Intersex. Gender, and Sports

[transpao]

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1917767,00.html?loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r1:c0.187397:b18544018&xid=Loomia

What a horrible way to find out.

But it does at least give gender issues some spot-light.

I mean, Doctors can't say who is male and who is female... To me that says a lot

Comments

[aummaster.livejournal.com]

I think taking from that article that doctors cannot say who is what gender is misleading.
What I got form it is there are a few rare cases where a genetic disorder would make identification through external exam difficult if not nearly impossible. A genetic or chromosomal test is pretty absolute and is not difficult to do.
I think this case is being drawn out unnecessarily because I see no real relevance to it. I see no real relevance to any professional sports related news.
It is interesting that so many people are so up in arms over it. Who cares if she is a he or he is a she?

BTW how did things with work pan out?
I hope for the best for you!

[paosparti.livejournal.com]

I meant physically. Sorry to be less than explicite. Though honestly even geneticly there are chalanges. Such as klinefelter syndrome, where an individual has a sex gene "pair" that looks at least like this xxy There are lots of varients though.I mean what so you claim as the sex of such an individual.

Also I would hesitate to suggest that an individual that considers herself female and is outwardly female is not female simply because she has an xy gene. But if you say that than a female that undergoes transition is just as female.

The "problem" with it in competative sports is that the.genetic differances between xx and xy persons is such that they have male teams and female teams. Now it wouldn't matter in the lest to me if everyone competed together, but an xy that appears female may have such a great advantage over xx players that there is valid merrit to the seperation, from a purely physiological level.

My post was simply about the fact that a binary system of gender is outmoded and defunct. Saying somone that is to all appearances female is male because of a gene, may be scientificly accuret, but seems to lack realism.Yet I know more than the average joe about the pleathera of maladies that can lead to "gender ambiguity" AIS is but one.

And I hardly consider a 1 in 20000, such an astronomical wonder.

[(Anonymous)]

I do not know nearly as much as you do about any of the gender issues. I am a pretty simple guy in those regards.

I understand there is a large selection of various genetic variations that affect gender. I would be surprised if 1 in 20,000 were affected by some version because it implies that the human reproductive system does not function as efficiently as I previously thought. As I understand it most (if not all) of the genetic variations that cause gender issues usually also include sterility. So they do not breed true. Which is why I said a lack of efficiency.

Regardless of all that 15,000 Americans (assuming 1 in 20,000) have an issue of some kind that causes gender confusion. It is really quite a minority. I am not saying it is OK to neglect a minority but I do not expect society to bend to the desires, needs, or whims of a minority that small. Failure to not conform around a minority is not the same as neglecting it.

I think most people are quite comfortable with a binary gender model. Most people do not see any need for any other model and would say that any such perceived need is in error. I do not care one way or another.

If I meet a woman who was once a man I would only have issue with them if they wanted a relationship with me. I know if I had sex with them before they told me of their operations I would be very upset and probably stop associating with them. Am I wrong for that? Probably but it is true none the less.

If the runner is actually a he Ok I do not care. If the runner is actually a she Ok I do not care. If I see a person in the store who looks like a guy but is a woman Ok I do not care. As long as they are friendly, polite, and reasonable. If I see a woman that is actually a guy it is kind of creepy to me (sorry) but I really do not care as long as they are polite, friendly, and reasonable.

[aummaster.livejournal.com]

Sorry that was me but I forgot to log in...
:)
Never did say how the job is going.
Sorry to hear about your stress there.
How is the garden? Getting any veggies?
I got bunches and I am still getting cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and beans!
I figure it is about time to dig up the sweet potatoes to see how they did!
Smile, hugs, and any other thing I can offer
:)

there is a time and a place for the gender debate

[delirium888.livejournal.com]

the olympics are not it.

Saying that the "binary system of gender is outmoded and defunct" is all well and good in many contexts, but this is physical competition in the world olympics. It is entirely relevant and justified. Not saying that there aren't some women that can outperform men in athletic competition, but when you get to olympian competition, woman can not be judged side by side with men. Its not being close minded and small, its reality.