Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Caster Semenya: Poking, Prodding and Proving "Gender"

I was just reading online that the South African teenager Caster Semenya who won an 800 meter gold metal is possibly undergoing "gender testing" in order to prove whether or not she is a genetic female. The verification includes "a physical medical evaluation, and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender".

Bullshit. I'd like to know how many men would allow themselves to be subjected to so much poking and prodding in order to determine their sex!?

I'm sitting here thinking of a couple of possibilities. The first thought that comes to my head is that age-old stereotype that men are faster and stronger than women, so therefore people are accusing her of being a man because they can't fathom that a woman can leave everyone behind in the dust. I'll bet that's exactly what's going on here.

It seems that any time that a woman KICKS ASS and takes names, people drum up tons of explanations for said ass-kicked-ness such as: she's a bitch, a lesbian, she eats her young, she slept her way to the top, she's not really a woman, blablafuckingbla. People just can't accept that many women are take-no-prisoners más-chingona-que-la-fregada bad ass divas.

Beyond that possibility, I could really give a shit. If she was not "genetically born" as a female is really none of our damn business if she happens to live her life as a woman, as far as I'm concerned. It just seems hard for me to believe that a man would be able to impersonate a woman all the way to the Olympics, so that's not even a possibility that I will even entertain at the moment. With all those doctors and tests, it sounds to me like it's a possibility that she might be transgendered, but then again it's none of my fucking business and it doesn't matter to me anyway.

You can read about the story:

Jezebel

You can also read more here, which discusses that this has happened before to women athletes, as well as male impersonators of female athletes.

8 comments:

j said...

ugh. i share your pissed-off sentiments and am about to rocket off on a rant on this myself. she has a deep voice so they need to investigate her gender? pssh, yea okay. this is just more bs from people not being able to accept a fast-ass female, regardless of whether or not she was born that way.

VV said...

What a bunch of crap. It's all because she kicks ass, and so of course, she can't be female, right? Egads.

Admin said...

Exactly! Anyone who kicks ass, takes names and leaves everyone else in the dust MUST be "genetically" male. snark.

Just Kickme said...

I'll check my testicles at the door, and just come in gender neutral to offer an opinion.

This really isn't THAT much different than many of the doping inquisitions that have happened in the past. They have a suspicion, and are trying to verify the truth.

Now, I've got a lot of female friends who are obscenely talented athletes. One WAS in the Olympics for gymnastics. And not one has the body structure or muscle tone that Semenya does. I also have several female friends who are body builders. Most of them have deep voices because they're "juicing". And there's http://www.nicolebass.com/ .. who is a body builder, and while she has a ass kicking body, she too may come under SOME kind of scrutiny in the same situation.

So all I'm saying is that PERHAPS it's a case where people are not sure if she is genetically sound and worthy of the win, just like Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in 88 for drugs.

Can i have my balls back, please?

Admin said...

No, you may NOT have your balls back!!

Just Kickme said...

So, how does this thread continue now that the results show she has both male and female organs. At least, that's what I heard on CNN yesterday.

If you're keeping my balls, would you be kind and kick them now and again? :)

Admin said...

I'm too lazy to look online. Send me a link! Besides-to me, as long as she identifies with and/or is living her life as a woman, I don't really care. It's none of my business!!

Just Kickme said...

OH COME NOW! That's way too easy of a cop-out.

So, she's racing against all women, but she's got the body structure and testosterone levels of a man, so she should be allowed to race against the women because she's a woman with man parts. That may be a run on sentence, but even you have to admit that's just insane.

Listen, I'm all for equal rights, and if she beat the men fair and square, I'd say she gets the gold and a chance to flip em all the bird. But, if she's racing against women but is really a guy, I'm all for making sure the playing field is level.

And here's the link
http://is.gd/3mqWa

Anyway ... i think it's totally cool that she kicks ass, just make sure she kicks ass in the right arena.

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