Gold-Winning Track Star: Man or Woman?
Caster Semenya was awarded a gold medal on Wednesday in the 800 meters in Berlin, Germany. The 18-year-old South African woman has been the center of dispute of whether she is a man or woman. The question of whether she should be able to keep her medal or not have been solely based on her stature and her domination of the sport. According to NY Times writers Christopher Clarey and Gina Kolata, Semenya will undergo testing in identifying her gender. The test is under investigation under the I.A.A.F, (International Association of Athletics Federations) and will take weeks to complete.
This unfortunate yet embarrassing act of randomness will have an impact on women who are dominating in their specific area of sports. It will affect our young women in our communities who enjoy playing sports. They now have to worry about being an overachiever in what they love to do because of the critical view point of others. Caster Semenya was criticized because of her stature. Her built came from her long years and dedication of the sport, but it was used against her in determining her gender. The media focus so much time of the negativity of African Americans with trying to tear our demeanor down with negativity comments. The focus can be on a successful African American woman on accusations of gender, but what about the many Caucasian women her are body builders. Some of these women who have even lost their feminine look from their face to their figure. These women seem to only be praised and uplifted for their abnormal and strong stamina.
So what is this buzz really about? Is it really is she a man or woman? Or is it a deeper issue of current racism today? African Americans will always be criticized for what we do, what we wear, or how we look, but we are the many famous lawyers, doctors, athletes, and beauticians.
