It has recently come out in the news that Olympic middle-distance runner Caster Semenya, who identifies as a female, is going to have to run in the men’s competitions from now on unless she suppresses the testosterone that is a result of hyperandrogenism. Hyperandrogenism is a condition which causes high levels of male hormones in a female. This brings up many questions about the precedents this sets for transgender runners and other females with hyperandrogenism.
“I think she should compete with the girls because she was born a girl and they shouldn’t be able to take her accomplishments away from her,” said sophomore Austin Bitler.
What are the rules like for athletes at San Luis Obispo High School?
In California, the CIF rules say that a transgender athlete can compete in whatever gender they identify as. No medical hormones or procedures are necessary.
“I think if she was born as a female and she wants to compete in the female races, she shouldn’t be made to compete in the male. She should be able to compete in whichever gender she identifies as. It should be her choice, not the Olympics’ choice. She was born that way,” said freshman Evan Sosa-Hammond.
“If she was born that way, she should compete with the women. Some people inject hormones to give themselves an advantage, but if she was naturally born a woman then she should compete with them,” said English teacher Jeff Leebrick.
