Reply to Harrison Bergeron: The Ruling in the Caster Semenya Case Shows Us Where We are Going

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Reply to "Harrison Bergeron: The Ruling in the Caster Semenya Case Shows Us Where We are Going"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][b]Should men be allowed to compete against women in women's sports?
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Disorders of sexual development can be devastating. Especially since they're often hidden and many societies are very uncomfortable with it, leaving people without an understanding of what's going on. I understand that often people with DSDs don't even find out until something goes wrong later in life (such as trying to figure out why puberty isn't going as expected, or they aren't able to have children).

There is no easy answer here. Reasonable people can see harm happening no matter what the decision is.[/quote]

How is that relevant? Caster Semenya is a woman. Should women be allowed to compete against women in women's sports?[/quote]

We don't actually know that. From the information available, it is likely that Caster Semenya is intersex. This is only being discussed because Caster Semenya competes at the highest level of athletics, and is exceptional. It is unfortunate that women are at such a physical disadvantage generally, that whenever someone is phenomenal there is a suspicion that they may not be a biological woman. There are some unfortunate facts of biological life, and women generally being at an athletic disadvantage is one of them.[/quote]

"A biological woman"? Seriously?[/quote]

If Caster Semenya is a 46 XY person with DSD, then Caster Semenya is not a typical biological woman. A disorder of sexual development has left her with some form of testicular development. It's unfortunate (she's at higher risk of certain health problems, and it's led to her personal situation being discussed publicly), and it's only an issue because she participates in a sex-segregated activity.[/quote]

Note the meaningful difference between "not a biological woman" and "not a typical biological woman."[/quote]

XX is female, XY is male. There are disorders of sexual development that muddy that a bit for individual people, but it doesn't change the basics.
Odds are, in 100 years, if Caster Semenya's skeleton was analyzed and her DNA was evaluated, she would be considered a biological male (with a disorder of sexual development). She wouldn't be being evaluated by whether or not the person who delivered her saw what was perceived as a penis or not. In a sexist, misogynistic system, Caster Semenya was determined to be female because of (a lack of) external characteristics. That does not make Caster Semenya a biological woman or a biological man. It makes Caster Semenya a victim of a sexist system.[/quote]

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