Thread by @KirstiMiller30

One podium does not a pattern make. There were 306 podiums at the 2016 Rio Games. Just one was composed entirely of intersex female athletes (and again, no trans women even qualified to compete).

Women were eligible for 144 of those podiums (including women-only and mixed-gender sports or categories). One podium out of 144, or 0.69%. So apparently one podium out of 144 is enough for the @WorldAthletics to point to the results as evidence of events “dominated” by

intersex women. I think that’s a hasty generalization.
I wouldn’t describe the results of a single event as intersex (or trans) women having “dominated” the 2016 Games. The winner didn’t even set a world record.

Bolt has 11 world championships. Semenya has three. No one is clamoring to exclude Bolt for being too successful in his sport. If anyone is dominating sport, it was Bolt (now retired).

So why the singular focus on Semenya’s two gold medals and no world records? I contend that we celebrate exceptional men, but are suspicious of (and seek to exclude) exceptional women.

While we’re looking at facts, let’s compare their respective winning margins at the 2012 Olympics. Bolt won his 100 m event by a margin of 1.25%, and won his 200 m event by a margin of 0.62% (and 2.69% over bronze). Semenya won her event by 0.26%.

The language of “domination” is regularly applied to intersex and trans women athletes despite all evidence to the contrary.

For example, “Transgender Cyclist Rachel McKinnon Dominates as Competitors Cry Foul” (Mollie Walker, New York Post, October 21, 2019,
https:// nypost.com/2019/10/21/tra… competitors-raise-questions/).

Moreover, Mckinnon’s highest Elite world ranking was 85th in the world. How can the 85th person in the world be said to be “dominating”? It’s nonsense, of course.

In 2016, Bolt won his 100 m event by 0.82% and his 200 m event by 1.21%. Semenya won her 800 m event by 1.05%.

So Bolt won his 100 m event in 2012 by a margin nearly five times Semenya’s respective winning advantage. There was no discussion of whether it was unfair of Bolt, so why the focus on Semenya? I think we know why by now: it’s misogyny.