Semenya Controversy: A Reply Post on Sex and Gender Dimensions

This discussion post analyzes the Caster Semenya controversy, focusing on the intersection of sex and gender. It addresses the dimensions of sex and gender relevant to the debate surrounding Semenya's eligibility to compete, particularly after her record-breaking 800-meter race win. The analysis considers the role of gender ideologies and cultural beliefs in questioning Semenya's biological sex and challenges the IAAF's decisions regarding her participation. The post highlights the controversy surrounding Semenya's condition as a Hermaphrodite and concludes that Athletics South Africa ultimately determined her sex after testing. Desklib offers numerous resources and solved assignments for students seeking to understand complex social and ethical issues.

Task 7 what is gender reply
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
(a) Which dimensions of sex and/or gender are you focusing on to make your decision?.........1
(b) Where do sex and gender intersect in the controversy?........................................................1
(c) Who is or should be making a determination about Semenya's sex?....................................1
d) Why might we feel the need to decide if Semenya is female or male?..................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................2
RFERENCES...................................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION
Report main aim is to provide the knowledge about gender reply post and it is based upon
latest case of Caster Semenya who won 800 meter race in record time. Therefore, IAAF make
controversial decisions to determine whether she is female and male. Report is based upon some
questions which help to find the answers.
(a) Which dimensions of sex and/or gender are you focusing on to make your decision?
Gender ideologies is focus us to make the dimensions and doubted on the sexuality of
Semenya (Bianchi, 2018). This is based upon the culturally beliefs about the gendered being
within the given society. Same its happen with Semenya such that while won the gold medal
many of them are doubted whether the lady is male or female because it is impossible to win the
race.
(b) Where do sex and gender intersect in the controversy?
When Semenya won the race because it is next to possible to win the race in prescribe
time therefore, at that time many of the members of IAAF thinks, the race is not won by other
people even though they are boy. How a female can won. At that time they sex and gender
intersect in the controversy (Line, 2018).
(c) Who is or should be making a determination about Semenya's sex?
Athletics South Africa (AFA) made the final decision about Semenya's sex after testing.
Though both sex and gender are two different things and it is more of social construct than a
biological i.e. sex is a biological, gender is a physical characteristics.
d) Why might we feel the need to decide if Semenya is female or male?
There is a need to decide if Semenya is a female or male because she was born a
Hermaphrodite i.e. she have both male as well as female reproductive organ and that is actually
clarify when the test is done by Athletics South Africa. At that time, as per reported as a potential
disqualification from the 800m final race (Young, 2015).
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CONCLUSION
By summing up above report it has been concluded that testing is done in order to
determine the gender of Semenya after she won the race of 800m. Therefore it has been
concluded that she is Hermaphrodite.
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RFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bianchi, A., 2018. Gender Testing in Sport: Ethics, cases and controversies.
Line, J., 2018. Placing Caster Semenya Within and Outside of Discourse on Sex and Gender in
the Space of International Professional Athletics.
Young, S. L., 2015. Running like a man, sitting like a girl: Visual enthymeme and the case of
Caster Semenya. Women's Studies in Communication. 38(3). pp.331-350.
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