It was just found out that South African runner Caster Semenya is a hermaphrodite. She has both ovaries and testes. So do you think she should be allow compete and if so with whom.
Poll: She's a man or atleast part.
- Thread starter Donbett1974
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She has testoserone, whereas other women do not. This is an unfair advantage.
However, she is probably unable to compete in the men's races due to having less testosterone than a normal man...
Is there a hermaphrodite race?
However, she is probably unable to compete in the men's races due to having less testosterone than a normal man...
Is there a hermaphrodite race?
I'm confused about that too.Machines Are Us said:
As I said: Why is everyone a hermaphrodite now?
Is that even medically possible?
Is is like that episode of House?
If I remember the article right, she/he/it had something like 9 times the level of testosterone present in the average woman. That gives a huge advantage when it comes to physical activities like running. It's kinda like her body produces its own steroids, comparatively. That's where the "fairness" debate comes into play at least.Booze Zombie said:
The way I understand it there are four sexes male, female, hermaphrodite, and unisex those born with neither parts.
To quote Frankie Boyle here "Whether you have a vagina or not is good enough for the rest of us, it's good enough for the law, it's good enough for GOD but it's not good enough for RUNNING ABOUT apparantly. "I'm so sorry, I can't marry two men" "Oh well you see Father, my partner isn't actually a man because he's been judged as shit at running" "I'm very sorry, I do apologise, God Bless you Gordon and Keith""
If this turns out to be true (the IAAF haven't confirmed anything yet) then no, absolutely not.
Unfortunately for her it means she has the ability to gain weight and muscle mass like a man, the only way for female athletes to get close to her would be to pump steroids and testosterone.
Obviously they can't do that (and expect to get away with it), so she shouldn't be allowed to compete. She's got an advantage that the other female athletes can't match, because she's not female.
Unfortunately for her it means she has the ability to gain weight and muscle mass like a man, the only way for female athletes to get close to her would be to pump steroids and testosterone.
Obviously they can't do that (and expect to get away with it), so she shouldn't be allowed to compete. She's got an advantage that the other female athletes can't match, because she's not female.
she doesn't have ovaries and her testes are internal. presumably she has a vagina or else this would be a lot more cut and dry.Donbett1974 said:
1. this runner's the only hermaphrodite i've heard about recently, though admittedly i don't know much about lady gaga.AmrasCalmacil said:
2. of course it's medically possible
3. missed that one, sorry.
EDIT: she's probably going to have to have corrective surgery anyway, so we'll see what she ends up as.
The athlete has a Y chromosome, but the external genitalia never developed properly. The testicals are still inside her. This means that on the outside, she looks female. Even us guys start out with a female physique in the womb, before the external parts develop. In this person, that never happened. In other words, this person is a male who's development went wrong, and ended up looking like a female.
Is this person a female? Politically, yes, because that is how she was raised, treated and thought of as. Biologically, however, no. No ability to produce eggs, no womb, and she does not have two X chromosomes. However.... this person is also not male..... which is tricky.
She (and I am sure she would like to be called a she) doesn't really fit any classification. I suppose if you were looking at it from a purely biological point of view, she would be an abnormal male. However, she did not know about her own condition (although some could have suspected it). There was no deceit involved, and I can imagine how it must be truly heart-breaking to find out about this.
She should not lose her medal. As for whether or not she should still be allowed to compete... eh. Life gave her a bad hand. She can't compete against males and can't compete against females fairly.
She should retire. It sucks, it's not her fault, but there's no way any other female athelete is going to accept her as a fair competitor. I know I wouldn't if I was a female runner. She already won a medal, and she could be a good coach.
Is this person a female? Politically, yes, because that is how she was raised, treated and thought of as. Biologically, however, no. No ability to produce eggs, no womb, and she does not have two X chromosomes. However.... this person is also not male..... which is tricky.
She (and I am sure she would like to be called a she) doesn't really fit any classification. I suppose if you were looking at it from a purely biological point of view, she would be an abnormal male. However, she did not know about her own condition (although some could have suspected it). There was no deceit involved, and I can imagine how it must be truly heart-breaking to find out about this.
She should not lose her medal. As for whether or not she should still be allowed to compete... eh. Life gave her a bad hand. She can't compete against males and can't compete against females fairly.
She should retire. It sucks, it's not her fault, but there's no way any other female athelete is going to accept her as a fair competitor. I know I wouldn't if I was a female runner. She already won a medal, and she could be a good coach.
i'd say go with the genetic definition of a woman, i.e. two X chroms.
If he/she has a Y chrom, he's genetically a man and not allowed to compete in an all-woman contest.
It's a lot of controversy, but he/she'll always be something between a man and a woman, this is strictly about wether or not he/she's allowed to compete.
If he/she has a Y chrom, he's genetically a man and not allowed to compete in an all-woman contest.
It's a lot of controversy, but he/she'll always be something between a man and a woman, this is strictly about wether or not he/she's allowed to compete.