First of all, Happy Friday the 13th everyone! I know tons of people look at 13 as an unlucky number, and especially Friday the 13th. For me, I’ve always looked at 13 as my lucky number. And, oddly enough, when the 13th falls on a Friday that always ends up being a good day for me. Since I actually have a pedicure scheduled for the first time in over 2 years, I’m already thinking it’s shaping up to be a good one.
Now onto my Friday Favorites. There is so much that happened during and leading up to the Olympics. My thoughts are always pinging all over the place with things I want to talk about. One of the major things that seems to keep circling back to front and center in my mind is the women who were left out of the games because they were deemed to be…not quite women? Seriously, it’s all so confusing.
I’m an avid listener to the podcast Radiolab. Last week they aired a repeat of an episode from 2018 about Dutee Chand, a track and field athlete from India. The episode, Gonads: Dutee, goes into how an athletes gender is determined and what they deem acceptable levels for different events. It’s quite fascinating and will probably have you questioning your own thoughts on gender.
I really want everyone to listen to this podcast episode so I won’t give it all away here, but I can’t get a specific point that is made out of my head. If it’s not fair for women with high testosterone to compete with other women, how is it fair for someone (like Dutee), who grew up with limited nutritional options, to have to compete against women from more privileged backgrounds who had healthy diets and actual shoes to wear to train? If the complainers want to make it “fair for all”, then shouldn’t all of the athletes have the same advantages (or disadvantages)?
Anyway, I’m getting myself worked up again. I really hope you give this podcast a listen and open your mind and heart. If nothing else, it will give you good information when you find yourself in a debate regarding this issue with a closed-minded person. Especially those that are transphobic. While Dutee is not trans, the points being made apply across the board regardless of the athletes gender identity.
All In Good Time 