OPW – Oct 18 – The male/female definition on dating sites may not be enough. Perhaps you read about the hermaphrodite, Caster Semenya, who won the women's 800m World Championship in August. The latest edition of the Economist makes an interesting case on
intersexuality and concludes that sex is a complicated thing to define.
This has implications for the internet dating industry. Your comments
please. – Mark Brooks
THE ECONOMIST – Oct 15 – At least 1.7% of people are born with one of
several dozen possible intersexual conditions. A few are apparent from
birth, some become visible only at puberty and many may never be
identified. Instead of two X chromosomes, some women have three. Men may
have an extra X chromosome or two on top of their normal XY
combination. Though legal systems assume that male and
female are indisputable categories, none defines them. A rare exception
is in Australia, where a Human Rights Commission report in March 2009
recommended that adults should be allowed to register their sex as
“unspecified” on documents such as passports. In 2000 a Texan widow sued her late
husband’s doctor for malpractice. But during the case, it was revealed
that she become a woman after a sex-change operation.
The judge ruled that the marriage was void. Just ask Ms Semenya, whose privacy
has been trampled and achievement undermined. Her “gender verification”
tests are due to be published next month. FULL ARTICLE @ THE ECONOMIST
Should mainstream sites offer an alternate choice of male or female. What should the 1.7% of people who are ‘intersexuals’ do when they choose to join an internet dating site?
Should mainstream sites offer an alternate choice of male or female. What should the 1.7% of people who are ‘intersexuals’ do when they choose to join an internet dating site?
Mark, I don’t think anyone’s touching this one (hence no comments). Who says 1.7%, anyway? The article simply said, “scientists reckon…”. Funny how a quote becomes gospel.
As for Caster Semenya, ask those who were competiting against “her” how they felt being beaten by what turned out to be a male with some female characteristics. No wonder Caster won. Why not level the playing field by competing in the men’s races? Let’s see how things turned out then.
Mark, I don’t think anyone’s touching this one (hence no comments). Who says 1.7%, anyway? The article simply said, “scientists reckon…”. Funny how a quote becomes gospel.
As for Caster Semenya, ask those who were competiting against “her” how they felt being beaten by what turned out to be a male with some female characteristics. No wonder Caster won. Why not level the playing field by competing in the men’s races? Let’s see how things turned out then.
Mr. Brooks, those intersexuals always self-define themselves as male or female depending on their convenience. Some consider themselves as men and others as women. No need to create other category.
Mr. Brooks, those intersexuals always self-define themselves as male or female depending on their convenience. Some consider themselves as men and others as women. No need to create other category.
you are wrong, mr Ardenghi… “THOSE” intersexual not “always” define themselves as either man or women. everyone else seems to define them that way. Most of intersex people (and not only) wish to have other gender options, besides the masculine and femimine. Gender should definetely emerge from the binarism, that’s poor and reductive.
you are wrong, mr Ardenghi… “THOSE” intersexual not “always” define themselves as either man or women. everyone else seems to define them that way. Most of intersex people (and not only) wish to have other gender options, besides the masculine and femimine. Gender should definetely emerge from the binarism, that’s poor and reductive.