Friday, September 11, 2009

Caster Semeya - South African Runner

If what the news is reporting today about Caster Semeya is true, and the officials of her sport are considering stripping her of her goal medal because she is a hermaphrodite (apparenlty based on gender testing) I am crushed. If she was raised as a girl, and the world around her as always know her as a girl. Then she is a girl. How DARE anyone use the fact that she has extra testostrone, more another woman. To devalue who she is.

I congratulate her South African supporters for standing behind her and celebrating who she is. I am not someone who will comment often on these types of things, however this type of  testing and news coverage is going to open the mic's to late night shows to joke about genders. In a world where so many struggle with gender identification,  and sexuality. The world needs all types of role models, I do not think we need to add to struggles to those who seek to succeed based on their skills . Let her be proud, Let her stand tall - as she is, who she is .. no matter what her genetic code indicates. SHE IS SHE!

Sorry this really upset me today, I do not appreciate anyone being made fun of, or put on a stage for others to point fingers. I believe that if in fact the release of her medical records were made public we should be looking at the ethical practice of those testing.

Okay enough of that.. will post later something else.

 Lets all celebrate everyones unqiueness today -- you don't have to like it, you don't have to agree as it applies to your own life -- but you have no right to judge the gender, sexuality or abilities of anyone. Embracing all others in life has let me be involved with some of the most incredible human beings in the world I live in.

Live, Laugh, LOVE and GIVE --

The purse junkie no more

4 comments:

Dawne said...

I too was appalled at this news. I think the most disturbing piece of news for me was that it was being announced to the world yet she had not yet been told.

She should keep her medal, obviously she was raised a girl and thought she was a girl and will likely still go on to live female. If she chooses another path it is her business alone the media needs to give her her privacy.

Faiza said...

I was so happy to read this quote from Caster "God made me the way I am and I accept myself." Way to go!

If you are interested there is a great book called "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides that is a fictional coming of age tale about a hemophrodite raised as female who later chooses to live life as a male. The themes of self acceptance and self love in this book are terrific.

Melanie said...

Thanks for the book name Faiza.

Dawne said...

I have read the book and I too think it is wonderful. a great movie is Boys Don't Cry which is about a girl who is transgendered.