Is S. African runner Caster Semenya a man or a woman?

[Arcana XV]

This is the weirdest story out of the sport's world I've seen in some time. :shock:

The Associated Press: Runner Semenya, SAfricans dismiss gender uproar

BERLIN — A day after winning her first 800-meter world title amid a gender test controversy, teenager Caster Semenya — and her fellow South Africans — were left wondering what all the fuss was about.
Semenya dominated her rivals to win the 800 on Wednesday despite revelations that surfaced earlier in the day that she was undergoing a gender verification test because of concerns she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman.
The 18-year-old runner's father, Jacob, dismissed the speculation, telling the Sowetan newspaper: "she is my little girl. ... I raised her and I have never doubted her gender. She is a woman and I can repeat that a million times."
The medal ceremony for the 800 is later Thursday.

 

[Laila]

I'm betting man personally

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

Looks like a man from the waist up, especially the... well, everything. Face, chest, abdomen all look like a man.

Between the hips and the knees doesn't look like a man at all, and I don't think a man could run that fast with a tuck job that good.

 

[Arcana XV]

I'm betting man personally

I know, right.

Would you look at the six-pack on her? :shock:

 

[celticlord]

What if she is intersexed, and perhaps has Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome or some other condition that would result in her being anatomically female but genetically male?

 

[Arcana XV]

What if she is intersexed, and perhaps has Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome or some other condition that would result in her being anatomically female but genetically male?

That would raise an interesting question on what side she should be competing for.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

What if she is intersexed, and perhaps has Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome or some other condition that would result in her being anatomically female but genetically male?

Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome would lead to her being hyperfeminine, though. She might very well be anatomically female, though. I don't think I'm interested enough to check.

 

[B L Zeebub]

The whole issue has been handled disgracefully

 

[Arcana XV]

I agree. The poor thing is just 18 and this can't be easy for her. Now she's going to be poked and probed and psychoanalyzed to prove her gender.

The Athletics regulations demand that someone competing on the women's side must be 100% female, but what does that even mean? What if she does have the necessary "equipment" to be a woman, but her body produces an abnormal quantity of male hormones?

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

The whole issue has been handled disgracefully

Yes, apparently so.