ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the International Swimming Federation’s attempt to define gender for competition categories. The Federation will offer an open category for transgender and intersex athletes that do not meet their new, strict policy to compete in the men’s and women’s categories, as defined by the athlete’s gender during puberty. The chapter examines the International Swimming Federation’s policy within the context of the International Olympic Committee’s framework and the policy decisions of other international federations. It argues that federations, through the guise of athlete health, safety, and opportunity, are choosing to double down on certain categories of segregation, inherently protecting their preferred class of athlete.
