Caster Semeyna has created quite an uproar in the sports world. Caster’s gender identity was questioned when it was discovered that she had three times the testosterone level of the average female. In response the International Association of Athletics Federations conducted a gender identity test on Caster without her previous knowledge. See full article here.

The gender identity test includes a physical medical evaluation, and reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender.

Recently South Africa’s You Magazine featured Caster on the cover. The athlete was “made up,” in acceptable female clothing her hair, usually in corn rows, was straightened for the occasion, wearing a dress and stiletto heals. See full article here.

The executive director of Gender Links advocacy organization, Colleen Low Morna states: “It is amazing how, in order to accept her, we have to turn her into our stereotypical image of what a woman should be. She’s made it clear she does not like dresses, high heels or glamour. Celebrating diversity means accepting women and men in all their shapes, sizes and forms, not moulding them into some typecast image of who we want them to be. Let Caster be Caster!”

As anti-violence advocates we understand that prescribing to a binary understanding of gender is a contributing factor to the perpetuation of gender based violence. What are some ways that you encourage others to move away from gender binaries? How can Caster’s struggle be utilized to mobilize individuals to question binary understandings of gender?