Latest news with #gendercontroversy
Telegraph
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Queer writing awards boycotted over nomination of gender-critical author
A prize celebrating the work of gay writers has been boycotted for nominating a gender-critical author. The Polari Prize awards, celebrating LGBT literature, has come under fire after its longlist included Earth, a novella by John Boyne, a self-described 'Terf'. So far, 800 writers and publishing workers have signed a statement objecting to Boyne's nomination, while 10 nominees have withdrawn their names in protest. Boyne, best known for his 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, was nominated for Earth, which tackles issues including homophobia and sexual assault. The author has previously described himself as a 'fellow Terf' – a slur used to describe 'transgender-exclusionary radical feminists' – while expressing support for his friend JK Rowling in the Irish Independent. The authors boycotting the prize called his inclusion on the longlist, published on Aug 6, 'inexcusable' in light of his comments. In a statement, they said: 'His public statements on trans rights and identity are incompatible with the LGBTQ+ community's most basic standards of inclusion. 'In any year, the decision to include Mr Boyne on the longlist would be, in our view, inappropriate and hurtful to the wider community of LGBTQ+ readers and writers. 'That the decision has been made this year – in the context of rising anti-trans hatred and systematic exclusion of trans people from public life in the UK and across the world – is inexcusable.' Alice Oseman, the Heartstopper author, is among a group of writers including Nikesh Shukla, Julia Armfield and Kirsty Logan, to have signed the statement. They said Boyne 'has publicly and unequivocally associated himself with trans exclusionary sentiments.' In April, Britain's highest court declared that transgender women are not legally women, with the ruling hailed as a victory by Rowling, the Harry Potter author. Boyne's defence of Rowling has also seen two judges, including author Nicola Dinan, who won Polari's first book prize last year for her novel Bellies, withdraw from the prize. Jason Okundaye and Andrew McMillan have both asked for their novels to be removed from this year's nominations in protest. In his tribute to Rowling, published last month, Boyne described some 'grown women' who supported trans rights as people who were 'astonishingly complicit in their own erasure'. He also likened them to a female character from The Handmaid's Tale, who he said was 'ready to pin a handmaiden down as her husband rapes her'. 'We can at times hold radically different positions' The Polari Prize has emphasised that the award was 'founded on the core principles of diversity and inclusion', but said books are not eliminated 'based on the wider views of a writer'. A statement responding to the controversy said: 'We are committed to supporting trans right and amplifying trans voices, as demonstrated both in the history of the prize and the Polari salon, where trans and non-binary writers and performers have featured regularly as valued members of the LGBTQ+ writing community. 'It is inevitable, given the challenges we face and the diversity of the lived experience we now represent under the LGBTQ+ Polari umbrella, that even within our community, we can at times hold radically different positions on substantive issues. This is one of those times. 'John Boyne's novel Earth was included on the Polari Prize longlist on merit as judged by our jury, following the process and principles stated above. While we do not eliminate books based on the wider views of a writer, we regret the upset and hurt this has caused. 'Polari is committed to inclusion, not exclusion…Books are one of our best means to explore the most difficult and divisive issues, and we encourage an open dialogue across our community.'
Times
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Austria's EU ambassador resigns over claims he ran sexist blog
The Austrian ambassador to the European Union has stepped down after claims that he used a female pseudonym to run a sexist blog. The controversy erupted this week after Austrian media reported that a senior diplomat had been dismissed for allegedly being behind The Night Mare, which has since been deleted. On Monday, Thomas Oberreiter, Austria's representative in Brussels since 2023, requested his dismissal 'for personal reasons' after being linked to the claims. Featuring a number of degrading posts, some of the blog entries were erotic fantasies and others contained graphic descriptions of sexual assault written from the perspective of a fictional female author named Caro. At one point, the narrator allegedly referred to women as 'meat, nothing more'. Elsewhere, women were labelled as whores and acts of violence were said to be associated with 'total submission', according to Fass ohne Boden, an investigative platform that first published the allegations. Notably, blog entries were linked to IP addresses associated with the foreign ministry, according to the newspaper Der Standard, which reviewed copies of some blog entries. Timestamps suggested that the content may have been written during working hours. The Austrian foreign office told The Times that Beate Meinl-Reisinger, the Austrian foreign minister, had opened an investigation as soon as she learnt, on Saturday, about the allegations. A statement said that Oberreiter's resignation should not be interpreted as confirmation of the allegations and that further details could not be shared 'for reasons of data and privacy protection of the person concerned and also of his relatives'. Der Standard reported that Oberreiter had denied the allegations but resigned to avert damage from the Austrian mission in Brussels. A seasoned diplomat, Oberreiter, 59, held one of Austria's most influential foreign policy roles. As permanent representative to the EU, he was in charge of preparing meetings with leaders of EU nations, negotiating communiqués and co-ordinating Austrian positions within Brussels — a post considered more strategically significant than many other ambassadorial assignments. Oberreiter's long career included other prominent roles in ministerial cabinets, including serving as chief of staff to Alexander Schallenberg, a former foreign minister and interim chancellor who belongs to the ruling Austrian People's Party. The affair has taken on a political dimension, not least because the platform Fass ohne Boden is operated by Alexander Surowiec, a former communications adviser to the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO). The FPO has announced plans to file a parliamentary inquiry into the case. So far, there have been no criminal charges. The foreign ministry confirmed that Oberreiter would return to the ministry's headquarters in Vienna but declined to elaborate whether disciplinary proceedings would follow, according to Austrian media.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Caster Semenya: A rebel with a cause
The running career of Caster Semenya has been a mix of success and setbacks. (Patrick Smith) When 19-year-old unknown South African Caster Semenya pulled off a stunning 800 metres final triumph at the 2009 world championships in Berlin, she could never have imagined the drama that would follow. She had barely touched the tape to claim gold when controversy erupted over whether she should have been allowed to compete. Some rivals questioned whether she was a woman. Advertisement Officials reacted by forcing Semenya to have a sex test, and it was not until the following year that the woman born in a northern village could run again. Recalling the sex test to a London audience, Semenya said "being told you are not woman enough can be disturbing". Now 34, Semenya was born with differences of sexual development (DSD) and some opponents believed her biological make-up gave her an unfair advantage. Later, when Semenya refused to take drugs to supress testosterone, a hormone that increases muscle mass, strength and endurance-enhancing haemoglobin, she was banned by World Athletics. Advertisement She collected 800 metre gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games in London and Rio de Janeiro -- the first after Russian winner Mariya Savinova was belatedly disqualified over doping. Semenya also struck gold over her favourite distance at world championships in Berlin, South Korean city Daegu and London. But instead of basking in the glory of becoming a middle-distance track queen, she became embroiled in a string of legal battles just to compete. Previously, when Semenya took testosterone-reducing medication, the athlete told South African media she suffered "hell". "When you are desperate (to run), you will do anything to get what you want. The medication was not designed for my body because I am different. Advertisement "I am a woman who is different, I do not have a uterus, I do not have fallopian tubes. I was never happy (taking the medication), it irritated me, I was not myself." As the years passed, relentless Semenya exchanged her 'golden girl' status among South Africans and became a rebel with a cause. Her frustration heightened when an initial World Athletics ban covering middle-distance races extended to all track events. - 'Gross violation' - She labelled the move a "gross violation of human rights. What is at stake here is far more than the right to participate in a sport. Advertisement "Women's bodies, their wellbeing, their ability to earn a livelihood, their very identity, their sense of safety and belonging in the world are being questioned." But while Semenya railed against World Athletics, the organisation refused to budge, and Semenya missed the 2024 Paris Olympics. "DSD regulations are a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of protecting fair competition in the female category," said the international body. Taking the legal route to try and overturn the ban, Semenya lost cases at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the Swiss Federal Tribunal (SFT). Advertisement The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) took a different view, though, by a 4-3 majority. They said the Semenya appeal had not been properly heard. "The applicant had not been afforded sufficient institutional and procedural safeguards in Switzerland to allow her to have her complaints examined effectively," the ECHR said. SFT, supported by World Athletics, appealed the decision, leading to a two-year wait before the 17-judge ECHR Grand Chamber gave its ruling and found again in her favour. "We need to respect athletes, we need to put their rights first... It's just a reminder to the leaders to say priorities lie in the protection of athletes," she said after the appeal ruling. Advertisement While several South African athletes approached by AFP over the issue did not wish to comment, the government and the public have backed Semenya in her crusade against "injustice". "Our entire history of South Africa has been a struggle for human rights. These (World Athletics) rules have had a negative effect on our golden girl," said then sports minister Tokozile Xasa. As Semenya suffered setbacks, she could rely on the support of her parents, three sisters and one brother. "The relationship I have with my family is special," she said. dl/pi/iwd
Fox News
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Controversial boxer Imane Khelif skipping competition following World Boxing's new mandatory sex testing
Imane Khelif, the boxer at the center of the Olympic gender controversy, is skipping a boxing tournament in the Netherlands after World Boxing announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes. The Algerian boxer, who won gold at the Paris Games last summer amid scrutiny over her eligibility, did not register in time for the event before applications closed on Thursday. Khelif had intended to return to international competition at the tournament in Hotel Eindhoven before World Boxing announced its new sex testing policy last Friday. Eindhoven Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem criticized World Boxing's decision. "As far as we are concerned, all athletes are welcome in Eindhoven. Excluding athletes based on controversial 'gender tests' certainly does not fit in with that," Dijsselbloem wrote in a letter addressed to the Dutch Boxing Federation and International Boxing Federation. "We are expressing our disapproval of this decision today and are calling on the organization to admit Imane Khelif after all." 3 Wire Sports, citing medical documents from chromosome tests given by the International Boxing Association (IBA) before the 2022 and 2023 world championships, reported that Khelif's DNA showed "markers with male karyotypes." The International Olympic Committee (IOC) derecognized the IBA amid concerns about the organization's governance, financial reliance on Russian state energy firm Gazprom and integrity of the bouts. "Chromosome analysis reveals Male karyotype. No numerical or chromosomal anomalies detected at 450-550 banding resolution," a screenshot of the document on 3 Wire Sports read. The test was at an accredited lab in New Delhi, called Dr. Lal PathLabs, before the boxing championships, according to 3 Wire Sports. Fox News Digital reached out to World Boxing, the Algerian Olympic Committee and reps for Khelif for comment. The IOC issued a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday morning. "The IOC has always made it clear that eligibility criteria are the responsibility of the respective International Federation," the IOC said. "The factors that matter to sports performance are unique to each sport, discipline, and/or event. We await the full details how sex testing will be implemented in a safe, fair and legally enforceable way." Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 championships before a gold medal bout over gender eligibility issues. The boxer was thrust into the global spotlight after qualifying for the Olympics, with the gender controversy coming to light. Khelif defeated Angela Carini in the initial fight during the Paris Olympics, and the IOC defended Khelif. As the controversy grew, Khelif kept on winning and eventually was awarded a gold medal. But the IBA doubled down, saying Khelif – along with Taiwan's Lin Yu-thing – were disqualified from the world championships due to "a result of their failure to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women's competition, as set and laid out in the IBA Regulations. This decision, made after a meticulous review, was extremely important and necessary to uphold the level of fairness and utmost integrity of the competition." The IBA added that Khelif underwent two tests: one in 2022 and the other in 2023. The IBA said Khelif appealed the decision to the Court for Arbitration of Sport but withdrew during the process, making the "IBA decision legally binding." Throughout the controversy, Khelif has maintained that their gender is female. Khelif even filed a lawsuit against detractors and critics on social media. Before World Boxing made its decision, Khelif was planning on participating in the 2028 Olympics despite President Donald Trump's "No Men in Women's Sports" executive order – the 2028 games take place in Los Angeles. Khelif told ITV that the policies do not apply to the boxer. "I will give you a straightforward answer: the U.S. president issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response," Khelif told the outlet. "For me, I see myself as a girl, just like any other girl. I was born a girl, raised as a girl, and have lived my entire life as one." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Riley Gaines demands apology from Jemele Hill after leaked Imane Khelif report 'proves boxer is biological male'
Riley Gaines has called on ex-ESPN host Jemele Hill to apologize to a female boxer she said quit against Imane Khelif because she was 'gonna get her a** whooped' after a bombshell medical report claimed her opponent was a biological male. Khelif, who captured women's welterweight gold for Algeria at last year's Olympic Games, was embroiled in controversy once again last week when a 2023 medical test which allegedly indicates the fighter carries male chromosomes was leaked. The document, seen by 3 Wire Sports via Telegraph Sport, states: 'Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype.' Last summer, a year after being thrown out of the World Championships for allegedly failing gender eligibility tests, Khelif stormed to gold in the French capital in highly contentious fashion. One of their opponents along the way, Italy's Angela Carini, infamously quit after just 46 seconds of their contest before refusing to shake Khelif's hand and breaking down in tears amid the question marks over their gender. Carini later admitted she wanted to apologize to Khelif after the International Olympic Committee defended their right to compete, saying a few weeks later: 'I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.' After a new report claiming Khelif is a biological male leaked last week, Gaines has told Hill to apologize for her post on X in 2024 At the time, Hill - who departed ESPN in 2018 after being suspended by the network for calling Donald Trump racist a year earlier - claimed on X that 'a lot of people need to apologize' to Khelif for questioning their gender. 'I hope Khelif sues some people over their reckless remarks,' she wrote alongside a screenshot of Carini's comments. 'All this story did was expose ugliness, hatred, and transphobia. As Carini admitted here, she quit because she was upset she was gonna get her a** whooped and other folks turned it into something else.' However, in light of the leaked medical report which alleges that Khelif did carry male chromosomes in 2023, Gaines has told Hill to issue her own apology to Carini. 'Hey @jemelehill,' the conservative political activist and former college swimmer posted. 'We'll be waiting for your apology to Angel Carini — a woman who was punched in the face by a male who intended to knock her unconscious while the world watched, then labeled a coward by people like you for standing up against it.' Amid the reignited gender dispute, Khelif broke cover in an Instagram post shared on Monday. Yet the sporting star refused to acknowledge the furor surrounding the alleged chromosome analysis and instead focused on their role as a Unicef ambassador. The post, celebrating Unicef's 'Global Day of Parents,' featured a photo of Khelif in a blue polo bearing the organization's logo as the boxer formed a heart with their hands. In the lengthy caption, Khelif paid tribute to her own parents for supporting and standing by her. 'Today, I became a champion, but it all started long ago,' she began. 'When my parents believed in me, even when the dream felt too big. When they supported me, listened to me, and stood by me. 'Being a parent isn't easy. There's no manual. But the love, patience, and trust you give your child can change everything. 'On this #GlobalDayOfParents, I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every parent who chooses, every single day, to be there for their children.
