• After listening to Episode Three of Tested, it specifically talked about women fighting for Olympic competition rights along with the contentious sex testing practices they faced. The early Olympic Games exhibited significant gender exclusion due to Pierre de Coubertin, the founding father of the modern Olympic Games, who actively resisted women’s participation. Furthermore, due to this resistance put on female athletes, women still encounter significant obstacles when entering competitive sports but currently, with women’s ability to participate in competitive sports, they still face unique forms of scrutiny unlike their male counterparts.
• One main thing that surprised me within this episode would have to be the historical methods of sex testing, which began with basic visual inspections but somehow shifted to perform more invasive procedures with significant scientific flaws. Women athletes from the Global South, along with those who defied Western femininity standards, bore the brunt of these testing practices. Maximila Imali’s is an example of a female Olympian whose Olympic experience demonstrates discrimination through the use of sex testing to target and eliminate athletes who did not match established gender standards. As well, many athletes faced humiliation and disqualification through sex testing procedures that used arbitrary biological markers instead of measuring their performance in sports, which is absolutly appalling to think about.
• One important aspect within this episode was the focus on Caster Semenya, who became the target of public examination and inequitable rules due to her natural testosterone levels despite no performance benefits. The experiences of her and many athletes illustrate how sex testing operations have enforced control over women’s bodies instead of establishing fair competition standards.
• These things surprised me, as although the policies intended to ensure fair competition actually perpetuate old-fashioned beliefs about gender and femininity. Olympic sex testing history demonstrates substantial biases in sports since women from marginalized communities face unfair demands to establish their legitimacy, which male athletes do not encounter.

But, I also disagree with her statement as opponents of Thomas’s statement claim that even limited cases carry substantial consequences for maintaining competitive fairness. Many people consider women’s sports categories to be designed to ensure fair competition, in which is very true but contend that trans women who experienced male puberty might keep physical benefits affecting competitive equality. Female athletes including Riley Gaines who has shared her experiences against Thomas have expressed worries regarding scholarships opportunities and fair competition. This perspective prioritizes sports fairness above inclusion when the principle of competitive integrity is threatened.

Overall, this topic represents a multifaceted and very contested problem that requires analysis of fairness principles alongside inclusion aspects and policy perspectives. Each viewpoint demonstrates entrenched convictions regarding optimal practices for women’s sports and achieving a balance between equity and athletic competition. In my opinion, in agreeance to Thomas;s statement, in unregulated sports, such as highschool, public school, extra-cirricular sports is where I see no problem, and as an female athlete myself, inclusivity should be the upmost important, in that aspect. On the other hand, when it comes to professional sports, inclusivity is important, but within the NCAA, Olympics, or any other high level of sport performance should revolve around the idea of fairness, and that all athletes have an equal advantage to win. Trans-athletes alter this dynamic in a way, in which I believe it is hard to agree or disagree to the statement above, hence my reasoning for neutrality. I hope by representing both sides, it shows the advantages and disadvantages, giving different perspectives to this challenging topic.

To expand on my above padlet post on my agreeance to what Katie Barnes had stated, I would like to further elaborate by including my experience on how fair are sports. Katire Barnes’s statement on how “sports, by design, are not fair” (235), matches my own athletic experiences where success depends on elements beyond individual talent or hard work. Barnes explains that discussions about transgender athletes often emphasize testosterone and physical characteristics while neglecting the long-standing natural and circumstantial inequalities present in sports such as training access and genetic variation. The nature of sports means they are not inherently fair as my athletic journey demonstrated how elements other than skill and effort influence competitive outcomes. While playing rep softball brought me a sense of inclusion and acceptance, I also recognized that availability of top-level coaching and costly equipment alongside specialized training produced unequal opportunities for all players. A few athletes benefited from private lessons and superior equipment due to their families’ financial abilities but others needed to put in extra effort to maintain their competitive standing.

Furthermore, the idea that girls couldn’t play like boys, in which I experienced firsthand, was based on gender expectations as Barnes has shown to be a common issue in sports. She asserts that definitions of fairness tend to uphold current power structures instead of creating truly equal opportunities for everyone. The acceptance of male athletes’ genetic benefits such as height or lung capacity illustrates that trans women’s involvement faces unfair scrutiny for disrupting sports fairness.

The rules and regulations in sports aim to achieve fairness but do not always deliver consistent results. Certain athletes benefit from genetic traits and financial or societal biases which create advantages unavailable to others. Through my experiences I have realized that although hard work and dedication matter, sports competitions do not always provide the equal opportunities they promise.