The Ambiguity Of Semenya's Case

Caster Semenya won a gold medal at the World Athletics Championship in 2009 but it was her gender, not her speed that made the headlines. Semenya’s sport put on her on a public stage and when her performance did not meet societies expectation, her sex, gender and sex category were all at stake. The case highlights the way society reacts when sex category is ambiguous and the way’s in which sex and gender are questioned when one does not follow societies rules. Further, we were exposed to the way in which women who do not fit the mold of hegemonic femininity are forced to compensate in order to be accepted.

Sex category is the way in which one’s gender is perceived by the general public, the ambiguity of Semenya’s sex category was what people were most troubled by as Semenya failed to conform to societies expectation regarding both sex and gender. Gender is a performance in that people are striving to attain a hegemonic - ideal- version of
They argued that a white women would not be treated the same way, “She looks manly, of course, but is she the only athlete who looks manly? I don’t think so,” stated a commentator regarding Semenya’s case. This is a strong example of intersectionality- the idea that all identities cross over to make up an individual person- as Semenya’s discrimination stemmed from many of her identities at once. From birth women of color are unable to perform hegemonic femininity. Rather, they are performing marginalized femininity. This is the performance of gender to the best of ones ability despite the fact that hegemonic femininity is white. Women of marginalized femininities are expected to work extra hard in order to reach societies standards for women. Semenya’s rejection of that caused people obvious discomfort. Further, many believed that it was uncomfortable for people to see an African women achieving success at such a high