me, a lot – and I’m sure most other sport fanatics would share similar views.

But what is ‘fairness’?

Honesty, integrity, sportsmanship and equality are just a few gathered words that help to conceptualise the simple term of ‘fairness’. However, individuals do not need to be the same in every imaginable respect – nor are we created to be. [2]

Referring to sex-testing within female athletics, the high-regarded virtue of fairness appears to disappear.

The purpose of sex-testing in sport is to maintain the provision of opportunities to women in elite sports competition, ensuring that athletes compete in their appropriate gender category.

Measures to protect women’s sport through sex-testing has left too many female athletes being persecuted for reasons beyond their personal control; their biological and genetic compositions. The irony of sex-testing is that it attempts to protect women’s sports by excluding certain women. [3]

Let me explain…

Distinction between levels of male and female athletic performance is heavily due to higher levels in androgenic hormones (predominantly testosterone) in male athletes, resulting in increased strength and muscle development. [4]

Hyperandrogenism is a medical condition identified by excessive levels of androgens in the female body. Although this is a rare emergence, controversy is soon triggered due to the concerned individual displaying masculine traits and having ‘an uncommon athletic capacity in relation to their fellow female competitors’. [4]

At the 2009 World Championships, controversy arose following Caster Semenya’s victory in the 800 metres. The athlete was subject to accusations regarding masculine bodily traits which rendered her with an ‘unfair’ advantage over her rival – and apparently ‘appropriate’ – female runners.

Figure: Caster Semenya marks her victory with    joyous celebrations. 

(Taken from Flickr: computer.experts321 ahmed)

After facing harsh comparisons to her male counterparts, reports suggested that Semenya produced testosterone levels that were three times higher than the average woman.

Eventually, hyperandrogenism was diagnosed and following the case, the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) introduced a policy of gender eligibility, making testosterone levels of female athletes central to its regulations. Female athletes were limited on their body’s levels of testosterone before being no longer considered ‘female enough’ to compete as a woman.

The issue, (according to the IAAF), is that male competitors achieve greater sporting performance due to natural levels of hormones, distinctly greater than those in women. For a female athlete to show such traits, she would essentially be mimicking the effects of performance-enhancing drugs, [1] regardless that the effects stem from their own biology.

In 2014, Indian sprinter, Dutee Chand, was suspended from competition after ‘failing’ tests regarding her natural levels of testosterone and was later diagnosed with hyperandrogenism. After Chand issued an appeal to allow her to compete, further investigations commenced.

The IAAF issued developed regulations stating that female athletes could continue to compete if her androgen levels fell below the normal range, or substances to control high androgen levels were kept recorded.

Figure: Extract of Chand’s Letter of Appeal, in    response to her competitive suspension.

(Taken from: http://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/award_internet.pdf )

So, a sport where doping is closely monitored and is absolutely forbidden is allowing for hormonal medication to be taken in order to control and limit natural biology. Irony!

This highlights the grey area of uncertainty in this topic – a topic which is depriving female athletes the freedom to compete.

The debate of this ongoing issue could venture to a whole new avenue of questions and discussions – but for now, the conclusion remains unstable.

Typical ‘male’ characteristics are suggested to play a compelling role in advanced sporting performance, therefore, elite female athletes are bound to portray masculine traits from time to time.

Gender inequality is exemplified through this vicious circle of female athleticism: as a woman’s athleticism advances, the less association she has to being seen as a ‘woman’.

Is there too much focus and over-analysation on the natural performing body of a female athlete?

And is this preventing natural champions from wearing their deserved and worthy medals?

N0582179

References

[3] Buzuvis, E.E. (2016) Hormone Check: Critique of Olympic Rules on Sex and Gender, 31(1). p. 36

[4] International Association of Athletics Federations, (2011). IAAF Regulations Governing Eligibility Of Female Athletes With Hyperandrogenism To Compete In Women’s Competition. [Online] Available at: https://www.iaaf.org/download/download?filename=58438613-aaa7-4bcd-b730-70296abab70c.pdf&urlslug=IAAF%20Regulations%20Governing%20Eligibility%20of%20Females%20with%20Hyperandrogenism%20to%20Compete%20in%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Competition%20-%20In%20force%20as%20from%201st%20May%202011 [Accessed 7th November 2017]

[2] Murray, T.H (2010) Making Sense of Fairness in Sports: Hastings Center Report. 40(2). p. 13-15

[1] Vertinsky, P. Wells, S., & Van Veen, S. (2013). Fairness as a Floating Signifier: Seeking Gender Justice in Elite Sport. In M. Vaczi (ed). Playing Fields: Power, Practice, and Passion in Sport. p. 45. Reno, NV: Centre for Basque Studies.

[its-esoteric]

#HERBody

She was just 18 when she claimed her gold victory in the Women’s 800 meters at the 2009 World Championships.

If you’re interested in having some academic information on Black women, their bodies, feminism and misogynoir, hit the link to read an article by Moya Bailey titles “Misogynoir in Medical Media: On Caster Semenya and R. Kelly” has

WE LOVE YOU CASTER 💖💖💖💖

[trackandfieldimage]

Caster Semenya, South Africa, wins the 800m , 1:55.92, at the 2018 Pre Classic, for the final time in front of the historic Hayward Field bleachers. Hayward Field has been torn down and is being rebuilt for the 2021 IAAF World Championships. #history . . . . . Trackandfieldimage.com . . . . . #castersemenya #preclassic #jeffcohenphoto #iaaf #eugenedl #haywardfield #trackandfield #athlete #athletics #southafrica #800m #tracktownusa #historichaywardfield #eugene @castersemenya800m @diamondleagueathletics @preclassic https://www.instagram.com/p/BsBMLmVlwF-/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=tkytr3loqrxp

[heartichokes4all]

Seemed like an ideal post during Pride month. We let chickens run free, but not Caster, one of the most talented runners in the history of track and field...makes one wonder, eh? 🧐#castersemenya #trackgirls #trackstars #semenya #iaaf (at Toronto C•A•N•A•D•A) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzFquvpgobN/?igshid=k2npbwslwmao