synopsis In 2014, Olympic hopeful Indian sprinter Dutee Chand was banned from competing in sports due to naturally occurring levels of testosterone in her body. Her medical test results were released to the press, and her gender identity was questioned publicly throughout the media.
Gender testing policies in women have been a staple of international sports, however the actual tests have changed throughout the decades. Dutee is not the first and only woman to loose her status as a competitive athlete due to questions surrounding her gender. In 2006, silver medal Asian Games winner, Santhi Soundarajan was banned from competing, indefinitely, for 'failing' a gender test. Through this film we question, what makes a woman, a woman?
In this historical event, Dutee received support from key advocates from around the world to bring her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Dutee and her supporters challenged international gender testing policies for female athletes, opening doors for not only herself, but for the future of all women in sport. director Vanessa Hudson lives in Brooklyn, New York.
vice.com