"Unfair Genetic Advantage"

[Mr. Bloom]

Am I the only woman on this thread who ran competitive track, broke records by large margins, and got mistaken for a boy?

Is it understandable that I would see the unfairness in Semenya's situation?

Knot: I think everyone agrees the situation is unfair...I think we believe the cause is different... likely because of different life's experiences and perspectives.

[channlluv]

Wasn't there a similar situation when Martina Navratilova and Chrissy Evert were competing? Martina is decidedly more masculine than Chrissy, and regularly womped on people on the tennis court, but their rivalry was pretty close, wasn't it? Maybe it's not a good analogy.

DH was showing me a video online of Semenya talking. She does have a very deep voice, but so do a lot of women, our niece included. And there are a lot of women who are more masculine than others, my cousin included. They're not all world-class athletes, though, with major endorsement deals in their futures.

How can someone's testosterone levels be artificially lowered for the purposes of testing? That seems like cheating to me, if that's what they did. I wonder if that's proved, if they'd disqualify her for falsifying tests, regardless of what her genetic makeup is.

Roxy

[Trek420]

Pro athletes are tested every day, every race in every way shape and form. I don't think tests or the amount they are tested or which tests should be based on appearance. I don't think anyone says "well Lance was looking unusually strong today. Let's have him pee in a cup"

As women we're hard enough on ourselves and each other over the issue of appearance. Where is the thread in which we discuss how to maintain that image of fragile femininity when hammering so hard you puke

As athletes, and being over 50, overweight, under height and considering myself an athlete is odd, I am one. Anyway I don't think folks who don't work out and also most men can understand the real daily push and pull this is for women. Strength, beauty, strength, beauty, strength ..... short hair, helmet hair, let it grow, helmet hair, make up, keeping it fresh and riding till you toss cookies ....

Male athletes of any level or sport (we love 'em) but you don't go through this. Faster, higher, stronger .... that's about it.

I'm old enough to remember their being just few images of women athletes. I'm glad especially for younger women and girls that if they want to be just strong, just really strong like Semenya they have that image, if they want the image of speed and ultra style like Flo Jo they have that too, just a couple of examples.

[shootingstar]

Anyway I don't think folks who don't work out and also most men can understand the real daily push and pull this is for women. Strength, beauty, strength, beauty, strength ..... short hair, helmet hair, let it grow, helmet hair, make up, keeping it fresh and riding till you toss cookies ....

Male athletes of any level or sport (we love 'em) but you don't go through this. Faster, higher, stronger .... that's about it.

I'm old enough to remember their being just few images of women athletes. I'm glad especially for younger women and girls that if they want to be just strong, just really strong like Semenya they have that image, if they want the image of speed and ultra style like Flo Jo they have that too, just a couple of examples.

+1

Hopefully whatever the outcome for this 18 yr. old athletic star, she will have unconditional support from her loved ones who have known her the longest..for years ahead.

Of course, her upper body fit physicality and perceived flat-chest ....I am willing to bet you that quite a number of women with small or near-non-existent developed mature breasts don't wear the crop tight track tanktops precisely because it flattens them out. Those things do great things to me in the change room....I look like a 11 yr. old up top, not 50 yr. Same effect for a one piece swimming suit.

I'm hoping all this negative hoorah from competition judges...may be wrong. Maybe we'll see more women just wear it for comfort/speed, etc. instead of being concerned about looking masculine/butch.

Alot of women's faces if they cut their hair very short or have it all pulled back from face...would make them look quite masculine..plus forgetting to pluck/bleach facial hair.

Chanelluv: By the way, with your new avatar pic, you look totally different without the helmet and sunglasses. I had a different image of you altogether.

How wrong we can be!

[channlluv]

Chanelluv: By the way, with your new avatar pic, you look totally different without the helmet and sunglasses. I had a different image of you altogether.

How wrong we can be!

Um...thanks. I think. <g> Yeah, I have dreams of one day looking more like Knot in her avatar photo.

Roxy

[Trek420]

Um...thanks. I think. <g> Yeah, I have dreams of one day looking more like Knot in her avatar photo.

Roxy

Um, that's not really Knott. But then she looks better than that

[channlluv]

Um, that's not really Knott. But then she looks better than that

Color me disillusioned. Alas.



Roxy

[teigyr]

I don't think there is any advantage to being female so male athletes get tested for a LOT of things but perhaps not genetic advantage. (Except Manny Ramirez, didn't he have female hormones in his system when he was suspended?!) Runners World (http://footloose.runnersworld.com/) has a fair amount of interviews and documentation as to what could be going on.

I was a runner who also broke records. Unfortunately (or probably fortunately) the records I broke were from mediocre people. I trained with a team that brought up Olympic athletes and in that elite group, I was not so great but when I competed for my school, I was really good.

I didn't realize this when I ran (I was really young) but unethical things do happen. My parents refused to allow it with me and it wasn't so much of an issue because I never would have done great things. I DO remember seeing the metamorphosis of some of the female runners from average girl to muscular (and sometimes hairy) athlete. Those parents that allowed it to happen had a child that might become famous and the coach got lots of fame for that athlete's skill. It benefited everyone but the runner though I don't think any of them understood what it was at the time.

I don't approve of the way Caster's testing is being done in the limelight. I don't think SHE is a bad person or is trying to work the system, if in fact there is something amiss. Adults have been known to do anything they can to produce a great runner. If anything, this proves that the IAAF needs to have clear standards on what is allowed or not allowed and if that is deemed to be unfair, then it needs to be challenged. It will be interesting to see how the tests come out.

[witeowl]

Knot: I think everyone agrees the situation is unfair...I think we believe the cause is different... likely because of different life's experiences and perspectives.

Well put.

By the way, this is, apparently not unprecedented in track. I just watched a CNN blurb on the story, and this has occurred to a number of female athletes in track and field. One woman from India was actually stripped of her medal, and a Polish sprinter was "only" banned from competing professionally.