Category: Woman

Sexism rears its ugly head in Phyllis Ellis’s documentary about testosterone levels in successful female athletes, focusing on four women in the world of track and field whose careers have been stalled by questionable science, outdated concepts of gender, and sports organizations that traffic in both. —M.G.

“When you are a man and do exceptionally well, you become a superman. When you are a woman and do exceptionally well, you must be a man.” —Dr. Payoshni Mitra, Athletes’ Rights Activist

A battle for human rights is being fought on the racetrack. The double standard stated by Dr. Mitra is the driving force behind the ongoing policing of women’s bodies in international sport. For decades, the femininity of remarkable female athletes—particularly black and brown women—has been scrutinized by ruling bodies such as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). These organizations set testosterone caps to determine who can compete within the CATEGORY: WOMAN. Women who naturally exceed these caps have two options: give up their dreams or submit to burdensome and medically unnecessary surgeries, hormone treatments, and further testing. This illuminating documentary follows four athletes fighting for their personhood after being adversely affected by discriminatory rules established under the guise of fairness. —D.O.