Runners Gender is Questioned and Publicly Walked Down “Gender-Row”

Eighteen year old South African track athlete Caster Semenya has been spotlighted in the news for the past few weeks but the highlights read a very different story than her 800 Meter Dash time while participating in the world championships. The IAAF, International Association of Athletics Federation, demanded a test before Semenya could claim her gold medal.

According to a 2000 Journal of the American Medical Association article over 11,000 women competing over a span of five Olympics have had their gender brought into question. Twenty-seven of which were found to have genetic “gender” disorders. Many experts worry about the psychological consequences of such public coverage after the suicide attempt of a female athlete who tested male just two years prior. One of Semenya’s coaches quit out of shame for lying to her about what she was being tested for, he told her she was taking a doping test.

This story however does end well, upon Semenya’s return home her fellow South Africans rally in support of her and promise they will not allow her gold medal to be taken from her. President of Athletics South Africa even resigned from the IAAF to show his disapproval for the way in which Semenya was treated.

It is important to remember that gender is socially constructed and cannot be tested for. Semenya fell short of the gender expectations of the IAAF and so her actual sex was tested for. The stereotypes of gender do not solely affect those who identify as transgender. The protection of one’s gender identity and expression is something all can benefit from.