‘Why can’t Caster compete?’ – Social media questions transgender athlete competing in Olympics
South African Olympic champion Caster Semenya is trending on social media alongside New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard.
Hubbard is a transgender woman who is set to make history as the first transgender woman to compete at the Olympic Games. The 43-year-old had competed in men's weightlifting competitions before transitioning in 2013.
Hubbard's selection has sparked fierce debate on social media, with scores questioning whether she would have an added advantage.
Hubbard has been eligible to compete in the Olympics since 2015, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued guidelines allowing any transgender athlete to compete as a woman if their testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 months before their first competition.
It didn't take long for Semenya to top the Twitter trends list, as supporters questioned why she is still not allowed to compete in events between 400m and a mile without taking testosterone-reducing drugs.
In 2019, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court banned Caster from competing while her lawsuit against the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) over regulation of her testosterone levels continued.
She lost her appeal last year but vowed to continue fighting the ruling.
TimesLIVE reported that Semenya hoped to compete in the women's 5,000m in Tokyo but missed her qualifying attempt in Germany over the weekend. She finished fourth in 15 min 57.12 sec, missing the 15:10.00 criterion.
Here are some social media reactions to Hubbard possibly competing in the Olympics:
You humiliated Caster Semenya only to end up doing this?
— KwAkU DMC🦍🦍🦍 stan Account (@ato_qwam3na) June 21, 2021
Herh
The story ends with having our own AFRICA OLYMPICS 🌍 with African investors in AFRICA for Africans. #CasterSemenya
— 👩🏾🎨Nomonde Fihla-Ngema (@NomondeNgema) June 21, 2021
Thinking about Caster Semenya today. pic.twitter.com/epNLc47w9c
— Laja (@_NotLaja) June 21, 2021
Lol South Africans are about to be called transphobic and TERFs for calling out the double standards of the Olympics regarding Caster Semenya, a natural born woman and Laurel Hubbard, a transwoman..
— A Black Woman 🇿🇦 🇿🇦 (@SneKhumaloSA) June 21, 2021
I really love how SAns always band together to support our girl, Caster..
The story of Caster Semenya💔🇿🇦 black child, you are on your own💔 pic.twitter.com/IZcqj02M4o
— Bigsista (@Bigsista18) June 21, 2021
They’re letting a transgender athlete compete in Tokyo but they banned Caster Semenya, a biological woman, from competing in her disciplines for having naturally higher hormone levels … the powers that be in athletics need to give their heads a massive wobble is all I’ll say
— Иван (@ivan_i94) June 21, 2021
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