Discussing Genetics: Exploring Human Sex Variation through Athletics

This webinar is part of a program co-organized by Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue and the Genetics Society of America. The aim of this partnership is to better equip scientists to engage in discussions about genetics with all communities, with special emphasis on those who have been marginalized, economically disadvantaged, or otherwise excluded from conversations about science.
Athletics events (commonly referred to as track and field in the US) are often divided into men’s and women’s categories to provide fair competition, but efforts to define who qualifies to compete in the women’s events have been fraught with controversy. Since the 1940’s, athletics governing bodies have required competitors in women’s events to prove themselves female (first through anatomical exam, then through DNA-based tests, and now through testosterone levels), but differences in sex development mean that some individuals do not fit neatly into the male-female binary.
To learn more, visit us at www.pged.org.