When 18-year old Caster Semenya of South Africa obliterated her competition in the woman’s 800 meters in Berlin Wednesday, most thought “Wow, that’s an extremely fast young lady,” and thought nothing else of it.
Some people, however, listened to her deep voice and looked at her muscular, masculine-looking frame and thought, “This must be a man.”
Gender controversy is nothing new to Semenya. 
She accepts the taunts with grace and dignity, just like a world class athlete.
Her coach, Michael Seme, said he was constantly asked about Semenya’s sex, since her voice and features are so masculine.
According to the Guardian, “Semenya had been ‘crudely humiliated’ a few times and the closest Seme said he had seen her to anger was earlier this year when some people wanted her barred from using a women’s public toilet. Then Caster said, ‘Do you want me to pull down my pants that you can see?’ Those same people came to her later and said they were extremely sorry.”
Seeming to confirm the suspicions of the naysayers, the International Associate of Athletics Federations, the body that oversees the Berlin World Championships, asked gold-medal recipient Semenya to take a gender test.
I understand why most people are concerned about Semenya’s gender: It goes against people’s sense of egalitarianism and general fairness if a man can compete as a woman.
Because of all the doping scandals that have taken place over the years, I also understand why the IAAF is concerned.
What I don’t understand, however, is why the IAAF confirmed that Semenya was undergoing genetic testing.
According to its Policy on Gender Verification, matters such as this are supposed to be confidential.
No wonder Semenya’s family and even the South African government is crying foul.
Jacob Semenya, Caster’s father told a local South African newspaper, “She is my little girl; I raised her and I have never doubted her gender. She is a woman, and I can repeat that a million times.”
“For the first time South Africans have someone to be proud of, and detractors are already shouting wolf. It is unfair. I wish they would leave my daughter alone.”
The African National Congress, South Africa’s ruling party asked South Africans to support the athlete.
“Caster is not the only woman athlete with a masculine build and the International Association of Athletics Federation should know better,” said a statement from South Africa’s ruling party.
To further fan the flames of prejudice, someone also recently leaked that Semenya’s testosterone level is three-times that of a normal female.
What nobody is saying, however, is that there are any number of biological reasons why Semenya’s testosterone could be three-times higher than that of an average woman.
These include: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, androgen-producing tumors and anovulatory androgen excess (polycystic ovary syndrome).
There is also the possibility of Semenya having an intersex disorder such as androgen insensitivity.
Androgen insensitive individuals can have the genitalia of one sex, but have the chromosomal make up of the opposite sex.
Though some such as Steve McConkey of 4 WINDS, a Christian track and field ministry, think that Semenya should be stripped of her medal if she is genetically male, Semenya will likely be able to keep her medal if she is androgen insensitive, as the IAAF makes provisions for the disorder.
After reading the IAAF’s Policy on Gender Verification, it seems as if the only reason it is testing Semenya is to see if she had an unfair advantage, testosterone-wise, over the other women she ran against.
I say this because the issue can’t be about Semenya being genetically male or female, as the IAAF, along with the International Olympic Committee, has allowed male-to-female and female-to-male transsexuals to openly compete in athletic events since 2004.
But that’s just my best guess. Unless the IAAF tells people why it decided to test Semenya, we won’t know.
One thing I do know though: By leaking confidential information to the press, the organization has tarnished South Africa’s “golden girl.” And as far as I’m concerned, the organization deserves every accusation of racism, classism and sexism that Semenya’s family and her supporters hurl at it, as it bears most of the blame for the way Semenya has been treated.
View the IAAF’s Policy on Gender Verification here: www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/imported/36983.pdf
