By Jennifer Roback Morse August 9, 2024, at The Stream
The Olympic boxing match between Angela Carini of Italy and Imane Khelif of Algeria has sparked worldwide controversy and outrage. In my opinion, anger is justified, but only if directed at the proper target. I don’t think either of the athletes “cheated.” These young people played according to the rules the authority figures in their lives established. The blame lies entirely with those authorities. I blame the International Olympic Committee for its negligence and cowardice in setting its eligibility rules. I blame the trans rights activists and their sponsors for deliberately fostering the mass confusion about sex and gender that lies behind this entire episode.
This case hinges on understanding the difference between a person who identifies himself or herself as “transgender” vs. a person who has one of a number of Disorders of Sexual Development (DSD). The Accord Alliance, an advocacy group for those with DSD, states, “Today, there is clear medical consensus that the term DSD refers to ‘congenital conditions in which development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomic sex is atypical.’”
The Very Rare Exceptions to the Gender Binary
DSDs are medical conditions that can be determined by objective, observable criteria. Biologist Colin Wright explains the most probable DSD for Imane Khelif is 5-alpha reductase deficiency (5-ARD):
People with 5-ARD have XY chromosomes and testes that produce testosterone. However, due to a mutation in a gene that codes for an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, the testosterone produced by their testes during development is unable to be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is required for the development of male external genitalia. As a result, people with 5-ARD, despite being biologically male, are born with genitals that appear typically female or somewhat ambiguous. This can lead to some of these 5-ARD newborns to be mistakenly recorded as female on their birth certificates.
Many with 5-ARD are raised as girls, unaware of their condition until puberty when, instead of beginning to menstruate, their internal testes trigger male puberty. This results in masculine (androgenized) features and a physical advantage in sports. (Emphasis in original).
Dr. Wright infers that Khelif has XY chromosomes and testosterone levels typical of adult males, based on the information provided by the International Boxing Association. The IBA disqualified Khelif from participating in its 2023 competition, based on what we can reasonably deduce was a DNA test. Whether Khelif was “raised as a girl,” is irrelevant. (The internet sneer, “Just drop your pants, then we’ll know!” is not helpful in this situation.)
Transgenderism Is Different, a Psychological Illness
By contrast, the concept of “transgender” is entirely psychological. The American Psychological Association defines transgender:
