Comments on: Caster Semenya and the postgendered future http://futurismic.com/2009/09/15/caster-semenya-and-the-postgendered-future/ Presenting the fact and fiction of tomorrow since 2001 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:03:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: 4 Caster Semenya http://futurismic.com/2009/09/15/caster-semenya-and-the-postgendered-future/comment-page-1/#comment-48085 4 Caster Semenya Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:58:17 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=8986#comment-48085 It seems to me that the question is not just an athletic one. The IAAF has already ruled as have other governing bodies that intersex persons can compete. The SA athletics commission did their own investigation to "prove" Semenya's could compete as a woman which met the standards but to protect her privacy didn't disclose which led the the subsequent IAAF investigation. It seems to me that the question is not just an athletic one. The IAAF has already ruled as have other governing bodies that intersex persons can compete. The SA athletics commission did their own investigation to “prove” Semenya’s could compete as a woman which met the standards but to protect her privacy didn’t disclose which led the the subsequent IAAF investigation.

]]> By: Tom James http://futurismic.com/2009/09/15/caster-semenya-and-the-postgendered-future/comment-page-1/#comment-45636 Tom James Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:09:02 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=8986#comment-45636 Hah. "Habitat" should read "habit" there. Hah. “Habitat” should read “habit” there.

]]> By: Tom James http://futurismic.com/2009/09/15/caster-semenya-and-the-postgendered-future/comment-page-1/#comment-45635 Tom James Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:08:24 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=8986#comment-45635 <blockquote>How is self-enhancement any different to being born with a natural advantage by comparison to the human baseline?</blockquote> This is a pretty profound philosophical question, and it raises a lot of uncomfortable questions about the nature of meritocracy and justice. I suspect that we're going to see more and more issues like these over the next few decades, and bodies like the IAAF will tie themselves into knots over whether (for example) reprogenetically sports-optimised individuals should be allowed to compete in sporting events. It's an angels-on-the-head-of-a-pin problem that highlights the mildly eccentric human habitat of placing people on pedestals (or persecuting them) because they happen to have been born with a particular phenotype.

How is self-enhancement any different to being born with a natural advantage by comparison to the human baseline?

This is a pretty profound philosophical question, and it raises a lot of uncomfortable questions about the nature of meritocracy and justice.

I suspect that we’re going to see more and more issues like these over the next few decades, and bodies like the IAAF will tie themselves into knots over whether (for example) reprogenetically sports-optimised individuals should be allowed to compete in sporting events.

It’s an angels-on-the-head-of-a-pin problem that highlights the mildly eccentric human habitat of placing people on pedestals (or persecuting them) because they happen to have been born with a particular phenotype.

]]> By: Chad http://futurismic.com/2009/09/15/caster-semenya-and-the-postgendered-future/comment-page-1/#comment-45603 Chad Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:54:59 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=8986#comment-45603 First, no one is suggesting this be made illegal. There is a difference between breaking laws and rules. Secondly, whether or not to make a rule governing this is legit question. There are rules discriminating against certain weights in sports like wrestling and boxing, so this wouldn’t be the only trait you are born with that could prevent you from competing. First, no one is suggesting this be made illegal. There is a difference between breaking laws and rules.

Secondly, whether or not to make a rule governing this is legit question. There are rules discriminating against certain weights in sports like wrestling and boxing, so this wouldn’t be the only trait you are born with that could prevent you from competing.

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