Website to Support Caster Semenya

Winner of the 800m gold medal race Caster Semenya is on suicide watch now after the media have publicly discussed her intersex status. She has been referred to as a "hermaphrodite" which is offensive and biologically impossibility since someone cannot have all male and female genitalia, but only parts and chromosomes. She has also been the butt of jokes on various late night shows which have completely taken advantage of this tragic situation.

Semenya.net has been created to show support for this athlete, and to let her know that she has supporters out there. Leave a message of support for Caster.

Photo courtsey of Erik van Leeuwen of Wikimedia Commons.

Urge IAAF to Apologize to Caster Semenya

Athletics South Africa (ASA) has called on the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to apologize for the treatment of one of their athletes Caster Semenya.

Semenya, 18 who the won 800m gold medal was thrust into the public spotlight when she won and a controversy over her gender erupted. The IAAF forced Semenya to undergo a test to determine her sex, which resulted in the report that Semenya is intersex and has internal testes responsible for her higher levels of testosterone. The IAAF did not adhere to the human rights of the athlete and did not keep her confidentiality in mind.

"The ASA Council noted with concern that, contrary to its position as the custodian of athletics in the world, the IAAF did not follow its constitution and procedures in dealing with the matter, failed to observe the confidentiality required to handle the matter of this sensitivity; and the human rights of the athlete," read the minutes of the meeting. The ASA concluded: "The Council therefore called on the IAAF to apologise to the athlete, her family and the people of South Africa" (Guardian).

Urge the IAAF to apologize to Caster Semenya for their way of handling the situation.