Talks Like A Man, Walks Like A Man Runs Like A Man....

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/48153742
Watch this interview and tell this is a woman! "easiest race in my life" - yeah, try running against other blokes mate.

[CrapAtCryptics]

Why dont they have races for "other" - then they can argue amongst themselves as to whom they should race

[douglas9401]

Has anyone seen John Barnes since he started at Weightwatchers?

[Sqad]

"Her physicality is 'natural' to her (however 'unnatural' it may be to the rest of us, it is not artificial)"...

Of course it is, but as i mentioned in my post above, the opinion of herself and that of her parents, is just not good enough for International Athletics and other facets of life ( i would imagine).
If she is XX and has high testosterone levels, then, for fairness in women's athletics, she should be banned.....and has been but only for certain events.

[baza]

In some areas of work those who dressed/ acted like males were called geezer birds, having seen an interview last night I am not sure what she/ he is.

[jim360]

she*, her*.

Get it right. The issue of whether Semenya should be able to compete in women's sport is utterly separate to the question of her gender identity -- which, as has been stated, has been female from birth.

[Khandro]

... but does he/she pass the 'sqad test' ?

[hereIam]

Definitely looks and sounds like a man.

Togo - it's illegal now isn't it, to have an opinion ??

[luciustool]

Its irrelevant how she's been brought up. If my mam had decided to put me in a dress as a child and call me Mandy that would not have stopped me developing my meat and two veg, deep vice and manly square jaw. She's either got XX chromosomes and is homo-gametic if not a bit butch, or she has XY chromosomes and is a full blown hetero-gametic bloke.

[luciustool]

*deep voice* oh dear....

[mushroom25]

//meat and two veg, deep vice and manly square jaw. //

and if now, at a later stage in your life you were yourself disposed to wear a dress and call yourself mandy, the above attributes would not disqualify you from calling yourself female, nor would they legally be allowed to be used by others to mis-gender you.

[luciustool]

Agree that would be my choice but I still shouldn't be allowed to compete in female only sports because I would biologically be a bloke and you can't change that however much you would want to.

[JF85]

Born female, still female. Checked by IAAF a few years ago when she first started winning big races. Athletes don't really give a flying fig if AB members think they are attractive; they just want to run, jump and throw.

Why is Semenya the first athlete to be denied the right to use the advantages nature gave her? Should slim marathon runners have to carry backpacks of bricks? Should top cyclists be given children's bikes to level the playing field?

Top sports performers have always exploited the latest kit, the lightest equipment, top psychologists and nutritionists, but suddenly a runner who is not from one of those privileged groups is making waves and everyone else wants her handicapped.

That is not sport.

[New Judge]

//and if now, at a later stage in your life you were yourself disposed to wear a dress and call yourself mandy, the above attributes would not disqualify you from calling yourself female//

Indeed it wouldn’t. And it wouldn’t matter a fig but for this:

//nor would they legally be allowed to be used by others to mis-gender you.//

Which is where the nonsense begins.

Never mind. She can still compete in the longer races (over one mile I believe). Which is where the nonsense gathers pace.

[dannyk13]

NJ//ever mind. She can still compete in the longer races //
This is a cop out, she should either be allowed to compete in all races or none.The length of the race does not alter her gender.

[Mamyalynne]

It's a hugely complex area and not one I can fully understand all of, nor is it new.

Some older cases weren't discovered until after the athlete had died. Others have turned to quite drastic measures to appease the ruling bodies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex#Sport

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C5%82awa_Walasiewicz

[Sqad]

mmy...in both cases,testosterone levels would have sorted them both out and identified the appropriate sex....but such tests were unavailable in the 1930's..........but they ARE now.

[pixie374]

There is nothing to say you "have it right", Jim.
Babies are never usually as-tested at birth, there is very rarely any need. Nobody is suggesting it is Caster's fault, or the fault of the parents, that it was ever deliberate or "cheating" but that isn't what the decision is about. It should never have been made personal about one athlete.

[CallieB]

Is this runner a true hermaphrodite? If so I think she should be able to compete as a woman as that is how she identifies. Excess Testosterone could be controlled to come into line with legal parameters but the runner seems to object to this.

[pixie374]

Mammals are never hermaphrodites, no.