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Caster Semenya, an African track star, was forced to take a gender test following impressive 800 and 1,500 wins. Recently in an 800 meter win, Semenya defeated the defending champion by 2.45 seconds, which is a huge gap in time. Her physical appearance caused people to wonder about her biological makeup. If she is proven to be male, her medal may or may not be stripped from her. Unlike intaking illegal supplements, it is not Semenya's fault for having a rare medical condition. She grew up as a girl and trains just as hard as any other track runner. Her family members are not worried about the results because they know that Semenya is a girl. Just because she might have a higher testosterone level than most women, it should not qualify her to be a man. IAAF spokesperson, Nick Davies, clearly stated that this is a medical issue, not an issue of cheating. When I read this article, I felt sorry for Semenya. She must have trained extremely hard to get to her current status and after an impressive win, she was did not shine in the glorious spotlight, but instead tested to see if she was actually female. Each person is an individual, and some women are simply more "manly than others. She is probably embarrassed by this situation. She worked hard to become a professional track star and taking away her achievements in an instant is just like taking away her dream. Even if she is forced to retire from women's track, she might not be able to qualify for men's track.

Do you think it is appropriate to demand a gender test from Semenya? If the gender tests result as positive for being male, should her medal be stripped away even if she did nothing to become that way? Although men are generally built more athletic than women, would the reaction be the same if this were a woman that won a men's track race? How should Semenya react to this situation? What should she do? []