The Pedagogical Possibilities of Critically Examining Gender and Sexuality in Initial Teacher Education Through the Lens of Intersex

Abstract

Although pre-service Health and Physical Education (HPE) teachers may be acquainted with media headlines categorizing intersex bodies as “deviant,” “non-biological,” “different,” and/or “non-natural” in their reporting on eligibility testing in women's elite sports, few appear to be familiar with what intersex includes and what these tests were designed to reveal. Drawing on Evan and Rich's advocacy to critically analyse body-policies with strong normative body-pedagogies, this chapter unpacks how athletes marked by this category cannot be understood as separate from the corporeal instructions and ‘authorities' that mark and regulate their bodily representation. The chapter inspires and encourages HPE teachers to take the ‘risk' of engaging students in disruptive practices which explore the inscription of power onto particular bodies and abilities in sports and how they as both pedagogues and members of society are all ethically implicated in these relations of power.

Intersex awareness and education: what part can health and physical education bodies of learning and teaching play?

“…Reportedly, in-service and PSTs have little or no idea about intersex variations (lisahunter et al, 2020), and how to achieve meaningful inclusion of people with intersex variations. In light of this, Brömdal and Davis (2020) encourage HPE teacher educators and PST's to engage their students in critically examining intersex and normative body conversations through the lens of eligibility regulations/tests and policy in women's elite sport. While some HPE PSTs are familiar with the notion of 'sex test' or 'gender verification' and headlines surrounding athletes, few are familiar with: what intersex, hyperandrogenism, or differences of sex development entail (Brömdal & Davis, 2020).…”

“…In light of this, Brömdal and Davis (2020) encourage HPE teacher educators and PST's to engage their students in critically examining intersex and normative body conversations through the lens of eligibility regulations/tests and policy in women's elite sport. While some HPE PSTs are familiar with the notion of 'sex test' or 'gender verification' and headlines surrounding athletes, few are familiar with: what intersex, hyperandrogenism, or differences of sex development entail (Brömdal & Davis, 2020). Similarly, few are aware of the validity of 'advantage' arguments; what these diverse eligibility regulations/tests involve; when, how and why these tests and policies around the body came about; or, who the authorities and authors of these corporeal tests have been, identifying women athletes with specific intersex variations as a cohort that needs to be policed in elite sports (see Brömdal.…”

“…Olive & Walker, 2020;Brömdal & Rasmussen, 2022). Brömdal & Davis (2020) also note that fewer PSTs seemed comfortable to incorporate these conversations into their classroom through interactive activities inspired by an inclusive framework including intersex visibility; instead overlooking, or even avoiding such topics altogether (Intersex Society of North America et al, 2001, pp. 6-7).…”

Questioning representations of athletes with elevated testosterone levels in elite women’s sports: a critical policy analysis

“…Indeed, men who have been diagnosed with low testosterone (such as being diagnosed with the intersex variation Klinefelter's syndrome) are allowed to take synthetic testosterone for health reasons in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) Guidelines (WADA, 2018) which raise noteworthy contradictions. More specifically this waiver seems to suggests that it is every man's right to compete in elite sports with healthy and high levels of testosterone while athletes in the female classification with an intersex variation generating too high levels of functional testosterone, are subjected to penalties and exclusion (Brömdal 2013, Brömdal andDavis 2020) if not conforming to these hierarchy implied and constructed binary norms.…”