The Trans Athletes Who Changed the Olympics—in 1936
1Digest
This episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour delves into the history of sex testing in sports, focusing on the story of Zdenia Covec, a track star from Czechoslovakia who transitioned in the 1930s. Covec's transition, which made him an international celebrity, sparked anxieties about trans athletes and led to the development of sex testing policies that continue to shape sports today. The episode features an interview with Michael Waters, author of "The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports," who discusses the historical context of Covec's story and the rise of fascism in Europe. Waters explains how Covec's transition was initially met with curiosity but ultimately led to a backlash from sporting officials who saw it as a threat to the integrity of women's sports. This backlash resulted in the implementation of sex testing policies, initially vague and based on physical inspections, which later evolved to include chromosome and hormone testing. The episode highlights the evolution of sex testing policies, the fear mongering surrounding trans and intersex athletes, and the ongoing debate about the role of sex and gender in sports. It also raises questions about the fairness and inclusivity of current sex testing policies and the need for a more nuanced understanding of sex and gender in the context of athletic competition.
Outlines
Introduction
This Chapter introduces the episode and its focus on the history of sex testing in sports, highlighting the story of Zdenia Covec, a track star who transitioned in the 1930s.
Zdenia Covec's Story
This Chapter delves into the life of Zdenia Covec, a track star who transitioned in the 1930s. It discusses his athletic achievements, his transition, and the media coverage surrounding it.
The Rise of Fascism and Sex Testing
This Chapter explores the historical context of Covec's story, highlighting the rise of fascism in Europe and its impact on sports. It discusses the Berlin Olympics of 1936 and the development of early sex testing policies in response to Covec's transition.
Covec's Legacy and the Evolution of Sex Testing
This Chapter examines the aftermath of Covec's transition and the evolution of sex testing policies over time. It discusses the shift from physical inspections to chromosome and hormone testing, the ongoing debate about the fairness and inclusivity of these policies, and the need for a more nuanced understanding of sex and gender in sports.
Keywords
Zdenia Covec
Zdenia Covec was a track star from Czechoslovakia who transitioned in the 1930s. He set the women's world record for the 800-meter dash in 1934 and became an international celebrity after announcing his transition a year later. Covec's story is significant because it sparked anxieties about trans athletes and led to the development of sex testing policies in sports.
Sex Testing
Sex testing in sports refers to the practice of verifying the sex of athletes, typically female athletes, to ensure fairness and prevent men from competing in women's events. The practice has a long and controversial history, dating back to the 1930s, and has evolved over time from physical inspections to chromosome and hormone testing. Sex testing policies have been criticized for being discriminatory, invasive, and based on outdated and inaccurate understandings of sex and gender.
Berlin Olympics 1936
The 1936 Summer Olympics, held in Berlin, Germany, were hosted by the Nazi regime. The Games were controversial due to the Nazi ideology and the boycott movement by some athletes and officials who opposed the regime. The Berlin Olympics are also significant for the development of early sex testing policies in sports, which were implemented in response to the story of Zdenia Covec, a track star who transitioned.
Fascism
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian ideology that emphasizes nationalism, militarism, and the suppression of opposition. It gained prominence in Europe in the 1930s, with Nazi Germany being a prominent example. Fascism had a significant impact on sports, influencing the development of sex testing policies and the exclusion of LGBTQ+ athletes.
Trans Athletes
Trans athletes are athletes who identify as a gender different from the sex they were assigned at birth. The inclusion of trans athletes in sports has been a subject of debate and controversy, with some arguing that trans women have an unfair advantage in women's sports due to their biological differences. However, many advocates argue that trans athletes should be allowed to compete in the category that aligns with their gender identity and that current sex testing policies are discriminatory and harmful.
Intersex Athletes
Intersex athletes are athletes who have sex characteristics that do not fit typical male or female definitions. The inclusion of intersex athletes in sports has also been a subject of debate and controversy, with some arguing that they should be subject to sex testing to ensure fairness. However, many advocates argue that intersex athletes should be allowed to compete in the category that aligns with their gender identity and that current sex testing policies are discriminatory and harmful.
Hormone Testing
Hormone testing is a method of sex testing in sports that involves measuring the levels of certain hormones in an athlete's body. It is often used to verify the sex of female athletes, particularly in endurance sports, to ensure that they do not have abnormally high levels of testosterone. Hormone testing has been criticized for being invasive, inaccurate, and for perpetuating harmful stereotypes about sex and gender.
The Other Olympians
The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports" is a book by Michael Waters that explores the history of sex testing in sports, focusing on the story of Zdenia Covec and the impact of fascism on the development of these policies.
Katie Barnes
Katie Barnes is the author of "Fair Play: A New Approach to Transgender Athletes in Sport." The book examines the evolution of understanding surrounding trans people and sports, arguing for a more nuanced approach to sex and gender in athletic competition.
Fair Play
"Fair Play: A New Approach to Transgender Athletes in Sport" is a book by Katie Barnes that examines the evolution of understanding surrounding trans people and sports, arguing for a more nuanced approach to sex and gender in athletic competition.
Q&A
Who was Zdenia Covec and why is his story significant in the history of sex testing in sports?
Zdenia Covec was a track star from Czechoslovakia who transitioned in the 1930s. His transition, which made him an international celebrity, sparked anxieties about trans athletes and led to the development of sex testing policies that continue to shape sports today.
How did the rise of fascism in Europe influence the development of sex testing policies?
The rise of fascism in Europe, particularly in Germany, created a climate of fear and suspicion surrounding trans athletes. The Berlin Olympics of 1936, hosted by the Nazi regime, saw the implementation of early sex testing policies, which were initially vague and based on physical inspections.
What are the different methods of sex testing that have been used in sports over time?
Sex testing in sports has evolved over time, from physical inspections to chromosome testing and hormone testing. These methods have been criticized for being discriminatory, invasive, and based on outdated and inaccurate understandings of sex and gender.
What are the arguments for and against the inclusion of trans athletes in sports?
The inclusion of trans athletes in sports is a complex and controversial issue. Some argue that trans women have an unfair advantage in women's sports due to their biological differences, while others argue that trans athletes should be allowed to compete in the category that aligns with their gender identity. The debate raises questions about the definition of fairness, the role of sex and gender in sports, and the need for inclusivity.
What are the implications of the history of sex testing for current policies and debates about trans and intersex athletes in sports?
The history of sex testing highlights the dangers of fear mongering, discrimination, and the use of outdated and inaccurate understandings of sex and gender in sports. It underscores the need for a more nuanced and inclusive approach to the inclusion of trans and intersex athletes, recognizing the complexity of sex and gender and the importance of respecting the human rights of all athletes.
Show Notes
In “The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports,” the journalist Michael Waters tells the story of Zdeněk Koubek, one of the most famous sprinters in European women’s sports. Koubek shocked the sporting world in 1935 by announcing that he was transitioning, and now living as a man. The initial press coverage of Koubek and another prominent track star who transitioned, Mark Weston, was largely positive, but Waters tells the New Yorker sports columnist Louisa Thomas that eventually a backlash led to the 1936 Berlin Olympics instituting a sex-testing policy for women athletes. Any female athlete’s sex could be challenged, and cisgender women who didn’t conform to historical gender standards were targeted as a result. These policies slowly evolved to include chromosome testing and, later, the hormone testing that we see today. “And so as we talk about sex testing today,” Waters says, “we often are forgetting where these policies come from in the first place.”
Table of contents
United States
