3 ms·

Just having XY chromosomes is not enough to actually make someone a male, despite the insinuations of this (rather biased) article. Complete androgen insensitiv

Just having XY chromosomes is not enough to actually make someone a male, despite the insinuations of this (rather biased) article. Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), for example, results when the body's cells do not respond at all to testosterone. A person with CAIS develops as a female (albeit sterile), no matter how much testosterone they have. The exact nature of Caster's biology have not been publicly disclosed, but it's clear that it's not enough to simply say she's an XY female. Because of this, the properly cautious approach (which most news organizations have adopted) is to avoid saying anything about her actual biological condition. This article is unnecessarily inflammatory, and insinuates pretty strongly that the mere presence of Y chromosomes should subject Caster to scrutiny; the reality is likely a lot more nuanced.

peter_retief 8y ago
CAIS is not relevant in this case. XY chromosomes does not make an athlete male but having testis might well. It is a dilemma and the reality is a lot more nuanced as you say
ordinaryperson 8y ago
> but it's clear that it's not enough to simply say she's an XY female. The article explicitly states several times Caster Semenya is not male or female but intersex female with male characteristics -- no womb, ovaries but internal testes. > insinuates pretty strongly that the mere presence of Y chromosomes should subject Caster to scrutiny The article praises Caster and does not "insinuate" she should be subjected to elevated scrutiny, it instead singles out reporters for over-simplifying the situation and omitting important biological facts; it insinuates reporters are taking a social justice angle (woman with high levels of testosterone not allowed to compete) when Caster is more appropriately described as intersex, and unfortunately the Olympics do not have an intersex category. It's not critical of Caster at all and struck me as a balanced, well-written take.

peter_retief 8y ago

CAIS is not relevant in this case. XY chromosomes does not make an athlete male but having testis might well. It is a dilemma and the reality is a lot more nuanced as you say

ordinaryperson 8y ago

> but it's clear that it's not enough to simply say she's an XY female. The article explicitly states several times Caster Semenya is not male or female but intersex female with male characteristics -- no womb, ovaries but internal testes. > insinuates pretty strongly that the mere presence of Y chromosomes should subject Caster to scrutiny The article praises Caster and does not "insinuate" she should be subjected to elevated scrutiny, it instead singles out reporters for over-simplifying the situation and omitting important biological facts; it insinuates reporters are taking a social justice angle (woman with high levels of testosterone not allowed to compete) when Caster is more appropriately described as intersex, and unfortunately the Olympics do not have an intersex category. It's not critical of Caster at all and struck me as a balanced, well-written take.