title: Sex and gender issues in competitive sports: investigation of a historical case leads to a new viewpoint.
abstract: Based on DNA analysis of a historical case, the authors describe how a female athlete can be unknowingly confronted with the consequences of a disorder of sex development resulting in hyperandrogenism emerging early in her sports career. In such a situation, it is harmful and confusing to question sex and gender. Exposure to either a low or high level of endogenous testosterone from puberty is a decisive factor with respect to sexual dimorphism of physical performance. Yet, measurement of testosterone is not the means by which questions of an athlete's eligibility to compete with either women or men are resolved. The authors discuss that it might be justifiable to use the circulating testosterone level as an endocrinological parameter, to try to arrive at an objective criterion in evaluating what separates women and men in sports competitions, which could prevent the initiation of complicated, lengthy and damaging sex and gender verification procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Molecular Biology, Erasmus MC – University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kaye N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Ballantyne
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kayser
authors.forename: J Anton
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Grootegoed
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000266:history / Q000502:physiology*; D041321:Chromosomes, Human, X / Q000502:physiology; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000502:physiology; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000266:history; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009030:Mosaicism; D009426:Netherlands; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods*; D046468:Sexual Development / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone