Result of Questioning Gender

Gender in Anthro has always been something that I have been fascinated by.

One day I was watching the movie, ‘It’s a Boy Girl thing’ with her, and Elizabeth our domestic worker walked pass the TV and become interested and watched for few minutes. Then she asked what was going on…we then explained that it was a movie about a boy and girl, whose souls are switched into each others bodies by an ancient totem. She then replied, ‘Oh, it’s a Caster’.

This reference is of Caster Semenya. Her gender debacle that was front page news, has changed the way South Africans saw inter-sex people, and brought about I think, much needed clarity on this topic for the general population. As we as anthropologists know that gender is a highly complex issue, the repercussions of such a topic is really interesting.

So basically I would like to know, after Caster Semenya’s case, what was the reaction of people to other female athletes. Are they now being branded as being ‘a Caster’? Has their gender been up for debate or question, buy their families, friends or fans? And as a result, has their sexuality, now become a topic of interest?

Anyone who knows of such research going on…please let me know

Tasnim
Anthro Masters
UJ