Sex Verification of Athletes Assignment (31 points)
Instructions:
Go to https:
media.hhmi.org
iointeractive/click/testing-athletes/index.html
Click on Introduction, watch the short video and read the information below the video to answer the questions below. Write the answers in your own words. Answers that are copied from the internet will be marked inco
ect and a “0” grade will be awarded from this assignment. All questions are worth 1 point unless marked otherwise.
Introduction Questions:
1. Why was Dutee Chand dropped from the Indian national track team?
2. Testosterone levels in Dutee Chand were high due to steroid injections.
A. True
B. False
3. How did the governing body of track and field athletic changes the rules in 2015? How did this decision affect women competitions in track and field?
4. When did sex verification tests in sports begin and what was the purpose of these tests?
5. Why do these tests focus on testosterone levels?
6. Click on the term biological sex. How is biological sex determined? How does this compare to gender?
Human Development Instructions:
Click on Human Development, read the information and use it to answer the questions below. Write the answers in your own words. Answers that are copied from the internet will be marked inco
ect and a “0” grade will be awarded from this assignment.
Human Development Questions:
7. Chromosomes: Allosomes are also called sex chromosomes.
a. What are the sex chromosome in most women? (0.5 points)
. What are the sex chromosomes typically seen in men? (0.5 points)
8. X-Inactivation: What is a Ba
body and how is it used in sex verification?
9. Differentiation: What does SRY stand for and which chromosome is the SRY gene normally found?
10. Differentiation: If the SRY gene is present, how would this affect human development?
11. Differentiation: How is the SYR gene used for sex verification?
12. If someone was negative for the presences of SYR and positive for the presence of Ba
bodies, what would this tell you about the likely biological sex of this person?
13. Late Em
yo: In an em
yo, what causes male internal and external reproductive anatomy to develop?
14. Puberty: Secondary sex characteristics arise during puberty. What causes these developmental changes?
15. Puberty: Why do adult women produce less testosterone than men? How can testosterone levels be used to determine biological sex?
16. Genetic variations can result in differences in sex development (DSD). Click on DSD under the Phenotypes section. What is another term for DSD?
17. Click on the table of DSDs at the bottom of this section to answer the following questions:
a. CYP21A2 gene mutations
1. By what mechanism can a mutation in CYP21A2 change testosterone levels? (0.5 points)
2. What biological sex is usually assigned at birth in people with a CYP21A2 mutation? (0.5 points)
. SRY gene mutations
1. What is the effect of a nonfunctional SRY gene on the development of primary sex characteristics? (0.5 points)
c. 45, X Turner Syndrome
1. Why is this condition shown as 45, X? (0.5 points)
2. What has led to an e
or in the number of chromosomes? (0.5 points)
d. XXY
a. Which sex is typically assigned at birth to an individual with XXY chromosomes? (0.5 points)
. If a person with Klinefelter’s syndrome wanted to look more like an average male, what medical treatment could help accomplish this? (0.5 points)
CASE STUDIES
Sprinter:
18. a. For each of the years, indicate which sex verification test is used and if this athlete would be allowed to compete in women’s events based on the result of that test (1 point)
1966 –
1968 –
1992 –
2011 –
. What is a genotype that would explain the sprinter’s phenotype? Explain XXXXXXXXXXpoints)
CONCLUSION:
Click the “Conclusion” tab and answer the following questions
19. Is there a single test that can determine biological sex?
20. Like many traits, biological sex consists of a spectrum of phenotypes. What does this mean? (2 points)
21. Use the spectrum of gender identities figure and explain the difference between a cisgender woman and a transgender woman.
22. In 2015, how did the eligibility criteria for cisgender female athletes differ from that of transgender female athletes?
23. As of April, 2019, the Swiss‑based Court of A
itration for Sport upheld the IAAF rules that if a woman had a natural testosterone level at or above five (5) nmol/L she would have to take medications or undergo surgery to reduce her natural testosterone to below this level for 400 and 800 meter races.
a. Should women who want to compete be required to undergo medical treatment for a condition that is not causing her harm? (0.5 points)
. Is it fair to allow women with naturally high testosterone levels to complete in the same competition as women who do not have elevated testosterone levels? (0.5 points)
24. After going through this activity, what are your thoughts:
a. Should athletes be tested for their testosterone levels in order to be able to compete in women’s events? Why or Why not? (2 points)
. Should we eliminate the practice of dividing sporting events into male and female categories? Why or Why not? (2 points)