The episode posed many shocking topics, specifically, one of the most unsettling topics discussed is the invasive sex verification testing imposed on female athletes. These athletes, particularly those with physical traits that don’t align with societal expectations of femininity, are subjected to uncomfortable and often unnecessary exams to prove their eligibility. The case of Caster Semenya, a South African runner, is a disturbing example of this practice. Semenya, who has naturally high testosterone levels, was forced to undergo tests and even take hormone-reducing medications, despite no scientific evidence proving that her testosterone levels gave her an unfair advantage. The episode critiques the lack of clear scientific proof that links testosterone levels to athletic performance, raising concerns about the ethics of regulating an athlete’s body without solid data.  The episode also sheds light on the sexualization of female athletes, where their bodies are scrutinized and judged in ways that male athletes rarely face. This not only objectifies women but also enforces harmful gender stereotypes. The podcast also critiques how gender norms are deeply embedded in sports, emphasizing the need to reevaluate policies that exclude or discriminate against athletes who don’t fit within narrow gender categories. These shocking points show the deeply rooted biases and injustices that continue to shape the experiences of female athletes, pushing for a more inclusive and scientifically sound approach to fairness in sports.

Another significant event I would like to add to this timeline is the 1972 case of Maria Patino. Patino was a Spanish athlete training for the 1980 Olympics, however, after failing a chromosomal analysis of gender verification, despite being biologically female, she was disqualified. Patino presented with an atypical chromosomal pattern (47, XY) which is typically seen in male biology. I feel this case should be added to this timeline as it raised a lot of debate surrounding the fairness (or more so, the unfairness) of sex and gender, and female sport.

Growing up, the gendering of sports significantly impacted my ability to play rugby. Rugby, often seen as a “tough” and masculine sport, was primarily dominated by boys, reinforcing stereotypes about girls’ physicality and toughness. The idea that girls weren’t strong or aggressive enough for contact sports like rugby was ingrained in my community. While boys had access to teams, equipment, and coaching from a young age, girls didn’t have a team until much later. This delay in creating a girls’ rugby team not only limited resources but also created an environment where my interest in the sport was often dismissed or taken seriously. The assumption that girls couldn’t handle the intensity of rugby made it harder for me to pursue it, even though I loved the sport. The lack of early access to opportunities and the ongoing stereotypes surrounding female athletes made it clear that gender played a big role in limiting my options.

• I also added figure skating as a sport that is swayed more on the female side, despite some of the best figure skaters being male, or a due of female and male.

• after contributing to the poll, it can be seen that males seem to gender code the ‘tough’ sports such as football, hockey, softball, and soccer, while women tend to dominate the more artistic sports and individual sports that require less contact, such as gymnastics, cheerleading, and figure skating.

• I was surprised to see that soccer was voted as primarily male coded, as I feel that soccer is fairly neutral. I do hear lots of recognition for both men and women’s soccer, professionally and recreationally.

In response to the image, the idea that trans women should not compete in women’s sports often stems from a deeper sense of insecurity about the shifting dynamics in sports that have traditionally been male-dominated. Many of the loudest voices opposing trans inclusion in women’s sports seem to be men, which suggests that the real concern may not be fairness but a fear of losing dominance in areas they’ve historically controlled. This resistance reflects a discomfort with the potential for women’s sports to rise in prominence, and the inclusion of trans women is seen by some as a challenge to that established order. Rather than a genuine concern about fairness, it often feels like an effort to preserve traditional power structures in sports, where men have long been the dominant figures.

Robins argues that the discrimination of trans women athletes in sports is not genuinely about fairness or even about women (specifically cis women). Instead, it focuses on transness and transfemininity. She believes the debate around trans athletes is less about the integrity of sports and more about challenging and invalidating the existence of trans women. The public obsession with “transvestigating” athletes, which questions their gender or athletic eligibility and ability, is framed as an excuse to revisit societal discomfort and prejudice toward trans identities. Robins suggests that this controversy reflects a broader societal attempt to police and undermine the legitimacy of trans women rather than addressing any real issues in sports fairness. By focusing on these gender debates, society neglects the true importance of skill, dedication, and training in sports, instead only choosing to shed light on transphobic discourse that harms trans people and their access to sports. This reflects the societal discomfort with evolving gender norms.