Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The Sex Question

It is the year of the Olympics, and we are allowed to jeer and cheer as our nations top athletes compete in a variety of events. As we are bombarded with gymnastics, track & field and aquatic events, we as viewers often question the validity of some of the so called sports.

However, this year, the simplest question is turning into one of the most difficult to answer. Is it a boy or a girl? Culturally, this question has been at the center of much debate, and this year it has become a central issue for the 2012 Olympic Committee. Initially, the issue arose back in 2009 as Caster Semenyas cruised to victory in the women's 800 meter at the World Championships. Her fellow contestant questioned the validity of her sex as her muscular appearance suggested increased testosterone levels. The following article appeared on Slate.com and raises some serious question on how we define male and female from a scientific perspective. Personally, I never knew it could be so complicated.

Link:
Gender Games

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