Champion runner to undergo gender testing?

JDR13

JDR13

SasqWatch
Original Sin Donor
Supporter
Joined
October 21, 2006
Messages
39,382
Location
Florida, US
Now here's a weird one. Apparently the new world champion in the Womans 800 meter run is being made to take a test to verify that she(?) is indeed a woman.


BERLIN (AP) - The IAAF has asked the South African athletics federation to conduct a gender verification test on 800-meter runner Caster Semenya amid concerns she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman.
Click to expand...


The verification test requires a physical medical evaluation, and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender.
Click to expand...


This is one of the most bizarre things related to sports that I've seen in quite some time.

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/9956970/IAAF-asks-for-gender-test-on-runner-Semenya?GT1=39002
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
39,382
Location
Florida, US
Ah, youngsters... you're not familiar with the East German women's weightlifting team...
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,540
... And I'm sure you use the term "women" very loosely there PJ :biggrin:

Man those East German hammer-tossers, javelin throwers and the ones with the small ball tucked under your chin (I can't for the life of figure out what the english word for it is. In Danish it is called "Kuglestød"), those were some scary looking "women". :[
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
805
Location
Just outside of Copenhagen
"For three years I lived the life of a girl. It was most dull." Dora Ratjen.
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
2,080
Location
UK
woges said:
"For three years I lived the life of a girl. It was most dull." Dora Ratjen.
Click to expand...


You have to wonder how he got away with it for that long. :lol:
 

Attachments

  • 180px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-C10379%2C_Hermann_Ratjen_alias_%22Dora_Ratjen%22.jpg
    180px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-C10379%2C_Hermann_Ratjen_alias_%22Dora_Ratjen%22.jpg
    9.5 KB · Views: 63
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
39,382
Location
Florida, US
Yeesh. I would think three days would have been a stretch.


This is a weird one, I agree, JDR. I would think determining gender would be fairly basic, but I come from a more prehistoric background where you could tell by which ear people wore an earring in. :)
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
7,834
magerette said:
Yeesh. I would think three days would have been a stretch.


This is a weird one, I agree, JDR. I would think determining gender would be fairly basic, but I come from a more prehistoric background where you could tell by which ear people wore an earring in. :)
Click to expand...

And you knew that people who were talking to themselves in public were crazy.

But seriously, an unhealthy dose of steroids could achieve almost the same results.
 
A sex test that takes weeks to complete? Seems to me that asking them to drop their shorts would be an easier way to figure out their gender than doing a blood test, but that's just me.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
852
Location
Columbus, OH USA
Sir Markus said:
A sex test that takes weeks to complete? Seems to me that asking them to drop their shorts would be an easier way to figure out their gender than doing a blood test, but that's just me.
Click to expand...

In most cases, yes. But there are quite a number of cases where there is a mismatch between genetic sex, internal sex organs and external sex organs. Or where some features may be difficult to interprete: Does the person have a large clitoris, and partially fused labiae, or a small penis and an incompletely fused scrotum?
 
lghartveit said:
In most cases, yes. But there are quite a number of cases where there is a mismatch between genetic sex, internal sex organs and external sex organs.
Click to expand...

That's interesting, I didn't know that. So I suppose they have to do a test for estrogen/testerone or something like that? I just figured you could tell by the 'plumbing' for lack of a better word.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
852
Location
Columbus, OH USA
Sir Markus said:
That's interesting, I didn't know that. So I suppose they have to do a test for estrogen/testerone or something like that? I just figured you could tell by the 'plumbing' for lack of a better word.
Click to expand...

Probably also a chromosome analysis. Usually, in females one of the x-chromosomes are inactive, and you can see it in for instance while blood cells as a small "drumstick" on the nucleus. But in cases likem these they use much more sophisticated methods. Look up "Barr body" in Wikipedia.

BTW: Some persons have both an ovary and a testicle. Just to make things complicated.
 
Sir Markus said:
That's interesting, I didn't know that. So I suppose they have to do a test for estrogen/testerone or something like that? I just figured you could tell by the 'plumbing' for lack of a better word.
Click to expand...

It's apparently indeed a rather thorough combination of looking at the chromosomes (XX / XY) hormone levels, internal organs, psychological tests, etc. Apparently it's not so uncommon that women athletes are tested as genetically male (having XY chromosomes) an article I read stated that in Atlanta '96, 8 women were tested positive on Y chromosomes, but 7 were NOT disqualified - their bodies have a condition that does not allow it to react to testosterone, and therefore although genetically male, are considered female. So it really is more complicated then you'd think.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
3,508
Incidentally, there was a pretty damn good TV movie about a similar (real) case. Name of Second Serve. Vanessa Redgrave did an incredible performance of a man who became a woman -- some of the most amazing acting I've seen anywhere.

The mid bit where she was playing a man learning to look and act like a woman was especially impressive; she really had the whole continuum down.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
8,540
GhanBuriGhan said:
It's apparently indeed a rather thorough combination of looking at the chromosomes (XX / XY) hormone levels, internal organs, psychological tests, etc. Apparently it's not so uncommon that women athletes are tested as genetically male (having XY chromosomes) an article I read stated that in Atlanta '96, 8 women were tested positive on Y chromosomes, but 7 were NOT disqualified - their bodies have a condition that does not allow it to react to testosterone, and therefore although genetically male, are considered female. So it really is more complicated then you'd think.
Click to expand...

You have to be kidding, so what you are saying is it's physically possible for a person to be a 'man' without male genitals? How does that happen? I guess it's some weird hormone anomaly. Weird, I had no idea this was even an issue in sports. I've heard about steroids, but never about questioning somebodies gender.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
852
Location
Columbus, OH USA
Sir Markus said:
You have to be kidding, so what you are saying is it's physically possible for a person to be a 'man' without male genitals? How does that happen? I guess it's some weird hormone anomaly. Weird, I had no idea this was even an issue in sports. I've heard about steroids, but never about questioning somebodies gender.
Click to expand...

Basically it's like this (if I remember correctly):

1. Ovaries or testicles?
The presence of a working Y chromosomes cause the primordial sex glands to differentiate into testicles. The lack of a working Y chromosome cause them to develop into ovaries.

2. Internal and external sex characteristics
These are determined from the hormones produced by the developed sex glands. Ovaries produce estrogen which causes the development of a uterus/vagina. The testicles produce testosteron which stimulates development of a penis, a scrotum.

Thus it's possible for an XY to develop as a female, if the Y doesn't work. The individual will be infertile - I'm pretty sure about that.
 
Have y'all seen her picture? I'm reminded of Austin Powers--she's a man, man.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
13,547
Location
Illinois, USA
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom