Caster Semenya is a South African two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time world gold medalist. Semenya’s sex is female, which is what she was defined as from birth and identifies as, making her cisgender. Caster Semenya is a woman.
It has since been discovered (through multiple abrasive tests) that Semenya is intersex, meaning she has a reproductive system that does not fit the typical definitions of male or female. This leads to her body naturally producing more testosterone than is average for women. Dutee Chand, an Indian athlete has experienced the same inhumane treatment for producing more testosterone than is deemed normal by the IAAF.
The IAAF has recently passed a ruling that states any female athlete surpassing their given limit for testosterone must take hormones to alter the natural workings of their bodies. Not only does this ruling confuse sex with gender, but it is also possibly harmful to female athletes and has many negative side effects. Micheal Phelps produces much less lactic acid than the average person, and instead of being forced to suppress his natural advantage, he is congratulated.
Who decides how much testosterone is too much?
Written by Medha Gupta
Artwork by Izzy Johns
Comments