From the Associated Press:

Experts say the media frenzy surrounding South African track star Caster Semenya, 18, spotlights a birth defect that is rarely discussed: “disorders of sexual development.”

Two Australian newspapers recently reported that tests show Semenya has both male and female sexual characteristics. The reports have not been confirmed.

Experts say the public revelation about Semenya’s rumored genetic condition, which often goes unnoticed until testing is performed, could cause her severe emotional trauma. Most major sports abandoned regular genetic testing after the 1996 Olympics.

Unless she took some illicit substance, Semenya is a female with a birth defect, simple as that, said Dr. Myron Genel, a professor emeritus of pediatrics at Yale University. He was part of a special panel of experts convened by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1990 that helped end much, but not all, genetic gender testing.

“It’s no different in a sense than a youngster who is born with a hole in the heart,” Genel said. “These are in fact birth defects in an area that a lot of people are uncomfortable with.”

See also:

Some things we need to keep in mind about Caster Semenya—Sports Illustrated

IAAF: Semenya decision in November—AP/ESPN

Caster Semenya’s family react angrily to ‘hermaphrodite’ reports in Australian media—[UK] Telegraph

(Associated Press photo)

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 13th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under exercise/sports, media, public attitudes, sexuality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.