History of Sex Verification in Sports
Find an interesting article from a legitimate, valid source relating to sex verification in sports. This can be a historical overview, relating to a specific athlete or incident or the science of this specific type of testing.
1. Read the article and write a one paragraph summary of the article. Include a link.
2. Write one paragraph that includes your thoughts on the article. If you want to write more than this you are welcome to. This is a sensitive issue and should be treated as such. Be mindful of the language you use when posting.
3. Read through other students postings and find one that is interesting to you. Read the original article and post a response to the other student. Again, be mindful of the language you use.
4. Repeat #3 for another article and respond to posts for your article.
1. Read the article and write a one paragraph summary of the article. Include a link.
2. Write one paragraph that includes your thoughts on the article. If you want to write more than this you are welcome to. This is a sensitive issue and should be treated as such. Be mindful of the language you use when posting.
3. Read through other students postings and find one that is interesting to you. Read the original article and post a response to the other student. Again, be mindful of the language you use.
4. Repeat #3 for another article and respond to posts for your article.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMary Bacugan - https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/40491036
ReplyDeleteA study regarding the cases of 2127 elite male and female athletes from the 2011 and 2013 World Championships was conducted to analyze how high levels of testosterone affect an athlete’s performance. Researchers understood that high testosterone levels were more beneficial for events such as 400 meter hurdles, hammer throw, and pole vaulting. The Court of Arbitration for Sport suspended the rules regarding the limitation of testosterone levels for female athletes, but has become controversial, as many other groups believe that having high testosterone levels would lead to unfair advantages. It has been shown in the cases with Dutee Chand, and Semenya, both high level athletes that were questioned for their performance.
Regardless of the outcomes of competitive events, I find it unfair to limit a person’s privilege and ability to participate in large scale competitions. It is harsh and unfair to eliminate a person’s chance of competing in an event due to biological reasons, which are out of their control. When questioning the ability of female athletes who have performed extremely well, it strips the honor and integrity that they have, and it shames them in front of the entire world. Through gender testing, female athletes begin to have controversial relationships with people who they care about, which is why I believe that people should not conduct these tests in the first place. I understand the idea to possibly test for drugs based on an athlete’s performance, but gender testing is morally wrong and shameful to all female athletes that receive it.
Ramon Morales
DeleteI agree with Mary that it is immoral to discriminate against athletes of the same sex who have varying levels of natural testosterone, because it is not under the athletes control how much or how little testosterone their body produces. However, I do believe that under the current rules of the IOC, sex tests are necessary in order to ensure that no male competes in a female competition, and that no female competes in a male competition. The IOC separates games based on sex so that athletes all compete on grounds that are biologically fair. Whether this separation is fair, moral, or sexist needs debate and discussion, but under the current game stipulations, sex tests are necessary.
I completely agree with you and find this article to be very informative. After reading this article I noticed that it discussed Chand’s monumental moment of appealing her decision. My article also discussed her but it was interesting seeing other athletes be mentioned. This is happening more often than it seems and I am glad the public is gaining more exposure to what women athletes have to face.
DeleteI agree - it's unfortunate that these women have to undergo the shameful gender testing. Not only are they banned from competing in sports, they are also mocked for something they can't control. The gender testing's purpose should solely look for people who are purposely trying to compete as another gender different from the gender they identify as.
DeleteChloe Lopez
DeleteI agree with Mary' opinions. It is unfair to limit an individual’s opportunity to participate in large scale competitions. Additionally, the act of discriminating invokes a feeling of discomfort in participants and in turn can affect the way they perceive themselves and in the eyes of the public. Although this idea can help with drug testing, gender testing is unfair for female athletes and suggest an alternative route.
I agree with your thoughts. It was not fair that she was not allowed to run because she naturally had higher testosterone than most females. I also agree that these tests can ruin the image of the competitor and ruin relationships with other. There shouldn't be any gender testing and I agree with only having drug tests.
DeleteI agree with your opinion, for I also believe that it is unjust to disqualify a person from competing because of their gender, which you said is something they have no control over. It is extremely unfortunate for all women who would experience gender testing and the fact that it confidential information like this is announced publicly makes it even more unjust.
DeleteI also agree with your opinion because i believe that it is unfair that female have to under go gender testing to participate in sports. Women don't have control over their hormone levels when it is a disease or condition that they have. Also i believe that it is wrong to publicly announce the test results even though they should be confidential.
Delete-Adrian Ramirez
Ramon Morales
ReplyDeletehttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/caster-semenya-the-female-athlete-subjected-to-a-gender-test-in-2009-expected-to-take-gold-at-rio-a7174416.html
In this article, the author discusses the recent news that runner Castor Semenya will be able to compete as a female in the 2016 Olympics. This runner had already won a gold medal before, but her victory had been overshadowed by the fact that she failed her sex test after winning. The author then provides statements from the runner's country, who are still proud of their athlete and are disproving of the tests. The article also discusses the effects that the publicity had on the athlete's life, stating it made her feel upset and humiliated. Lastly, the article talks about privacy issues that public sex tests can have, and the implication on the Olympics that this case caused.
I am glad that this athlete is able to compete in the Olympics as the sex that she identifies with. I am appalled by the Olympic's mistake of publishing the athlete's personal and very private information, and I hope that their security will be increased for the upcoming 2022 Olympics in France. I agree wholeheartedly with the author that the Olympics need to be responsible in how the data and information of athletes are maintained and stored, to prevent further outrage.
I agree with your opinion and find this article very interesting. In this new generation we are starting to evolve and the fact that her country was still able to see her as a hero was very nice to see. These athletes may be humiliated and without having the support of their country, it is a difficult pill to swallow. Hopefully in the future we will be able to see the Intl Olympic Committee take more responsibility to avoid data/information issues as you previously stated.
DeleteChloe Lopez
DeleteI have great respect to Semenya and her strength to continue her passions for herself and her country. Although it has sparked controversy in South Africa, the country has stood by her and is seen as a national hero. Additionally, I am glad that the author has brought up the point that the Olympics must redeem their mistake of publishing Semenya’s private information.
I agree with you, and I believe that the Olympics organization is wrong for publicizing information regarding certain female athletes. I also find it unfair as to how people have been questioning and harshly criticizing Castor Semenya's abilities, as it has publicly shamed her and compelled her to stray away from the public eye. I believe that organizations under the Olympics must be closely watched in their public behavior and actions, especially towards Olympic athletes.
DeleteI most definitely agree with your reply. We have to remember that others may be different and not everyone has the same genetic makeup and has the same amount of testosterone. I find it disturbing that she was humiliated for just being who she is and I believe people handled the whole situation in the wrong manner. I hope that she stays strong because she seems like an amazing athlete and she should have never been discriminated against in the first place.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLink: https://newrepublic.com/article/136083/its-time-stop-gender-testing-athletes
ReplyDeleteThe article, “It’s Time to Stop Gender-Testing Athletes,” by Jamie Schultz argues that because of the long history of sex-testing female athletes, objections to the testing grows. In 1946, the IAAF required female competitors to submit record to verify their sex. Since then, the instances for sex testing has only increased to the point where in the 1964 Olympics, polish sprinter Ewa Klobukowska was dismissed because she has “one too many chromosomes”. In fact, that dismissal caused her to end her athletic career. Aside from the long history of sex testing, the author discusses how researchers associate physical performance with over 200 genetic variations, but yet more than 20 of them relate to elite athleticism. Given the long history of sex testing and testosterone production of women, the author concludes that it is ridiculous to focus on testosterone in female athletes and it being the determination of their careers.
The article argues that testosterone production in women should not be the determining factor to their eligibility to participate in a sport. I agree to what the author has said, specifically on the point that the long history of sex-testing is evidence enough to invoke a change in society. Another point the author introduces is the fact that researchers associate physical performance with over 200 genetic variations, but yet more than 20 of them relate to elite athleticism. Acknowledging that fact, it would be ridiculous to determine the eligibility of participants. For instance, that fact can be exaggerated to athletic authorities using all conditions that may result in unfair advantage such as genetics, social, and biological.
Ramon Morales
DeleteI agree with you, and the article, in that testosterone is not a valid method of determining sex for female athletes. It is unfair because there is range of testosterone levels that females produce, and women can not be discriminated against based on where they fall. I also wonder what kinds of tests are performed as males, or what percentage of sports are such that women have the upper hand against men.
Chelsea Saenz
ReplyDeletehttps://newrepublic.com/article/136083/its-time-stop-gender-testing-athletes
1. This opinion based article is about recent controversy on gender testing. After the long history of gender testing female athletes, objections to mandatory testing have been increasing exponentially. The article opens up to discuss the rough road Dutee Chand had to endure to reach the Rio Olympic games. Her world became turmoil due to a condition she had called hyperandrogenism by the International Association of Athletic Federations. The IAAF banned her from competition because this condition caused a drastic increase in testosterone. After appealing, the IAAF was forced to suspend the hormone testing. Chand and other hyperandrogenic women were allowed to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games without having to lower their hormone levels as a result of the IAAF and the Intl Olympic Committee reviewing her case.
2. After reading this article was able to understand what process female athletes have to go through. I didn't think that gender testing would have grey areas such as Chand's case with her high testosterone levels. I agree with the results of this case after reading this article and I am glad the Chand was able to help other women who also have this condition.
What an interesting story! I am happy that those women are objecting to the mandatory testing. I understand that hyperparathyroidism is a condition that is completely common everywhere. Women with this condition should not have to go through such trouble to defend their identity and compete in the Olympic Games. In my article, tests similar to your article gave false results and thus there were potential Olympic athletes that were wrongly rejected from competing.
DeleteI did not know the type of testing athletes had to go through to compete. I find it very interesting how the process is so strict and i dislike how people get hurt along the process. I believe it is great chand helps other women with the same condition because they need to know they aren't alone. If they can't help it, they can't help it.
DeleteJocelyn Hsu-https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/magazine/the-humiliating-practice-of-sex-testing-female-athletes.html
ReplyDeleteSummary:
Dutee Chand recalls when the director of the Athletics Federation of India asks her to travel to Delhi for gender testing. Chand was not aware of why she was forced to undergo all the medical exams and was embarrassed by the invasive tests, including measuring the externa genitalia. Chand’s results showed that her androgen levels were much higher than the average woman’s, and officials determined that she could no longer compete. Afterwards, the author related Chand’s situation to other women athletes of the 20th century, including Polish Stella Walsh and American Helen Stephens. Maria Patiño of Spain won multiple medals but officials informed her that she had XY chromosomes and testes that did not descend. Her awards were revoked when her test results were leaked; Patiño was reinstated when officials realized that she did not have an advantage without testosterone, but she was already too old to compete. For Dutee Chand, she stood up for herself about being female and eventually was allowed to compete, hopefully qualifying for the Summer Olympics.
Thoughts:
Women should not be subjected to humiliating gender testing. Even if they have male genitalia, they believed throughout their entire lives that they are female. When failing gender tests, not only are the officials limiting their abilities to compete, but their lives are completely changed. These women have been training and dreaming of competing at international competitions and suddenly are disqualified for being male. Furthermore, most of these women do not have significant advantages over other women. Scientists admit that having excess testosterone does not necessarily mean that these women have a competitive edge. Therefore, gender testing should be eliminated; if people identify as female since birth, they should be allowed to compete as women.
I agree with you, Jocelyn! Gender testing should be eliminated and prohibited throughout the world, as it has sparked numerous controversies and publicly shamed a lot of athletes. If an individual identifies as female, it is morally fair to allow them to participate in those circumstances, and questioning their ability and conducting gender tests only cause more problems. Because of gender testing, female athletes have been stripped of their privileges and rights, which is cruel and discriminatory.
DeleteI too, think that testosterone levels should not be the determining factor that constitutes what a woman is and neither should her eligibility be dependent upon these testosterone levels. These gender tests not only humiliated her and made her feel as if she were an animal but also limited her in her professional career.
DeleteI agree! If a female has chosen to be female since birth, they should not be discriminated for their male characteristics. I also read how higher testosterone levels do not affect the performance of an individual, and it's understandable but strict how the IAAF are trying to limit women from having high testosterone levels. Although the IAAF does give women a way out from taking the suppressants, these athletes love what they are doing. It's unfortunate how the IAAF are trying to solve this problem, and there should be different, positive solutions.
DeleteWheeler, Ricky
ReplyDeleteThis article talks about the forgotten Soviet-occupied German athletes that were forcibly doped up on huge amounts of testosterone, steroids, and male blood transfusions that, while successful in netting over 500 medals for the Russians, had several lasting repercussions that left the athletes broken, confused and afraid. The performance of the East German Womens' Olympic team is undisputed and many of their records still stand - and likely will never be broken. However, the testosterone shots and blood transfusions have caused severe depression, heart conditions, degenerative bone disease and infertility among the girls. Some even changed sex because of the drugs, and most spiraled into drink and drug addictions, unable to find work.
Personally I believe that, in the case of transgender athletes, Hormone balances in the blood should be the deciding factor. Why would you bar a biological male taking estrogen supplements from competing in ladies' events, but allow a tank of a woman hopped up on testosterone compete? Judgement should most definitely rest on biological and testable fact, not Identity, but that does not give an excuse for it to be unfair.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/east-germanys-forgotten-olympic-doping-6949436
I agree with you Ricky a surprise hormone balance test could be the only deciding factors these days so using it as a form of sex identification is logical due to it producing scientific/ numerical results that is exact and truthful the only question would be where would the line be drawn between men hormone levels and female hormone levels .
DeleteThe article follows examples of female athletes such as olympic sprinter/ runner (Duntee Chand) who underwent gender verification hell. Ms.Duntee Chand was tested after reports of her having an impressive stride for a short woman, masculine body, and muscle.When she had done all the tests she did not know what she was being tested such as a test for natural testosterone,chromosome analysis,gynecological exam, and an MRI; and this was very puzzling to her.In the end she was not allowed to race due to her hormone levels being to high and categorized in the men's category, Ever since legal battles ensued to determine whether or not she was allowed to race or not and what classifies to be a female.The article then goes on into how humiliating the practice of sex identification in sports is.
ReplyDeleteThe article was very interesting and really brought to light to me something I had assumptions about.Originally I had believed a reproductive organ check and sex change history was all that was necessary but instead hormonal levels,testosterone levels, and other tests were done that really do affect the athletes level of eligibility.While I was reading the article I had a major question , what if a female athlete was deemed unworthy of competition because of testosterone levels but only because they had taken testosterone pills to push them beyond their natural testosterone limits(I.e steroids and testosterone boosters), would they be considered female still by sport committees.
Source:https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/magazine/the-humiliating-practice-of-sex-testing-female-athletes.html
DeleteKarla Pascual
ReplyDeleteURL: http://dailycaller.com/2017/07/03/heres-what-the-2018-olympic-gender-regulations-look-like/
The article highlights the International Olympic Committee’s timeline for establishing new rules and regulations for female athletes with high levels of testosterone. In the 2012 Olympics, the committee had set in place rules that barred out women with higher testosterone level. Their goal was to maintain the divide between male and female athlete competitors to “ensure fair competition.” They established a set of tests and exams that had to be completed to confirm their sex. The author includes the example of Caster Semenya, a female athlete with high testosterone levels, as she won gold at the 2012 Olympics. Some athletes competing alongside Semenya believed it was unfair for her to compete. There wasn’t sufficient data that suggested that intersex athletes had a competitive edge and unfair advantage. In conclusion, female athletes will not have to go through exams and procedures to have their sex confirmed. In the 2018 Olympics
In my opinion, the International Olympic Committee should have determined the proper data that suggested that women with high levels of testosterone did have a competitive advantage before making the women go through numerous exams. Additionally, the act of publishing the data and undergoing the procedures must have been a humiliating experience for the athletes. The amount of procedures and tests the athletes was unfair and irrelevant as it hadn’t been proven that high levels of testosterone contribute to their success. There are a vast number of reasons an athlete performs the way they do and simply restricting an athlete from competing without the proper reason is unjust.
I agree with Karla because scientists aren't sure whether the increased testosterone levels have a correlation with increased athletic abilities. Hence, women shouldn't be prohibited from competing for having a competitive edge that may not exist simply from increased testosterone levels. Furthermore, publishing the results of the unjust gender testing is humiliating and halts the athlete's career.
DeleteI agree with Karla because if scientist aren't sure that high testosterone levels affect how an athlete competes they shouldn't be banned from competing in sports. Also publishing an athletes result on their gender test shouldn't be published because it is bad on the athlete and it could humiliate them and possibly stop or end their career.
Delete@Jocelyn I strongly agree that the committee should have determined the effects of an increased amount of testosterone in female athletes before enforcing the tests because there was no definite evidence available. Also, you included that the published data may "halt the athlete's career" which is true as some athletes were not able to compete in the Olympic games.
Delete@Adrian To elaborate on the point we agreed upon, some athletes were unable to continue competing when the rules and regulations were enforced. This will no longer be the case in the 2018 Olympics. I agree that the effects of the published data may hurt the athletes career.
DeleteLink: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/magazine/the-humiliating-practice-of-sex-testing-female-athletes.html
ReplyDeleteDutee Chand, an Indian professional sprinter, was sent to a private clinic to verify her gender. When told to go to the clinic, she had initially assumed it was a doping test but they then started to demand an ultrasound test. This issue originated because opposing coaches mentioned to the Federation that her physical attributes were far too impressive for her height (5ft). A couple days following the ultrasound, Federation sent a letter denoting Gender Verifications Issues and urged authorities to validate her gender. Dutee Chand’s clitoris, vagina, labia, and breasts were measured. The results showed that her testosterone levels were much higher than that of women’s. Consequently, she was forced to reduce her testosterone levels if she wanted to return to the national team and she would be prohibited from competing for a year.
Testosterone levels in women should not be the determining factor for gender so that they are allowed to participate in sports. I liked that the national team allowed her to still participate in the races but having her go through a series of tests without noticing her with information that belonged to her was inconsiderate.
Mastache, Laura
I agree that having the athletes personal information published was rude and, as you said, inconsiderate. There are a wide range of factors contributing to an athlete's success and simply limiting an athlete from competing for a factor they have no control over is unfair.
DeleteI agree with your thoughts on this case because it wasn't right to have the testosterone levels determining whether she was female or male. Also, I agree with your statement on how it was inconsiderate that they preformed tests without her knowing.
DeleteXitlali Ortiz
ReplyDeleteLink: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8272686
Since the 1930’s, journalist have claimed that athletes who once competing in the Olympic Games were disguised as women, but were suspected to be men. In the 1960’s, the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) created new rules of eligibility for those who wish to join the Olympics. These rules included having a sex chromatin test or a buccal smear. A sex chromatin test was used to determine the sex of the athlete to conclude whether the athlete had XX (female) chromosome or XY (male) chromosome. Since many geneticists were unfamiliar with this technique, this test became ineffective. Inexperienced workers who conducted the tests gave false-positive and false-negatives results. Additionally, some women had patterns of male sex chromatin, which gave inaccurate results to their buccal smear test. Thus, some women were wrongly declined from the Olympics since they “failed” the buccal test.
This upsets me greatly since women are being mistaken as men and are not able to compete in the Olympic Games. The misinterpretations and errors of the inexperience geneticists should not be the faults of the aspiring olympic athlete. Furthermore, those who wish to compete should not be discriminated against from joining. There should be more accurate tests rather than the buccal smear or no test at all.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/magazine/the-humiliating-practice-of-sex-testing-female-athletes.html
ReplyDeleteSummary:
There was lots of controversy on whether the successful female sprinter, Dutee Chand, was a man or woman. Other coaches complained that her body shape was too masculine and her stride was impressive, which led to many speculations that she was not female. She went to Delhi to meet with a doctor that worked with the Athletics Federation of Indians and ran tests that checked for hormones. She went to another hospital that tested for testosterone levels without her knowing. Her levels were much higher than a woman and fell within the range of a male. Because of this, she was no longer allowed to race.
My Thoughts:
In my opinion, this whole situation was unfair for Chand. There were tests that were ran, secretly checking for her gender without her knowing. This is not right for the organization to do this because it’s based off of suspicious and ruined Chand’s image. There was no proof that she wasn’t a woman, and banning her from running based on testosterone levels was not fair.
-Koalani Gomez
I agree that the number of tests and exams the athlete had to undergo was inconsiderate and rude. The committee in charge of establishing the rules should have confirmed that there was a significant competitive advantage before enforcing the set regulations.
Deletehttps://ethicsofsports.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/sex-verification-in-sports/
ReplyDeleteSummary: Caster Semenya, an athlete who carried the South Africa flag at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics, was banned from the World Athletic Championships because of speculations of not being a woman due to her unnatural strength. Sex testing has become a controversial topic; sports are split by gender because males and females have different strengths and weaknesses. But what is being tested to determine someone’s sex? Sex testing may also reveal that someone who thought they were one sex, are actually another which may cause humiliation or gender crisis. Committees such as the IOC are trying to figure out how to determine sex of a person while keeping things fair and respecting rights.
Thoughts: This article was written in first person so there were a lot of opinions and I agreed with a lot of them. I do believe that it is necessary for sports to be split-up by sex to level the playing field. Although I don’t like it, it is true that men generally have more physical advantages than women. I’m conflicted about this topic because a person’s gender and who they identify themselves as is none of my business, but it does affect the fairness of sports.
I agree with your thoughts on this article. I also think that sports should be divided by sex because, as you said, men typically do have physical advantages over women. Sex testing is a very controversial topic because the achievements of female athletes are being attributed to increased testosterone levels and these female athletes face a lot of unfair scrutiny in the media.
DeleteI agree with your comment that this issue is very controversial and hard to give and opinion to. As well as the part where you said that men have a physical advantage over women in sports. I also feel like it is unfair and that we should really not get into the personal business of athletes.
DeleteXitlali Ortiz:
DeleteWhat had happened to Caster Semenya shouldn't happen to other women. I see your point that men may have some physical advantages over women, however, I don't believe it is the fault of these women who have a condition that makes their bodies produce more hormones than usual. It is unfair to them that they're being punished for something that they cannot control.
Sneha Chebolu:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/40491036
Summary: New research regarding sex verification in sports was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Based on the samples of over 2,000 high achieving male and female athletes, this data suggests that high testosterone levels do indeed give competitive athletes a significant physical advantage. IAAF will be submitting evidence from this study to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in hopes that regulations that limit testosterone levels in female athletes will be reinstated. The study found that increased testosterone levels can give female athletes between a 1.8%-4.5% advantage over other female athletes who have lower testosterone levels. This issue is very controversial. Female athletes like Dutee Chand and Semenya were forced to take gender tests and faced a lot of media scrutiny.
My Response: I think that the practice of sex verification in sports is very derogatory to these high achieving female athletes. Dutee Chand stated, "I know people started suspecting whether I was a woman or a man. All the honor I earned - I lost." Female athletes work extremely hard to gain recognition for their talents and to have their gender questioned is not fair. These female athletes never asked for increased levels of testosterone and it is not right to attribute their success to a biological factor that is out of their hands. At the same time, female athletes with higher testosterone levels do have a competitive advantage over other females. There needs to be reform for gender testing and unfair profiling in the sports community. We should also keep in mind that, from a biological standpoint, increased testosterone levels are not the only advantages in sports. If such drastic measures are being taken against increased testosterone levels, the scientific community should also consider the advantages of being taller, having a faster metabolism, etc.
I agree that females with increased hormones have an advantage over standard females and I also agree that it’s derogatory to have people tested even if they are very successful and worked hard to achieve what they have.
DeleteI agree with the fact that the gender verification is unfair to do when women athletes worked hard to be able to gain an award. I also agree with your comment that the excess testosterone gives a competitive advantage to the athletes as well as the part where you talked about the idea that other advantages should be considered.
DeleteInes Galvan
ReplyDeletehttps://www.cnn.com/2012/08/08/health/athletes-gender-testing/index.html
The “Expert: Gender testing ‘imperfect’ for female athletes” article written by Ann J. Curley commences the article by introducing Caster Semenya. Caster Semenya is an Olympic runner who gained attention by critics in 2009 for her above average athletic skill compared to other women olympians. She had to undergo a gender verification test and the results came up to show that she had both male and female sex characteristics, which is known as being intersex. It is unclear as to what procedure Semenya received, but the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) cleared her to compete in the Olympics in 2012. This is one story that made gender testing a controversial topic for many critics. The International Olympics Committee (IOC) made regulations that would limit the ability for women who are found to be producing high levels of androgenics to compete against other women. They believe it is unfair because the hormones may give an unfair advantage. All in all, the idea of gender verification testing is a controversial problem that is still being speculated by many.
In my opinion, the article was very effective in terms of introducing a case of an Olympian who was questioned for her outstanding performances compared to the other athletes. It was very wise to include the idea that this topic is very controversial due to many reasons. Although it may not seem fair, I do believe that gender verification testing is appropriate for the Olympics. Having an excess of male hormones is unfair for other women athletes because it can give them a competitive advantage. Although the athlete is unable to control the fact that they have excess hormones, there are possible solutions that can help them compete. But in general, I believe the topic is controversial and hard to give an opinion to.
I agree that it’s a hard topic to talk about because is very sensitive to people. Athletes shouldn’t be judged based on their hormone levels because that’s unfair and there no real evidence that that’s the reason physical features are being affected.
DeleteI agree that this topic is very controversial. Athletes do not ask for increased testosterone levels and it is unfair that they are being profiled in this manner. At the same time, people do believe that female athletes with elevated testosterone levels have competitive advantages. We need to improve this system so high achieving female athletes are not accused and scrutinized in the media.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteVictoria,
DeleteI appreciate your new perspective on the article. I also thought that the topic was a sensitive issue and that athletes shouldn’t be judged on their hormone levels.
Sneha,
DeleteI appreciate your opinion and point of view regarding the article. I agree with the point you made regarding that the topic is controversial, as well as, the idea that athletes are unable to control their biology and genetics.
Adrian Ramirez
ReplyDeletehttps://newrepublic.com/article/136083/its-time-stop-gender-testing-athletes
"It's Time To Stop Gender-Testing Athletes" is an article by Jaime Schultz posted on The New Republic website talks about Dutee Chand which is the second female sprinter to represent India. Dutee was banned from any competition because of her body producing more testosterone than a regular women makes. She was diagnosed with a condition called hyperandrogenism and because of this she couldn't compete with other women do to her unfair advantage with higher testosterone levels. Dutee went on to protest against the IAAF that women with hyperandrogenism should be able to compete in sports because having there is no proof that having this conditions gives them an advantage against other women competing. The article also gives an overview on the history of sex testing towards female athletes since 1946. The IAAF in 1946 required female competitors to provide a birth certificate to verify their gender. As the years went by the sex testing became more advanced and then they performed laboratory-based chromosome assessments in 1967 to verify gender. Women with hyperandrogenism or other conditions that affect hormone levels are allowed to compete in sports, but if their gender is to be questioned and if they have 10 or more nanomoles of functional testosterone per liter of blood they are ineligible for competing in female sports.
The article argues that testosterone production in women should not determine their eligibility to participate in a sport. I agree with what the author, because of the long history of sex-testing as evidence that is used to invoke a change in society. The second point the author states is the fact that researchers associated physical performance with 200 genetic variations, but more than 20 of them relate to elite athleticism. Because of this it is unfair to determine the ineligibility for them to participate. Having a condition that increases testosterone levels shouldn’t be said that it gives an unfair advantage without having proof to back this up.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/21/AR2008082103680_2.html
ReplyDeleteValeria Quezada
In the article, “The Runner's Secret”, by Paul Farhi, the author sheds light on the runner Stella Walsh’s life. Stella Walsh was an Olympic athlete who competed in the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and won gold and silver medals. Walsh’s gender was never questioned until she was robbed and shot at gunpoint during her retirement. After doing an autopsy, it was then discovered that she had no internal female reproductive organs and possessed a non-functioning penis. Since Walsh was an Olympian before gender verification testing was present, Walsh was able to keep her titles and medals she had earned in the Olympics. The article concludes by stating how Stella Walsh’s condition would soon promote questions as to what defines a man and a woman for the future Olympics.
After reading this article I gained a new perspective on gender verification testing. Testosterone gives female athletes a competitive edge and is naturally released by the ovaries. In Walsh’s case, she had underdeveloped male genitalia and no female genitalia, which would mean she had even less testosterone present in her system than the average female. Before reading this article, I had assumed that not being classified as a female would mean the body would produce more testosterone, but I have learned that it depends on the person and their condition. Hopefully other people would also make this realization and can see why gender verification is morally wrong.
I agree with your thoughts that these articles inform us about sex verification towards female athletes made us more aware of it and gave us a new perspective. I also agree that it is morally wrong because they should not be disqualified because of their results of the gender tests.
DeleteElias Gonzalez
ReplyDeleteThis article was about a South African track star, Carter Semenya, who has had her gender questioned throughout her career. Carter Semenya has a condition called hyperandrogenism which causes her to produce an excess of male hormones. This condition has caused her lots of controversy throughout her career. The IAAF is planning to implement regulations that will limit the testosterone levels in females. This could result in Carter Semenya having to end her career.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-11/new-iaaf-rules-could-end-the-career-of-caster-semenya/9641160
I believe that the IAAF trying to regulate the testosterone level in women athletes is unjustified because it is impossible to define what a woman is. Also, even though some people may say that Semenya has an unfair advantage over other runners due to her testosterone levels, you cannot punish someone for something they cannot control.
Jeffrey Salgado
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/40491036
Summary
This article from BBC Sports called “Athletics: Gender tests study 'shows female testosterone advantage'” talks about how the women were treated when they were told to take a gender test. It also talks about how they were treated different and people close to them saw them differently. The IAAF wanted to “reinstate rules limiting how much testosterone female athletes can have in their bodies.” which was suspended in july 2015. The two year suspension gave the IAAF an opportunity to prove gender testing was right. The thing I found most interesting was the fact that women with high testosterone level have 1.8%-4.5% over female athletes with lower testosterone levels. Critics have said that sex testing is literally “biological racism” and it can cause psychological effects on those forced to take the test.
My Thoughts
I think the article is very informative, it has a lot of quotes taken from the women who were forced to take the test. I don’t agree with sex testing, I would say it’s very degrading and shame full because this women are being told they are too good to be a woman. Like the article said sex testing is “biological racism” because this test makes it seem like men are so much better than women in every aspect of life. This article is very good when it uses the quotes because they are from the people who have been affected. I think the most important part of the article is that all the honor and praise this women gain, gets taken away when they are subjected to such a humiliating test.
Joachim-Anne Aguilar
ReplyDeletehttps://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/magazine/the-humiliating-practice-of-sex-testing-female-athletes.html
Summary
Dutee Chand, athlete from India who won a gold metal at the Asian Junior Athletics, was questioned of her gender and was called to meet with a doctor from the Athletics Federation of India in Delhi, later going to a private hospital in Bangalore. This was a result of competitors and coaches informing the federation that she was too masculine for a 5 foot tall female during the national championship held in Taipei. After taking multiple tests regarding her hormone levels and physical appearance, her results came back that her “male hormone” levels were too high for a female, therefore leading to the official’s final decision of Chand’s disqualification from competing. The author then deepens further into the topic by including other athletes who have also experienced sex verification tests. As a result, there was an international policy created that “discriminates against athletes with atypical sex development.
Thoughts
Personally, I believe that women athletes, or any athlete, should have to go through public gender testing to determine whether they are eligible to compete or not. Not only would it destroy their dreams of competing, but they can also be discriminated or humiliated by people around the world. I also disagree with the Olympic organization publicizing confidential information like this.
*(Student Name): Hector S. Medrano; (Article Title): Sex-Testing Female Athletes Has Nothing to Do With Fairness (Author): Janice Forsyth; (Date Published): 07/26/2016.*
ReplyDelete(Summary): Since the 1800s, male physicians are reported to have dictated, “all things female,” from their biology to behavior. Male physicians would often prohibit women from engaging in strenuous physical activity, for example, as they feared the endangerment of systems as their uterus or energy supply that would, “[place] their health in danger and [ignore] their roles as wives and mothers, leading to the downfall of society.” Moreover, in an 1867 British Medical Journal article, an International Olympic Committee policy was put into effect wherein females shall only be placed in the female category if they register, “below a defined testosterone threshold.” Unfortunately, such a policy is an ineffective method of classifying women’s sex as female because testosterone levels will vary for each women, as they are dependent on numerous factors of a woman’s body. This policy that is being used to, “determine who is female and what they should be able to do with their bodies,” are not inclusive of the fact that testosterone level does not define one’s gender, and is not the only indication of one’s health. In recent publications, the International Olympics Committee has released their opinions of sex-testing describing it as a, “social issue,” and a, “human rights problem.” Their immediate defense to this issue is the allegation that sex-testing is a manner in which female bodies are kept in check to maintain a fair, yet competitive ambiance in said games.
(Opinion): In my opinion, sex-testing should not remain an acceptable practice amongst our society. With the mere fact that testosterone levels vary in females for a myriad of body factors, sex-testing should be ruled out as an invalid and ineffective manner of determining gender. Rather than limiting the categorization of gender to create a, “level playing field,” in competitive sports, as the Olympic Games, efforts should be placed in potentially creating varying categories between existing gender regulations to truly create a more inclusive and fair athletic environment.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAeron- https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/40491036
ReplyDeleteThe whole problem being displayed in this article is that women with higher testosterone levels perform better in sports. Basically the IAAF wants to have rules to test women of hyperandrogenism and wants to make sure there are limits on the amount of testosterone in competing female athletes. These rules were turned down by the CAS. The rules were reinstated 2 years after due to a scientific study that consisted of men and women and concluded that there is an advantage with extra testosterone. An indian sprinter, Dutee Chand, failed a hormone test and was banned and she and her legal team reported it to CAS. She was then accepted to participate in sprinting again. The IAAF challenged CAS decision and based its argument on the results from the study conducted mentioned earlier. Another woman, South African teenager Semenya, also faced the same problem. Some people believe that the IAFF’s approach on things is “biological racism.”
The whole idea of sports is to see who would win based on best performance. These performances are based on natural ability. But natural ability can depend on the person. If a woman has enhancements, for example, this is unfair because she is not using her raw power. But if a woman who naturally has higher testosterone levels, she is using her natural abilities. I believe that the IAAF has a valid point being that it is not seen as fair if one woman has an advantage over the other. But some women unfortunately can not change their genetic makeup. Idon’t believe these women should be discriminated against under any circumstances. If its such a big problem than there can be other solutions instead of women just being removed from competition.
I agree! Women should not be discriminated and be humiliated for being born with a gift. Women with hyperandrogenism are not at fault. Like you said, they were born with naturally higher testosterone levels, and they aren't trying to cheat. If they artificially increased their testosterone level that would be a different story, but these women are trying their best at the sport. Not only is the Olympics about effort, but also good sportsmanship and unification. The IAAF should support the women with hyperandrogenism, not discourage them.
DeleteAlejandra
ReplyDeletehttps://theolympians.co/2016/05/19/ewa-klubokowskas-timing-was-right-in-1964-but-wrong-in-1967-the-inexact-science-of-gender-testing-in-the-1960s/
In this article, the author, Roy Tomizawa, speaks about a Polish sprinter, Ewa Klobukowska, who competed in the Olympics in 1964. In the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Poland had beat the world record for the 4x100 relay. However, the United States Women's 4x100 relay team was awarded the world record for their competition later on as Poland's world record was annulled. Ewa Klobukowska had actually finished 0.3 seconds before the US´s competitor. When being a year away from having Olympic glory, Ewa failed a gender test. During this time (1967) female athletes were receiving an absurd amount of attention due to people identifying some of the women to have physically masculine characteristics. After failing the gender test, Ewa was banned from competing in any athletics. At the time, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had stated that Ewa had ¨one chromosome too many.¨ A year after Ewa had failed the gender test, a new test called the Barr Body Test was being used to determine gender. With this test, women would be tested to see if they had an extra inactive X chromosome. If Ewa would have been tested the year that the new test was being used, then she would have continued to be classified as a female.
I found it very unfair that due to unreliable, inexact science, that an amazing athlete was not able to be awarded what she deserved or to compete in what she loved. Poland should have still been awarded the gold-medal and the world record and have been able to keep such. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) needs to change the way that they create rules or guidelines. No one should have to go through what Ewa had to go through, or worse.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHannah Choi
ReplyDeletehttps://www.mcgilldaily.com/2017/07/caster-semenya-forced-hormone-therapy-and-the-iaaf-go-full-orwellian/
Caster Semenya, a female athlete who won numerous gold medals with spectacular debuts, was accused of having male characteristics which aided her in winning many races. As a result, the IAAF conducted a sex verification test to verify if she was biologically female to compete in the Commonwealth female athletic championships. The testosterone test was declared discriminatory and labelled 'humiliating' by her coach. Semenya was announced to be satisfactorily female, and was allowed to retain her medal. Several studies conducted by the IAAF suggested that athletes with higher testosterone levels performed better than athletes with lower testosterone levels. The results of the studies prompted the federation to challenge the Court of of Arbitration for Sport on a 2015 ruling that outlawed the confinement of testosterone levels towards competing athletes.
Pressuring athletes to take medications to suppress testosterone levels is a morally unacceptable decision to make athletic competitions fair. Facing two unavoidable choices, taking suppressants or being prevented from participating in any of the IAAF games, is devastating and humiliating to many athletes. Female competitors should not have to change their body for characteristics they were born with. In the end, although athletes agree on the unspoken rule of fair play, when it comes to modifying an athlete's own body to fit in, the alterations are not worth it. The Olympic Games will stay as games, and federations monitoring the Olympics should not try to pressure athletes into taking hormone-suppressing drugs.
~I'm really sorry I couldn't turn the assignment in yesterday. I had a lot of technical difficulties and the website wouldn't let me log in.
https://www.cnn.com/2012/08/08/health/athletes-gender-testing/index.html
ReplyDeleteCaster Semenya, a female Olympian, raised tensions in 2009 after people started to question her gender. The suspicion arose after it appeared that Semenya had a more masculine appearance when compared to the other female athletes. The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) was responsible for addressing the concerns, so they decided to perform a gender test. To test her gender, the testosterone levels in her body were compared to the normal levels of females and males. The theory was that if she was a female, she would have lower testosterone levels when compared to other women, and if she was a man, she would have higher levels of testosterone, similar to that of a man. The IAAF felt that this test was necessary as if she was male, it would not be fair for her to compete in female competitions. The test revealed that Semenya had both male and female sexual characteristics. She lacked the female gonads and had triple the level of testosterone found in an average women. She was cleared by the IAAF in July of 2010 and completed in the following Olympics.
This situation was a violation of Caster Semenya right’s as well as a disgrace to the LGBTQ community. Transgender or intersex individuals should be able to determine his or her own sexuality and that right should not be infringed upon by other people or governments. The entire question of determining her sexuality is irrelevant as if she wants to be or identifies as a woman, that should be her undeniable right protected by basic human rights. Blaming the unfair competition of an intersex individual competing in a female event is frankly pathetic and is a perfect example of a weak excuse opposing transgender rights.
In the article, “It’s Time To Stop Gender Testing Athletes”, by Jaime Schultz, the gender of a multitude of female athletes were being tested for a variety of reasons. Primarily, female athletes were gender tested through a series of physical evaluations that the athletes felt were “crude and degrading”. Later on, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) conducted gender testing in a less degrading manner by swabbing the inside of the athletes mouth and testing their chromosomes. If an athlete had as much as a “chromosome too many” they would not be allowed to compete or would be stripped of their past metals and accomplishments. Furthermore, gender testing would sometimes be performed on athletes that “did not meet the requirements to compete as a woman,” although the requirements were never specified by the IAAF. Moreover, in this article, it was questioned as to why it mattered if an athlete had a chromosome too many or why it mattered if an athlete produced more testosterone than usual. Although it would be the perfect scenario, the playing fields in sports are never equal and they most likely never will be. It has been seen in the past that men in sports have had conditions which gave them an advantage over their competition, however they were not stripped of their accomplishments as a result. Biological and/or physical testing should not be limited to females as there are a lot of biological and physical factors that can contribute to providing an athlete with an advantage over their competition.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the statement at the end of the article that stated, “Unless athletic authorities want to take on all conditions that might result in an unfair advantage – biological, genetic, social or otherwise – it seems arbitrary to focus on testosterone in female athletes.” I believe that women are being singled out by being the only group of individuals that are biologically and physically tested before and/or after competing. I especially find it unfair when female athletes are tested after winning a competition for not meeting the “requirements to be a woman.’ The IAAF does not have specific requirements to be a woman and is inferring that if a woman is too much of something (i.e. too muscular, too fast, too tall), then they can’t possibly be a woman. I believe ALL individuals should be tested prior to competing if athletic authorities really want to keep the playing field as equal as possible, however that is most likely not going to happen.
Link: https://newrepublic.com/article/136083/its-time-stop-gender-testing-athletes