Dear Friends,
image from telegraph.co.uk
In posting Sexual Orientation and Kaleidoscope (Feb 29, 2008) I tried to look at Sexual Orientation from the perspective of 道 (“Dao”).
In the logics of Dao, Yin contains element of Yang, likewise Yang contains element of Yin.
This is best illustrated by the 太极阴阳 (“Taiji Yin-Yang”) diagram :
image from zh.wikipedia.
From the above diagram, we see that :
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in domain of Yang (big white fish), it also contains an element of Yin (small black dot).
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similarly, in the domain of Yin (large black fish), it contains an element of Yang (small white dot).
If we were to go into further detail, then this exercise can be repeated in the small black or white dot, i.e., they share the same characteristics as the large Taiji Yin-Yang diagram. This repeats indefinitely.
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Also note the white and black boundary is not a straight line, but rather a “S” curve boundary. It is very significant, for the balance of Yin and Yang is a dynamic process, not a static one.
This can be best understood from the principle of the top of the class jet fighter. It is highly unstable at low speed and can crash very easily. However, at high speed, it is stable and that’s the objective to achieve its intended function.
In Western thinking, it is all about White or Black, i.e. digital and two dimensional. Either it is complete white or complete black. This can be illustrated by the following diagram :
image from stillrivertaichi.com
This black and white division created a problem for Caster Semenya.
For the world of modern sports, practically all events are grouped into either Men or Women category. (except for mixed events such as mixed doubles).
As we have seen from the world of Dao, the amount of Yang in Yin can varies quite a fair bit, the following is an example of mathematical representations :
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YYYYYY
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YYYYYX
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YYYYXX
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YYYXXX
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YYXXXX
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YXXXXX
So if we were to pick a large group of women randomly, we are likely to see them expressing different degree of “Yang-ness”. It will be the same for a large group of randomly selected men, they will express different degree of “Yin-ness”.
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Hermaphrodite, or various degree of it, is just a matter of different degree of “Yang-ness” in Yin or “Yin-ness in Yang”. Where do we draw the line ? It is continous, in “S” shape curve, not a straight line dividing the 2 halves of a sphere. What makes a woman is a complicated set of dynamic elements, of which presence of ovaries and level of testoterone are just two out of countless elements.
Afterall, even for a woman, this set of elements are changing all the time, depending on her age. Or can we also say a woman who has undergone hysterectomy or oophorectomy is a hermaphrodite and no longer a woman by IAAF definition? (what rubbish of course this is!)
This is completely acceptable and logical from the perspective of Dao.
For Caster Semenya, all eyes are on her, she seems to have created the problem.
Or is it more appropriately the problem of our man-made system ? Or the rule of the game in big sports? Or our lack of understanding of Nature.
link to Caster Semenya:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/sep/13/caster-semenya-gender-test-results
If you ask me, a good number of the female athletes probably have higher than average testosterone, just that no one ever asked for them to be tested.
Like xy2 said, the yang-yin balance. We are not made equal.
As far as basic science is concerned, aint our gender determined by the xy or xx chromosome ? Whatever varies in other elements completes the whole person, be it more masculine or feminine.