Beyond the Binary: Investigating Gender in the Olympics

Voiceover

Presenter(s)

Taylor Ross

Abstract or Description

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), also known as World Athletics, have conducted gender verification in high-performance women's athletics through visual examination or blood tests since the 1960s. This project will analyze the impact of gender verification on female competitors in relation to the Olympics. Existing research has debated the concept of gender verification in high-performance athletics, some focusing on the relevance of gender differences. Additionally, researchers today have primarily focused on the gender verification of transgender athletes. This project will attempt to evaluate the impacts of gender verification on all female athletes regardless of biological sex. I will analyze the IOC and IAAF policies regarding gender verification for female competitors and identify the changes in the policies from 2010-2024. Additionally, I will analyze the cases of Caster Semenya and Dutee Chand to identify if the policies on female competitors create a fair and equal playing field. The results of the research project could show how the IOC and IAAF have failed and created an unfair playing field for female competitors. Understanding the impacts of gender verification will enable the IOC and IAAF to initiate conversations regarding revisions of their gender verification policies.

Mentor

Brian Lagotte