• CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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    5 months ago

    Check out the podcast “Tested”. It’s three episodes and goes into the history of testing female athletes to make sure they are “female enough” to compete.

    terms of testosterone levels etc.

    So why is it if a man has elevated testosterone levels it’s allowed for him to have that advantage, but if a woman has elevated testosterone levels that’s not?
    If we’re interested in fair play shouldn’t all competitors be tested and those with less testosterone be given more so that they are on an even playing field?

    • LustyArgonianMana@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Yes or at least organize athletes by testosterone like we do with weight if it’s truly that big of a deal. Then men with lower T shouldn’t be against men with higher T either.

      • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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        5 months ago

        if it’s truly that big of a deal.

        That’s the question, is it? I believe in the podcast I mentioned they said the IOC’s (flawed) tests only showed an advantage in a few Track and Field events (I think it was mid length runs).

        So let’s do some proper testing first to see how much of an advantage Testosterone actually gives, it’s entirely possible it’s irrelevant and we should stop testing for it all together.

        If there is something that provides a noticeable advantage then just separating everyone by the “weight class” equivalent would be better than an arbitrary gender division.

        • LustyArgonianMana@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          Agreed. The book “Delusions of Gender” by Cordelia Fine points out that sexes are generally much more alike than different.