South African runner Caster Semenya target of discrimination

Caster Semenya from South Africa was the gold medal winner in the women’s 800-meter race at the recent World Athletics Championships in Berlin. She dominated the race, winning by 2.45 seconds.

Semenya of South Africa celebrates victory in 800-meters at World Championships in Berlin

Following the race, the International Association of Athletics Federation performed gender tests. A few hours before the race was to take place, the IAAF announced it would be conducting the bigoted tests, making outrageously unscientific claims that Semenya may have some sort of “rare medical condition” that gives her an “athletic advantage.” Officials questioned her gender, claiming that she may not be legally female. Semenya passed the drug test given to participating athletes.

Other athletes in the race immediately used the most viscous language to characterize Semenya. Mariya Savinova of Russia told the press that Semenya would “fail” the gender test, saying, “Just look at her!” Italy’s Elisa Piccione said, “These kind of people should not run with us. For me, she’s not a woman. She’s a man.”

Her mother and her birth certificate both say that Semenya is female by birth. President Zuma of South Africa has asserted that the IAAF has no right to invade Semenya’s privacy or inquire into or determine the gender of Semenya. The president of South Africa’s Athletic Federation, Leonard Chuene, has resigned from the IAAF in protest.

The Young Communist League of South Africa and many other organizations have accused the IAAF of racism.

Semenya has the full support of the South African government including the women’s ministry and the African National Congress. National unions and political parties are all supporting her. On Aug. 26, Semenya was greeted by thousands of cheering fans on her return to South Africa.

The norms and roles of gender and sex have long been subject to the narrow dictates of patriarchal class society, especially under modern capitalism. The truth is there are many more than two types of gender. According to Gerald Callahan, an author and associate professor of microbiology at Colorado State University, there are 65,000 people born every year in the United States who’s sex is not obviously female or male. (ESPN.com)

International athletics are divided into two types of competition, one for women and one for men. In the women’s competition, medalists, especially from oppressed countries and socialist countries, are often accused of not conforming to “traditional” gender stereotypes.

Athletes like Savinova and Piccione should be disciplined for their bigoted outbursts against a fellow athlete. Unfairly discriminated against based on her victory and appearance, Semenya has an inalienable right to both compete in international sporting events at the highest level and define her own gender.