The Question of Gender on Individuals

800m World Champion Caster Semenya


The human body is something that is curiously researched upon everyday. The questions, the answers, and all the magnificent discoveries are what we today have defined to divide the human body into our two genders, male and female. Sure, there are things that make a person a male, and things that make a person a female, but do these definitions have to be justified at every possible spectacle?


What makes me want to write about this in constant frustration is when reading countless articles via YAHOO, MSN, and listening from the television is from the Track & Field World Championships in Berlin, Germany. Caster Semenya, an 18 year old South African won the 800m finals a couple of days ago was ordered by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) to undergo gender testing because to check if she was actually a woman. I mean, are you serious? The event was the “Women’s 800m”, why wouldn’t she be a woman?


Apparently, with her being 18 and winning the 800m by a good distance, they have also considered her physical features into question. So she got jacked really fast and she has a deep voice is putting question about whether or not she’s a man. Why can’t you investigate whether or not she’s on steroids? I mean, that’s pretty bad too, accusing her of cheating, which isn’t true, but it’s a whole lot better than being questioned about your sexuality. She’s been a girl her whole life. She might look like a boy, have a deep voice, and hang out with a majority of boys during her childhood, but that can’t make her a boy.


This sort of thing just aggravates me. I mean, sports always seem to get some of the craziest and absurd headlines sometimes. I mean, really, to question one’s own gender. Do they she suddenly forgot what gender she was and had to choose which event to enter? They want the gender test to see if she’s legally a female. Seriously!? All this speculation because of her appearance? It’s offensive and totally pointless. If she isn’t a legal woman, her gold medal gets stripped from her. I mean, what makes a woman a legal woman at a sporting event such as the World Championships? I’d love to see these kinds of definitions, because what they’re doing is ridiculous. I feel bad for her, really. It’s tough to see this happen exclusively in sports, making international headlines. If you’re a woman, you’re a woman. If you’re a man, you’re a man. Just leave it at that. No questions.


Comments