WHAT MAKES A FEMALE ATHLETE FEMALE? UNDERSTANDING THE CASTER SEMENYA DEBACLE
VIKKI KRANE HMSLS WHAT MAKES ONE FEMALE? THE CONTROVERSY
Who can compete in a “woman’s” event vs. How to maintain fair play Gender Verification
Sex Testing
Sex Control
Competitive Eligibility IOC HISTORY OF SEX CONTROL OF ELITE FEMALE ATHLETES 1930s Concerns voiced about masculine female athletes 1966 IOC adopts mandatory physical exams 1968 Barr Body test (chromosome) 1992 Polymerase chain reaction (PCR; DNA testing) 1999 Discontinued mandatory testing; suspicious athletes tested 2010 Hyperandrogenism regulations (T levels) 2015 Suspension of hyperandrogenism regulations THE WINDING ROAD OF IAAF T RULES
2009 Semenya’s sex questioned & scrutinized; subjected to sex testing, suspended 11 months 2010 Semenya cleared compete in women’s competitions; leaked that she is on hormone treatment 2011 Hyperandrogenism regulations introduced (testosterone at 10nmol/L) 2014 Dutee Chand grievance to CAS 2015 CAS ruling suspended the regulations; IAAF given 2 years to support their stance 2018 Revised hyperandrogenism regulations (testosterone at 5nmol/L to compete in events ranging from 400m to a mile) Semenya grieves 2019 CAS rules against Semenya 2019 World Athletics Eligibility Regulations trans athletes released (testosterone at 5nmol/L) INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
Cultural Sport Endocrinology Psychology QUEER FEMINIST FRAMEWORK TRANSFEMINISM
Critiques of binary sex and gender Questions anatomy as criterion for social organization Questions medical approaches that pathologize bodies Takes an anti-oppression stance (Enke, 2012) INTERSEX CONDITIONS AND SPORT
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) Ovotesticular disorder of sexual development Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) Partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) 5-alpha reductase deficiency (5-ARD) CAS Ovotesticular CAIS PAIS 5-ARD
Excess androgen Ovarian and Body Partially Defect of sex production testicular tissue unresponsive to unresponsive to steroid present androgens androgens biosynthesis
Virilization May have Surge in T at virilization puberty
Ambiguous more XY cells = External female External female Genitalia female genitalia, more androgens genitalia, genitalia, or male or premature breast devel., breast devel., ambiguous; puberty no uterus, no uterus, raised as males undescended undescended and females Can be fatal testes testes
46,XX 46,XX 46,XY 46,XY 46,XY 46,XY 46,XY Mosacism Biology Culture TESTOSTERONE: THE CULTURAL SPORT NARRATIVE
Males are bigger than females Males have more testosterone than females THEREFORE: testosterone makes males better athletes than females TESTOSTERONE: THE CULTURAL SPORT NARRATIVE
IF testosterone is the principle factor in athletic success IF testosterone is the reason why males are bigger, taller, and more athletic than females THEN female athletes with high T will outperform other female athletes WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT TESTOSTERONE AND PERFORMANCE?
“There is no evidence showing that successful athletes have higher testosterone levels than less successful athletes.”
(Karkazis et al., 2012, p. 8) WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT TESTOSTERONE AND PERFORMANCE?
Elite female athletes have competed with: CAIS or PAIS After having testes removed (intersex & trans women) HYPERANDROGENISM
“the presence of endogenous testosterone that is atypically high for a female” (Krane, 2018, p. 244) WHAT MAKES AN ADVANTAGE? WHO GETS TESTED?
Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi; Caster Semenya, South Africa; & Margaret Nyairera Wambui of Kenya
SO WHY BAN HYPERANDROGENIC ATHLETES?
Cultural stereotypes – white western femininity Only women are tested Primarily black women from global south tested Fair play? Consider what impacts elite performance Physical characteristics Financial resources , specialized training, diet, Geographic context . . . DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF REGULATIONS
Case study: 4 young elite female athletes /5-ARD From developing countries High T revealed through anti-doping protocols Given option: to remain eligible to compete, must undergo medical intervention at an IOC approved medical center (Fénichel et al., 2013) “Although leaving male gonads in SDRD5A2 patients carries no health risk, each athlete was informed that gonadectomy would most likely decrease their performance level but allow them to continue elite sport in the female category. We thus proposed a partial clitoridectomy with a bilateral gonadectomy, followed by a deferred feminizing vaginoplasty and estrogen replacement therapy, to which the 4 athletes agreed after informed consent...”
(Fénichel et al., 2013, emphasis added) DUTEE CHAND VS IAAF (2014-15)
T > 10 nmol/L à ineligible Suspended or banned Undergo medical intervention Compete in the men’s division
(Mmale = 10-35 nmol/L Mfemale = 0.31- 2.8 nmol/L) CAS (2015) charge to IAAF:
Provide scientific support that high endogenous testosterone provides a significant athletic advantage (i.e., 10-12% ) IAAF “PROOF” BERMAN & GARNIER (2017)
Re-examined assessment of fT in female athletes at IAAF world championships (2011, 2013) 5 (of 21) events in which high T athletes performed better: 400 m ……………….2.78% 400 m hurdles……..1.78% 800 m……………….2.73% hammer throw……4.53% pole vault…………. 2.94% IAAF REVISED POLICY (2018)
To be eligible to complete in the female category in running events between 400m and the mile, women must have a blood testosterone level below five (5) nmol/L
(Mmale = 10-35 / 7.7 - 29.4 Mfemale = 0.31- 2.8 / .12-1.79) 2018 IAAF RULE
If hyperandrogenic, to be eligible one must: a) be recognized by law as female or as intersex b) reduce blood testosterone level to below 5 nmol/L for at least six months c) maintain her blood testosterone level below five (5) nmol/L continuously SEMENYA V IAAF DECONSTRUCTING IAAF LANGUAGE (Science, Folklore, Cultural Discourse, & Myth) T TALK (KARKAZIS & JORDON-YOUNG, 2018)
“T talk seamlessly weaves together folklore and science”
(Karkazis & Jordon- Young, 2018, p. 7) T TALK (KARKAZIS & JORDON-YOUNG, 2018)
Biology Folklore / Cultural Discourse Science / medical authority T = male & masculine High T is a medical prob. High T = athleticism Moral authority to act Policy = fair play Regional untreated High T analogous to cheating intersex conditions T TALK (KARKAZIS & JORDON-YOUNG, 2018)
Disguises new policy as another version of sex-testing/control Deflects racial and regional politics Obscures who the regulations privilege IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES (KARKAZIS & CARPENTER, 2018)
No athlete forced to undergo assessment and/or treatment, but if one does not… Compete at non-international events Compete in non-restricted events Compete in the male classification Compete in any intersex or similar classification CAS RULING 2019
“The panel is faced with regulations that are dealing with an agreed binary division of athletes for competition, namely male and female, in a world that is not so neatly divided.”
“The majority of the Panel finds that the DSD regulations are discriminatory but that on the evidence currently before the Panel such discrimination is a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of achieving the aim of what is described as the integrity of female athletics and the upholding of the ‘protected class’ of female athletes in certain events.” SO WHAT DOES TESTING FOR T ACCOMPLISH?
Marks natural differences as unfair Invasion of privacy and humiliation Incites body policing & surveillance Imposes western medical views Loss of career and livelihood Unnecessary intervention and surgery Lowering T leads to health concerns
María José Martínez-Patiño THE ILLUSIVE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
A level playing field is a myth Elite athletes are physically gifted Biased regulation of athletes’ bodies celebrate exceptional male bodies censure exceptional female bodies
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