Of Caster and Oscar
12/8/12 14:44![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
mahnmut.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
talkpoliticshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18912902
So, Caster Semenya has taken the silver in 800m, whereas she could've easily taken the gold. If she wanted to. But maybe she didn't. The reason?
http://www.slate.com/blogs/five_ring_circus/2012/08/11/caster_semenya_2012_olympics_did_the_south_african_runner_lose_the_women_s_800_meters_on_purpose_.html
"Speculations are that she had pulled a badminton move and tanked the race. Why would someone intentionally perform below their standard in the biggest race in four years? One South African track and field observer suggested that it might be “scandal avoidance” - her 2009 triumph brought such unpleasant consequences that she’d just as soon avoid further scrutiny, and an Olympic silver medal brings considerably less attention than the gold."
I hate to say it, but that was the first thought that crossed my mind as I was watching the 800m women's final. I confess I'm guilty of having my own suspicions. And then, there's that too:
"In fact, Sports Illustrated’s David Epstein called it in a piece published days before the final: “If Semenya wins the gold, she is likely to be accused of having an unfair advantage. If she runs poorly, she is likely to be accused of sandbagging the race so as not to be accused of having an unfair advantage.”"
Damned if you do, damned if you don't, eh?
Btw, the "badminton move", or "badminton farce", has become an urban legend in world sports by now. I guess that'll be the punishment that history holds for those athletes who disgraced themselves and their gold-obsessed country.
But back to Semenya's "issue". She's loved in the country, all of SA is rallied behind her, that's for sure. That's in a country where gender issues have (surprisingly?) been at a more 21st-century level than many parts of the so-called "developed" world. Example? SA has adopted same-sex marriage nationwide. I've myself been to a couple of same-sex weddings. A couple of very nice ladies I know have adopted a small girl, and she's living a very happy life. But I digress.
The speculation was that in her childhood Semenya was of that rare group they call "hermaphrodites". The issue is double-edged, and tricky: should they be allowed to compete along with the rest? No? Why not? And if yes, then where? In which group? Male or female? Now, the cynics would instantly say she made the wise choice to run among the women, so she could win medals. Is that the position of an ignoramus who doesn't know the person, her history, her life and the exact state of her medical/biological condition? I'll leave the judgment to you. Rather than judging, I'd prefer to rejoice in her success. Even if she indeed deliberately took the silver, where she could've easily grabbed the gold.
And what about one Oscar Pistorius? The "Blade Runner" (born in Sandton, where I live!), the guy who also rallied this country behind him, in his appeal to be allowed to run among the "able-bodied"? Hats down to the guy. No one can say he was there to win easy medals. The technology is not so advanced as you might think. He's not some kind of cyborg, far from it. His best achievement on these Olympics was reaching a semi-final in the 400m. The pain and effort he had to go through (both in the physical and emotional sense) in order to reach the Olympics must have been immense. But he never budged, even in the face of the constant shitstorm caused by both conservative prudes, pious godly "that's-an-abomination" folks, and cynic haters alike.
It's easy to dismiss and condemn those who are different, or slightly different, especially if they stand out with their talent. (If they were mediocre and invisible, so much for the better, right? We could pretend that they do not exist, so they don't have to bug us). It's much more effort-requiring to try to understand them more thoroughly, to investigate, to bring the facts to the table, and make the informed conclusions that would direct us to the right decisions. It's good that things are moving in the right direction overall, though. Even if slowly. Very slowly. Society needs to grow up, and I suspect it realizes that.
So, Caster Semenya has taken the silver in 800m, whereas she could've easily taken the gold. If she wanted to. But maybe she didn't. The reason?
http://www.slate.com/blogs/five_ring_circus/2012/08/11/caster_semenya_2012_olympics_did_the_south_african_runner_lose_the_women_s_800_meters_on_purpose_.html
"Speculations are that she had pulled a badminton move and tanked the race. Why would someone intentionally perform below their standard in the biggest race in four years? One South African track and field observer suggested that it might be “scandal avoidance” - her 2009 triumph brought such unpleasant consequences that she’d just as soon avoid further scrutiny, and an Olympic silver medal brings considerably less attention than the gold."
I hate to say it, but that was the first thought that crossed my mind as I was watching the 800m women's final. I confess I'm guilty of having my own suspicions. And then, there's that too:
"In fact, Sports Illustrated’s David Epstein called it in a piece published days before the final: “If Semenya wins the gold, she is likely to be accused of having an unfair advantage. If she runs poorly, she is likely to be accused of sandbagging the race so as not to be accused of having an unfair advantage.”"
Damned if you do, damned if you don't, eh?
Btw, the "badminton move", or "badminton farce", has become an urban legend in world sports by now. I guess that'll be the punishment that history holds for those athletes who disgraced themselves and their gold-obsessed country.
But back to Semenya's "issue". She's loved in the country, all of SA is rallied behind her, that's for sure. That's in a country where gender issues have (surprisingly?) been at a more 21st-century level than many parts of the so-called "developed" world. Example? SA has adopted same-sex marriage nationwide. I've myself been to a couple of same-sex weddings. A couple of very nice ladies I know have adopted a small girl, and she's living a very happy life. But I digress.
The speculation was that in her childhood Semenya was of that rare group they call "hermaphrodites". The issue is double-edged, and tricky: should they be allowed to compete along with the rest? No? Why not? And if yes, then where? In which group? Male or female? Now, the cynics would instantly say she made the wise choice to run among the women, so she could win medals. Is that the position of an ignoramus who doesn't know the person, her history, her life and the exact state of her medical/biological condition? I'll leave the judgment to you. Rather than judging, I'd prefer to rejoice in her success. Even if she indeed deliberately took the silver, where she could've easily grabbed the gold.
And what about one Oscar Pistorius? The "Blade Runner" (born in Sandton, where I live!), the guy who also rallied this country behind him, in his appeal to be allowed to run among the "able-bodied"? Hats down to the guy. No one can say he was there to win easy medals. The technology is not so advanced as you might think. He's not some kind of cyborg, far from it. His best achievement on these Olympics was reaching a semi-final in the 400m. The pain and effort he had to go through (both in the physical and emotional sense) in order to reach the Olympics must have been immense. But he never budged, even in the face of the constant shitstorm caused by both conservative prudes, pious godly "that's-an-abomination" folks, and cynic haters alike.
It's easy to dismiss and condemn those who are different, or slightly different, especially if they stand out with their talent. (If they were mediocre and invisible, so much for the better, right? We could pretend that they do not exist, so they don't have to bug us). It's much more effort-requiring to try to understand them more thoroughly, to investigate, to bring the facts to the table, and make the informed conclusions that would direct us to the right decisions. It's good that things are moving in the right direction overall, though. Even if slowly. Very slowly. Society needs to grow up, and I suspect it realizes that.
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 11:50 (UTC)So be it! If pushing the boundaries of humanity is freakish, I am happy to adopt the label. A country of freaks we are, then. And proudly so.
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 11:53 (UTC)It's sad that one has to go to such lengths to avoid further confrontation with society. Or alternately, that people would go to such lengths to make speculative assumptions based on someone being "slightly different".
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 11:58 (UTC)Meanwhile, the way the whole country has supported her, speaks volumes.
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 11:59 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 11:56 (UTC)Only symbolically, of course.
The best payback to the cynics is to pay them zero attention and do your thing. The moment you start playing by their tune, they've won.
What is good in life...
Date: 12/8/12 20:29 (UTC)womenpundits!(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 12:06 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 12:12 (UTC)But only she knows what was in her heart.
As for scrutiny, she has to realize that no matter what she does, she'll never appease everybody. So she shouldn't try such folly. Htpcl is right, the best way is to just do your thing and smirk at those who disapprove of what you do.
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 20:31 (UTC)or rather thirded
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 14:32 (UTC)As to the topic, people misunderstanding medicine and biology is nothing new. They see someone "looking masculine" and they start to make conclusions. All the story about testosterone bath inside the womb and its effects on the baby's physiology don't matter. "It just looks manly, dude!" Stupid, stupid.
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 15:04 (UTC)Oscar Pistorius (South Africa), Menʼs 400-Meter Semifinal, Track and Field, Aug. 5.
Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 16:06 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 17:59 (UTC)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR9G_cFDw4s
I don't know. Some say she botched her tactic. Others claim the above conspiracy. Most say the Russian preserved her powers for the final sprint. That could be. But the feeling remains that she stepped down in the last meters.
(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 18:02 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 18:16 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/8/12 23:56 (UTC)Pistorius wasn't as fast as the others, but at least he knows that. He'll work harder next time, run faster, and become a better runner. Maybe next time, when he loses, there won't be someone switching nameplates with him because no one will be saying, "look at that poor man. He tried so hard and he has had such a hard life; let's give him an unfair advantage". He'll race on his own terms.
Semenya, though, that's complete crap. I agree that she probably pulled the race to avoid accusations that her "gender" gave her an unfair advantage. We shouldn't be dividing men and women for these races, anyway. It should be the fastest person winning these races, not the fastest man or woman.
(no subject)
Date: 13/8/12 06:27 (UTC)I once watched the #99 in ATP's (tennis) ranking playing tennis against the women's #1, #2 and #3. He demolished them without putting even half of his efforts. Are you saying men should play against women in tennis? How many medals would women win in that case? And that's just one sport.
Imagine a man vs a woman in wrestling or boxing. Imagine a team consisting of men and women (mixed) in football, volleyball, basketball. It doesn't make any sense.
There are sports where what you propose is indeed possible. In many others, it's not.
(no subject)
Date: 14/8/12 03:10 (UTC)Have you checked the running results of men and the results of women? What about the jumping, throwing, swimming, rowing, weightlifting results? There are differences in the physiology, that cannot be ignored.
You could just as easily look at the Olympics and conclude that all Americans, Chinese, Russians, and British are physically better suited to sports than the citizens other countries or that all Jamaicans and Ethiopians have some innate ability to run faster than others. That's not true. There are some people from these countries who are far and above more exceptional than those from other countries (unsurprising in countries with large populations and large minority populations), there are better and more rigorous training programs in those countries, and those countries generally enter into a wide range of events (in the case of the US, PRC, Russia, and the UK), giving them a greater chance of winning medals or enter into very specific events and put all their attention towards those sports.
Imagine a team consisting of men and women (mixed) in football, volleyball, basketball. It doesn't make any sense.
Coed sports exist, and they function quite fine if you are able to look past gender stereotypes. Perhaps the women must be more exceptional to compete with men, but the Olympics are about being exceptional. In my country, softball, rowing, basketball, soccer, volleyball, and football may all be played coed, mostly due to Title IX. Regattas generally include mixed (coed) races, and do not disqualify men's or women's boats if they are mixed so long as the majority remains of the correct gender for the race.
(no subject)
Date: 14/8/12 06:58 (UTC)Pardon? So a woman is training 100m running. She does 9.5, and her trainer says, "Sorry, you're not supposed to run that fast. Please run 10.5". -- "OK, chief".
!?
Because Serena Williams is not the 1946346 times Olympic champion in tennis, and 895673468 times Wimbledon winner? Did someone tell her "Serena, you're too masculine. You should probably try sewing".
?!?
Forgive me. But this just doesn't make any sense to me.
The furor is entirely in the media and the blogosphere. I doubt much of it even reaches her ears, and if it does, I don't think she gives two poops about it.
On the other hand, the likes of Maria Sharapova and Anna Kurnikova actually make most of their millions not from the actual ATP trophies they earn at the court. They make that money through nice contracts with various companies, using their fame and beauty to advertise them.
It's a double-sided issue, and you're presenting it as one-sided.
It's great, then, that I'm not concluding that. Isn't it?
"Correct" gender!?!?
(no subject)
Date: 14/8/12 16:17 (UTC)Serena William's femininity is quite pronounced. She also plays a sport not generally considered to be overtly masculine. And she has been the subject of much controversy. It's quite amazing that she's prevailed, when everything from her fashion to her hairstyle to her personal life has been critiqued. It's about not wanting to be ridiculed or have your gender questioned, or be accused of doping that I am alluding to, not...whatever it is you suggested.
Clearly, you know nothing about Gabby Douglas. Also, being able to market your beauty really has nothing to do with women with androgynous or socially unlauded looks. Beautiful women don't suffer from the same social pressures as those who aren't.
But you are saying something far more insidious and based in averages and generalizations. You're saying that men are better than women at sports and that women are incapable of being on teams with men (and that such a thing is ludicrous simply because it does not occur commonly in your country) without taking into account the fact that women are consistently competing against women and, as such, are held to lower standards. You don't see how this is a cycle?
Races are divided by gender in rowing: men's, women's, and mixed. The correct gender would be the gender the race calls for. It is perfectly acceptable to have a man or a woman placed into the opposite gender's boat to substitute for a missing teammate. Mixed boats, however, must have an equal number of men and women. The coxswain is excluded from these requirements.
(no subject)
Date: 14/8/12 17:57 (UTC)No. Everyone else will train to be as fast as they can. You speak like someone who has never run, even if just for fun.
And so has Federer's, etc. That's what superstars are constantly subject to, yes.
At least this time you did not make an assumption as to what I was suggesting.
I am WHAT?
Fuck that shit. Why would I be even having a conversation with you, if you'll keep putting someone else's words in my mouth even after having clearly read all the words I've said!? I have better things to do than tilting at windmills.
You know what? Let's end it here. I wish you a good day. We'll probably talk another day.
(no subject)
Date: 15/8/12 16:53 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/8/12 03:16 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/8/12 17:30 (UTC)Again, if you want to see women physically injured and possibly killed on a daily basis, by all means mix genders. Try mma against a man 40 pounds your superior, see how you would last.