Gender and Sport--Background

Women in sports

• Women in the Olympics
• before 1900, Olympics are for men only
• women not admitted into direct competition with men
• men's events vs. women's events = "gender segregation"
• Gender segregation in sport is meant to protect women 
• compare race segregation, which is usually meant to protect a privileged race

• Women in college sports

• Title IX of the 1972 amendments to the 1964 Civil Rights Act (or just "Title IX")

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance...

• Since 1972,  "female participation at the high school level has grown by 1057 percent and by 614 percent at the college level."
• Details:  US Dept. of Education  

An institution is in compliance with the three-part test if it meets any one of the following parts of the test:

(1) The number of male and female athletes is substantially proportionate to their respective enrollments; or
(2) The institution has a history and continuing practice of expanding participation opportunities responsive to the developing interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex; or
(3) The institution is fully and effectively accommodating the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex.

• Mostly implemented in a gender segregated way-- men's teams vs. women's teams

• Our question (Monday): Should sports be gender segregated?  
• Monday's authors ask: Is gender segregation good for women?  

Policing the boundary between men's and women's sports

• 20th century: as women enter sport, there's a fear of male impostors who might try to enter the women's category (because easier to qualify and win)

• 1940s: female competitors had to have gender certificates
• 1966: sex verification process used "nude parades" in front of physicians and genital exams
• 1967: changed to chromosomal testing. XX chromosomes required to compete in women's sports. 
• 1985: Martinez-Patino case. Intersex Spanish hurdler, expelled, lost medals. Later reinstated. 
• 1990s: if athlete is challenged, then chromosome and hormone testing, plus pelvic exam and psych evaluation
• Most recent decisions (2019):  next Wednesday

Our questions

1. Should we avoid these problems by ending gender segregation?
2. If we should keep gender segregation, who should be allowed to compete in the protected women's category?  What screening process should be used?

Caster Semenya, South Africa (intersex)

Trans athletes

Rachel McKinnon (Veronica Ivy)
Masters cycling gold medalist (2018, 2019)
philosophy professor, Charleston College

Intersex background

• Being intersex is being born with a mix of male and female biological characteristics
• Must be medically diagnosed
• You can be intersex and not know it--especially in a developing country
• Intersex and trans are different things
• Common estimate is 17 in 1000 (1.7%); others estimate far fewer (e.g. 1 in 2000); depends what is counted as an intersex condition

Kinds of  intersex conditions--there are dozens 

• Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS)

• Emily Quinn--TED talk (first few minutes)
• people with CAIS have XY chromosomes (like males)
• starting during fetal gestation, body produces testosterone but doesn't have normal receptors for it
• they have female-appearing genitals and have vaginas; they have internal testes and no uterus
• Sex vs. gender: Emily's sex=intersex.  Emily's gender=woman.
• Note: that's how she sees it, but in the philosophy of gender there is a lot of controversy. 
• Partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS)
• same as CAIS, but more muscle development, more masculine-appearing
• Caster Semenya
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)

• adrenal problem that can cause intersex condition in people with XX chromosomes
• body produces no cortisol and atypical testosterone 
• XX baby may be born with small penis
• cortisol problem and other issues have to be medically managed

Trans background

• Biological sex at birth is usually male or female 
• Language preferred by many: assigned male at birth (AMAB) or assigned female at birth (AFAB)
• They come to identify as "other" gender and transition
• Sex vs. gender (controversial)
• Language: cis means not trans

How elite sport has treated intersex women: the case of Caster Semenya (first 14 minutes)

br />