GWSS 262 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Equal Protection Clause, Counterargument
27 Jun 2018
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GWSS 262 – LECTURE 8
IAAF and IOC:
IAAF: The International Association of Athletics Federations
IOC: International Olympic Committee
Sex testing at the Olympics:
Used to be for everyone
Began in 1950 and was introduced to the Olympics in 1968
Was done as recently as the Atlanta Olympics in 1996
Resolution passed at 1996 IOC World Conference on Women and Health "to discontinue the
current process of gender verification during the Olympic Games"
IOC voted to discontinue sex testing for everyone in June 1999
BUT in individual cases the IOC still holds onto the right to test if suspicion arises
New IOC Policy
In 2011, the IOC released its "Regulations on Female Hyperandrogenism"
The IOC explained the "androgenic hormones have performance-enhancing effects, particularly
on strength, power, and speed, which may provide a competitive advantage in sports" (Pieper 2-3)
IAAF implemented a similar, but more specific policy around the same time
Alice Dreger's Assessment:
Alice Dreger:
oWriter for The Atlantic
oExplained that two sides emerged when this policy was drafter
The Anatomists
The Identifiers
Anatomists:
Includes the IOC
Believe we should base sex division in sport on a biological feature (but which one?)
Chose to use "functional androgens"
Everybody has androgens (building blocks of testosterone and all estrogens)
oThey are made in the adrenal glands, in testes, and in the ovaries
More androgen USUALLY means more masculine characteristics and male-typical development
oMen usually have more
Some conditions result in women producing more androgens than they "typically" should
But the IOC isn't just interested in the amount of androgen a woman has in her body, they are
also measuring the amount of androgen receptors in the body
Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (Complete AIS) - individual will look like a girl and be
raised like a girl but may have undescended testes and a lot of androgen
Doesn't matter, because in this version of the syndrome, body doesn't respond to the extra
androgen
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Iaaf: the international association of athletics federations. Began in 1950 and was introduced to the olympics in 1968. Was done as recently as the atlanta olympics in 1996. Resolution passed at 1996 ioc world conference on women and health "to discontinue the current process of gender verification during the olympic games" Ioc voted to discontinue sex testing for everyone in june 1999. But in individual cases the ioc still holds onto the right to test if suspicion arises. In 2011, the ioc released its "regulations on female hyperandrogenism" The ioc explained the "androgenic hormones have performance-enhancing effects, particularly on strength, power, and speed, which may provide a competitive advantage in sports" (pieper 2-3) Iaaf implemented a similar, but more specific policy around the same time. Alice dreger: writer for the atlantic o. Explained that two sides emerged when this policy was drafter. Believe we should base sex division in sport on a biological feature (but which one?)
