Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Commonwealth Games website (re Caster Semanya)

183 replies

impossibletoday · 31/07/2026 20:33

Noticed on the commonwealth games website. All the athletics events I looked at showed both the world record and the games record......

except the women's 800m.

Guess who holds that record from 2016.

Commonwealth Games website (re Caster Semanya)
Commonwealth Games website (re Caster Semanya)
OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
Millie767 · 01/08/2026 23:03

impossibletoday · 31/07/2026 20:33

Noticed on the commonwealth games website. All the athletics events I looked at showed both the world record and the games record......

except the women's 800m.

Guess who holds that record from 2016.

Having her name removed from the record feels almost dystopian to me?

SilenceInside · 01/08/2026 23:17

I don’t think it’s to do with the issues around Semenya and eligibility. The Women’s 200m for example only shows Flo Jo’s WR and no CW record. I think their data is just a bit crap.

murasaki · 01/08/2026 23:33

Millie767 · 01/08/2026 23:03

Having her name removed from the record feels almost dystopian to me?

His name. But it should be on there with an asterisk.

Millie767 · 02/08/2026 00:40

murasaki · 01/08/2026 23:33

His name. But it should be on there with an asterisk.

Please can you let me know where you heard we should be saying "his" for Semanya?

Namechangee11 · 02/08/2026 00:53

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ellyoctober · 02/08/2026 01:07

What the fuck is wrong with us people?

Sick to death of cheating.

Helleofabore · 02/08/2026 01:56

Millie767 · 02/08/2026 00:40

Please can you let me know where you heard we should be saying "his" for Semanya?

As he is male and it is highly relevant as to whether or not any record he holds for a female sport’s event, using accurate language matters.

There is an immediate recognition of the issue when you see the sentence

‘he should not be recognised for a record he set in any female event’

versus

‘she should not be recognised for a record she set in any female event’ .

Just like there is a significant accuracy issue between someone saying ‘she is a woman with naturally high testosterone’ as some officials defending some male people being included in female sports categories versus ‘he is a man with testosterone in the normal range for men’.

As Semenya has been proven to have the condition 5ARD and to have normal male testosterone levels in a court of law, it is rather important to be accurate to avoid confusion.

MashaPav · 02/08/2026 02:55

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MashaPav · 02/08/2026 02:58

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

NotBadConsidering · 02/08/2026 04:08

He’s a man. So it makes sense to not have his times for the women’s events.

sanluca · 02/08/2026 05:21

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

No, he doesn't fit the criteria of being female as he is male with a DSD. He is one of the reasons that sex testing has been brought back to verify if someone is female before being allowed to compete in a closed category. Same as with a paralympics classification, you need to prove you meet the criteria.

Bit racist of you to compare black women to a man, black woman are women, men aren't.

CypressGrove · 02/08/2026 06:01

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Stop being so racist and spouting utter rubbish. The reason Caster doesn't fit the criteria of a woman is nothing to do with his colour it's because of his XY chromosomes (46,XY DSD)

and internal testicles that. generate testosterone levels within the typical male range .

dizzydizzydizzy · 02/08/2026 06:26

Not everyone fits neatly into male or female. She clearly has some male and some female attributes. However, she was considered female at birth and still considers herself female so we can’t just decide she is male. Although whether she should be allowed to compete as a woman is an entirely different question.

sanluca · 02/08/2026 07:20

You have to wonder if Caster really thinks he is female or if that is just what he tells in interviews as he is pissed off he no longer is allowed to compete in the womens

heathspeedwell · 02/08/2026 07:31

Semenya was born with a small penis and undescended testicles so he may have been mistaken for having a vulva at birth. But he has known he was male since at least puberty when his voice broke. He wore boy's school uniform.

And men with this DSD often father children.

Erik Schinegger is a famous example of an Olympic gold medal winner with 46 XY 5ARD who had an operation to descend his testicles and naturally father children. He's now a grandfather. Schinegger had the decency to give his medals back to the women who should have won them.

Theeyeballsinthesky · 02/08/2026 07:32

dizzydizzydizzy · 02/08/2026 06:26

Not everyone fits neatly into male or female. She clearly has some male and some female attributes. However, she was considered female at birth and still considers herself female so we can’t just decide she is male. Although whether she should be allowed to compete as a woman is an entirely different question.

He can think he's a wombat if it makes him happy

he's still male with a DSD only males can have

he's made a good living cheating women out of medals and his profile off the back of that has enabled him to leave the kind of life he could only dream of as a child

NotBadConsidering · 02/08/2026 07:33

dizzydizzydizzy · 02/08/2026 06:26

Not everyone fits neatly into male or female. She clearly has some male and some female attributes. However, she was considered female at birth and still considers herself female so we can’t just decide she is male. Although whether she should be allowed to compete as a woman is an entirely different question.

so we can’t just decide she is male

Yes we can. Based on facts and science. HTH.

heathspeedwell · 02/08/2026 07:33

"One common misconception is that Caster Semenya, the 800 metres champion, whose victory would prove a trigger for Coe’s rules rethink, simply has abnormally high levels of testosterone. But a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling in 2019 delivers a stark truth: that Semenya’s condition of 46XY 5-alpha reductase deficiency means the South African has the circulating testosterone of a man. The clue is in the letters XY. "

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2024/12/29/2024-showed-protecting-womens-sport-really-matters/

nutmeg7 · 02/08/2026 07:36

dizzydizzydizzy · 02/08/2026 06:26

Not everyone fits neatly into male or female. She clearly has some male and some female attributes. However, she was considered female at birth and still considers herself female so we can’t just decide she is male. Although whether she should be allowed to compete as a woman is an entirely different question.

We can for the purposes of fair sporting competition.

Caster Semenya has male levels of testosterone produced by undescended testes. No female reproductive system.
This produces very significant sporting advantage.

He has 5-ARD which is a disorder of sexual development that affects males.

Helleofabore · 02/08/2026 08:02

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Yes language matters so mentally deficient people who can’t do a quick google search can understand that she isn’t male. Hope this helps to clear your confusion.

I hope we can agree that your bigotry stems that from western standards she doesn’t fit your criteria of a “woman” as she is black as anyone with a brain has seen the language before.”

Perhaps you need to do some further research before making your own wild accusations.

A male person with the DSD 5ARD does not have a body formed around the reproductive role of producing large gametes. Female people have a body formed around producing large gametes, regardless of whether those gametes are produced or not.

Semenya has admitted that he has testes in intervews since the CAS evidence was released so the public could see the medical evidence that was presented.

It was also known that Semenya’s body not only produces male levels of testosterone but also processes that testosterone and did so during puberty so he went through an androgen sensitive puberty. He went through a typical male virilised puberty.

Having a vagina, even one that is full length and not only a blind cavity with no depth, is not the defining feature of being a female person.

This is not just evidenced by the medical findings to the CAS but was already known because he had to suppress his testosterone to continue to compete in the female events in future Olympics. Hence, why he went to court.

No female athlete had to reduce their naturally produced testosterone to compete in a female event. Because their ‘naturally produced’ testosterone level is nothing like a male athlete who is competing at elite levels unless she, the female athlete, has a very serious health issue which would mean she is not likely competing at all.

No female athlete had to suppress their testosterone to compete.

That is a uniquely male athlete requirement.

Helleofabore · 02/08/2026 08:12

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I hope we can agree that your bigotry stems that from western standards she doesn’t fit your criteria of a “woman” as she is black as anyone with a brain has seen the language before.

Since you have decided to use the racism accusation, how misogynistic is it to ignore the fact that by including just one male person with DSD where their body not only produces but processes androgen, potentially thousands of female athletes from that athlete’s country were negatively impacted. Every time a male athlete is awarded a podium place, this impacts at least one female athlete negatively.

Maybe one day a women’s sporting campaign group from South Africa will list every female athlete who lost not just podium places, but representational opportunities and sponsorship. Your argument about ‘female beauty standards’ is weak and meaningless. Semenya is not female and the negative impact of the OIC allowing him ever to compete as a female cause detriment to many female athletes.

FrippEnos · 02/08/2026 08:19

Helleofabore · 02/08/2026 08:12

I hope we can agree that your bigotry stems that from western standards she doesn’t fit your criteria of a “woman” as she is black as anyone with a brain has seen the language before.

Since you have decided to use the racism accusation, how misogynistic is it to ignore the fact that by including just one male person with DSD where their body not only produces but processes androgen, potentially thousands of female athletes from that athlete’s country were negatively impacted. Every time a male athlete is awarded a podium place, this impacts at least one female athlete negatively.

Maybe one day a women’s sporting campaign group from South Africa will list every female athlete who lost not just podium places, but representational opportunities and sponsorship. Your argument about ‘female beauty standards’ is weak and meaningless. Semenya is not female and the negative impact of the OIC allowing him ever to compete as a female cause detriment to many female athletes.

Just going to add to this that its not just the podium places that are taken from women but prize money as well,
A woman being dropped from the final (or last 8) can cost them not only the place/medal but a share of the total purse as well.

It also affects every elite athlete that has been pushed down a place.
And lets not forget about bonuses for records as well.

Helleofabore · 02/08/2026 08:31

dizzydizzydizzy · 02/08/2026 06:26

Not everyone fits neatly into male or female. She clearly has some male and some female attributes. However, she was considered female at birth and still considers herself female so we can’t just decide she is male. Although whether she should be allowed to compete as a woman is an entirely different question.

I am happy to post the quotes from those who have access to his medical evidence given at the CAS if you would like.

Having a vaginal opening does not mean he was ever a ‘female’ despite the doctor’s decision at the time. That is the only ‘female’ attribute that Semenya has.

He has testes that produce testosterone in male levels and that testosterone is processed by his body to viralise. That is the definition of being male for reproductive purposes.

Being male is not a matter of personal identification. It is a matter of material reality.

Look at it another way, do you support a male person with a DSD who knows that they are male and has a male pubertal advantage but who only claims to be female for sport’s purposes based on an error a doctor made at that athlete’s birth?

Do you also support a male athlete who has been abusive towards those female people that he has beaten because he could use a system where regulations were unfair to female athletes? He has told female athletes that they just are not good enough if they dared speak out. That is DARVO.

hholiday · 02/08/2026 08:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Thoughts with Lynsey Sharp and all the other women who’d be Olympic medalists if it wasn’t for this bloke.

you’re right - I try not to care about the perpetrators. I try to keep my focus on all the many, many women in this world screwed over by men and hope that one day justice will be served.

Helleofabore · 02/08/2026 08:33

FrippEnos · 02/08/2026 08:19

Just going to add to this that its not just the podium places that are taken from women but prize money as well,
A woman being dropped from the final (or last 8) can cost them not only the place/medal but a share of the total purse as well.

It also affects every elite athlete that has been pushed down a place.
And lets not forget about bonuses for records as well.

Edited

Yes. I mentioned that though.

He took sponsorship and representational opportunities from female athletes. Both from his region, his country and internationally.

I imagine the list of female athletes he directly negatively impacted is very very large just from South Africa.