Semenya Caster - Battle of Sex

The Sports Battle Zone - A "Communitary" by Ben Cable

September 11, 2009 – (Cable Muse Network) -- The debate if Caster Semenya is a woman would be ridicules if we had gender equality within sports. Male and female segregated sports should be the Front Page News. We should feel the same shock and outrage over the controversy and investigation into her gender as the South African media does.

If Caster is a hermaphrodite. Hermaphrodite is a condition usually confirmed at birth and the parents are faced with the decision to raise their child as a boy or girl. As the child becomes an adult they sometimes have a self realization the sex choose by their parents does not conform to how he or she self-identifies internally. Previously reported birth records and testimony from her family and village supports Semenya (18) is and was raised as a female.

If sports had the equal protection found in other areas of civilized society we would not be discussing Caster Semenya’s sexual identity.

Caster is a phenomenal athlete and if she is or not a hermaphrodite should not be questioned. We should question our societies for segregating and questioning gender in sports. As a “civilized society” we know sexual discrimination is ethically, and morally wrong; however, we permit it continue discrimination in sports from play to pay. Tennis legend Billy Jean King was among the first athletes to challenge this double standard over two decades ago (BJK in her own words); Caster makes us realize it still exists on an overwhelming scale.

It is my hope Caster will gain strength from the horrible and invasive experiences over the last long months. I hope she will carry the torch further for gender equality as a proud and accomplished athlete. How someone is born should not dictate the actions or potential in one’s life. The question of gender should never have been raised.

Caster had the power to run faster, as Billy Jean King had the power to swing harder and King challenged the system. I hope we all take away something from their courage to stay strong in our own personal lives.

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