On with Kara Swisher
Olympian Caster Semenya on Fighting to Run
Nov 27, 2023
Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, shares her compelling journey in the world of athletics. She discusses the ongoing legal battles with World Athletics over regulations surrounding testosterone levels, questioning who defines womanhood in sports. Semenya reflects on the challenge of societal labels and the importance of self-identity, urging for inclusivity and better representation in sports. Her new book, 'A Race to Be Myself', delves deeper into her experiences and the fight for equity in athletics.
49:20
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Quick takeaways
- Caster Semenya advocates for accepting and embracing differences in women's sports, highlighting the need for women to have a say in defining women's sports and criticizing attempts to regulate and restrict athletes based on testosterone levels.
- Semenya finds motivation in rejection and criticism, using it as a catalyst to push harder and prove herself, emphasizing the importance of self-belief, a supportive community, and fighting for what is right in challenging discriminatory regulations in women's sports.
Deep dives
The Importance of Embracing Differences in Women's Sports
Kaster Semenya, an Olympic gold medalist and world champion middle distance runner, discusses the challenges she faced due to having high testosterone levels and being born with XY chromosomes instead of the typical female XX. She emphasizes the importance of accepting and embracing differences in women's sports, pointing out how men's bodies are not policed in the same way. She advocates for women to have a say in defining women's sports and criticizes the attempts to regulate and restrict athletes based on testosterone levels. Semenya is hopeful for the next generation's ability to be themselves and fights to protect the rights of those with differences in sexual development (DSD) in sports.
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