What a sex test involves
ALEISHA TISSEN and LAUREN PETERSEN
JOHANNESBURG - Based on the recent controversy surrounding Caster Semenya’s gender, The Citizen embarked on a search to find out what exactly specialists will be looking for to determine the final result of the sex test.
Dr Ross Tucker, exercise physiologist and sports management consultant, said specialists working on Semenya’s tests would follow a multidisciplinary approach, which includes genetic, gynaecological, psychological, internal medicine and endocrine testing.
“A geneticist will have to look at her genes. In people who are intersex, a condition where ambiguous genitalia are present, the genes don’t match up with the physiological development and appearance,” Tucker said.
Chromosome testing would be done to determine if she has XX (female) or XY (male) chromosomes, but there are cases where XY females and XX males have been found. This makes classification as either male or female based on chromosomes alone difficult.
Tucker spoke of three broad categories of intersex conditions: a masculinised female, an under-masculinised male and true hermaphroditism.
But with no independent facts to go on, Tucker is reluctant to say whether Semenya falls into any of these categories.
The tests will include an external examination by a gynaecologist to check if a uterus is present. An internal medicine specialist will investigate the presence of internal structures that are either male or female.
A psychological evaluation assesses the brain and the influences of sex hormones and testosterone.
Finally, an endocrine assessment will determine and assess hormone levels, the level of testosterone and other like hormones. Collectively these androgenising hormones are responsible for the largest differences between men and women, such as stronger, larger muscles, less body fat and different skeletal shapes, such as larger jaw bones and narrower hips.
Testosterone levels hold the key to determining whether or not Semenya has a performance advantage over other females.
Tucker said there are a myriad of other conditions that can contribute to masculinisation of females and it was more complex than just taking a sneak peek. For more on Tucker’s views, log onto