"Unfair Genetic Advantage"

[smilingcat]

I heard she has no womb nor ovaries but a testicle of sorts in her body... Okay.

And if you were AIS then no amount of testosterone will make you male. But she does seem to have some male like attributes. sooo I'm bit confused here. Just from the physiology perspective and nothing to do with athletics. And if being AIS makes your body to reject or not recognize the testosterone so you develop as a woman? but wouldn't you need estrogen to make you a girl?? Why is it that lack of testosterone (or not recognizing the male hormone) make you a girl instead of well.... I dunno. I'm really ignorant sometimes. I mean no offense. Seriously confused.

Reporting in the media, the testing labs. THEY MAKE ME ANGRY!! If I were like Ms. Semenya and it happend to me, I think I would be angry, hurt, ... What a $hit thing to happen. Sorry I rarely swear but this really takes the cake.

I hope she can continue to compete as a woman and for her to keep her medal. ***'em.

Okay I need to go and calm myself down. Seriously!!

[BalaRoja]

........ But she does seem to have some male like attributes. sooo I'm bit confused here. Just from the physiology perspective and nothing to do with athletics. And if being AIS makes your body to reject or not recognize the testosterone so you develop as a woman? but wouldn't you need estrogen to make you a girl?? Why is it that lack of testosterone (or not recognizing the male hormone) make you a girl instead of well.... I dunno. I'm really ignorant sometimes. I mean no offense. Seriously confused.

Hi smilingcat - don't think you are being offensive at all. You are asking valid and reasonable questions.

Why does she develop as a woman without estrogen you ask?

This female physical development is not due to the presence and influence of estrogens (which are absent in AIS people) but actually due to the the ineffectiveness of androgens . In other words, the inherent trend is for any fetus to develop female external genitals and general body form, UNLESS male hormones are present.

Think of it this way - and this is an oversimplification but perhaps a useful idea:

we all start out as female at conception, sort of, but then some become male shortly thereafter if certain conditions are present.

[Mr. Bloom]

I continue to agree with quotes in SadieKate's posted article...if she is naturally what she is, then she should be allowed to compete. Anything more than that is an "overengineered and intellectualized conclusion" by people who are paid to feel important by debating the number of angels who can fit on the head of a pin.

To me, an "unfair advantage" is one that doesn't naturally occur.

[papaver]

whatever the outcome, when you see her, there's such a 'tristesse' about her. I just hope she doesn't become a freak show for the amusement of others.

[lph]

To me this is two issues, not one:

1. the issue of gender in sports - what are the guidelines, what's "fair", does fair even exist? A technical and scientific question, maybe possible to solve.

2. media hassle, "humane" treatment of athletes, what should they put up with, what's unacceptable? A moral question. To my mind her age shouldn't be relevant, because "kids" shouldn't be in the cut-throat world that elite sports has become.

typing fast, in a hurry..

[crazycanuck]

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...w-1786139.html