The Paris Olympics have been a tremendous showcase for women in sports. has become the most decorated American Olympic gymnast while has achieved the title of most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history. The U.S. women’s rugby team, in a stunning turn of events, clinched the bronze medal with a last-second miracle play. We’ve witnessed a 58-year-old woman, Chile’s Zeng Zhiying, compete in table tennis, and Egypt’s Nada Hafez participate in fencing while seven months pregnant.
However, on Thursday in Paris, these remarkable achievements were overshadowed when Italian boxer Angela Carini against Algerian Imane Khelif, expressing open distress and questioning the fairness of the competition. Khelif’s participation in the competition had already sparked controversy earlier in the week, due to reports that she had previously failed a .
This ignited a heated debate concerning gender in sports. Prominent anti-trans activists, including Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, seized the opportunity to promote their agenda, claiming that transgender women (or “men” as Rowling refers to them) have no place in women’s sports.
It’s crucial to emphasize that Khelif is not transgender. In fact, she hails from a country where transgender identities are illegal. Khelif is a woman who has competed as a woman in international boxing for years, with only moderate success. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Ireland’s Kellie Harrington, who ultimately went on to win the gold medal. In 2023, the International Boxing Association disqualified Khelif from the world championships for failing an unspecified gender test. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), responsible for overseeing boxing at the Olympics due to the , has repeatedly stated that Khelif meets all eligibility requirements and urged the media and public to “dial this down and not turn it into some kind of witch-hunt.”
Sadly, this plea came too late. The hysteria surrounding Khelif spread rapidly, culminating in United States GOP including it in their by the end of the day. This includes former President and his Vice Presidential candidate . While the situation in Paris is extreme, the core of the controversy—a desire to eliminate women in sports who deviate from Western beauty and femininity standards—is not a new phenomenon. It represents a persistent reinforcement of the status quo—and it negatively impacts everyone.
“From the very beginning of women’s inclusion in the Olympics, the men in charge doubted that they were even women at all,” Rose Eveleth states in her NPR and CBC podcast, “.” Eveleth points out that in 1928, the inaugural year of women competing in athletics at the Olympics, Japanese runner Kinue Hitomi was reportedly subjected to an examination to confirm her womanhood after securing a silver medal in the 800m. During the 1980s, when Martina Navratilova dominated women’s tennis, she faced constant ridicule over her “.” (In a so-called , one Hall of Fame radio personality sang, “You say you’re a woman, but you look like a man. You broke all my fingers shaking my hand. Martina Navratilova.”) Throughout her career, Serena Williams was subjected to accusations that she was “” . WNBA star Brittney Griner today.
These witch hunts disproportionately target Black and Brown women in sports, although not exclusively. This week, a TikTok video featuring USA rugby player Ilona Maher, one of the breakout stars of the Paris Olympics, went viral. In the video, she tearfully revealed the immense pressure she faces due to her height and broad shoulders, constantly being questioned about her gender.
“I get comments being called a man and being called masculine and asking if I’m on steroids,” Maher . “There will always be negative people out there. And they put women in a box. And they think women should be fragile and petite and quiet and meek. But that’s not the case.”
, a post from ESPN celebrating Ledecky’s gold in the 1500m freestyle was met with numerous comments labeling her a man. “I feel so bad for the WOMEN on the US swim team who were cheated out of their places in their sport by someone born male beating them out,” one woman wrote.
At the elite level, especially the Olympics, sports are all about celebrating extraordinary achievements. None of the athletes competing in Paris or any other Olympiad are “normal.” They are the best in the world at their respective sports. While hard work, passion, relentlessness, and a top-tier support system are undeniably crucial to reaching the pinnacle of sports, it also requires some form of biological superiority, especially for those who set records.
In men’s sports, these biological marvels are celebrated. wingspan, long torso, and hyperextended joints in his chest, feet, and elbows grant him an exceptional advantage over his competitors, along with his remarkable lung capacity and low lactic acid production. However, he was never compelled to downplay these innate characteristics to level the playing field for other men in the competition. No one barred 7’6” Chinese center from basketball because his height and size posed a potential risk to his opponents. wasn’t forced to prove his hormones were within the normal range for an adult male before being allowed to compete. One of the key reasons these athletes achieved such greatness was their unique physical attributes.
In women’s sports, however, people are often preoccupied with scrutinizing and questioning standout athletes, failing to truly appreciate their accomplishments. This is deeply disheartening. One of the most beautiful aspects of the Olympics is the celebration of the diverse range of bodies represented. We witness petite, muscular women in gymnastics, stocky women in shot put, slender women in distance running, and super tall women in volleyball and gymnastics. Women from all walks of life—races, presentations, income levels, and nationalities—are encouraged to punch, tackle, flip, jump, throw, shoot, sweat, and scream. It’s a rare environment where there’s no “right way” to exist as a woman.
This is truly empowering. Yet, it also poses a threat to some.
The truth is, there are no cisgender men competing in elite women’s sports, and there are no transgender women competing in the Paris Olympics. However, the fear mongering surrounding both situations leads to irresponsible and dangerous speculation, bullying, and the undermining of athletic achievements.
On Friday, Carini to Khelif for her comments and behavior after the match, stating her support for Khelif’s inclusion in the event. However, just like in boxing, some things cannot be undone.