Lost in Transition: An outstanding Canadian athlete, Kristen Worley, and Mianne Bagger defend intersex athlete in India, Santhi Soundararajan
Kristen Worley, Olympian athlete and OII's Spokeswoman against sexism and discrimination, featured in Chatelaine Magazine and the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical activity
Canadian mounts fight to have medal returned to runner who failed sex test
Published: Friday, January 5, 2007 | 5:14 PM ET
Canadian Press: JIM MORRIS
‘I'm a woman on the move' - ANNE MCILROY
Saturday's Globe and Mail – FOCUS section/Sept, 9th, 2007
Athlete Fights For More Than a Spot at 2008 Olympics - Jacob Anderson-Minshall
San Francisco Bay Times – October 11th, 2007
Canadian cyclist 'paddles' for Santhi - Ajai Masand
Hindustan Times – October 24th, 2007
“IOC biggest threat to future of global sport” - Ajai Masand
Hindustan Times – October 30th, 2007
“Who decides what is the definition of a woman” - Ajai Masand
Hindustan Times – October 30th, 2007
“Lost in Transition” - Ajai Masand
Hindustan Times – October 31st, 2007
AthletesCAN heads Sport Canada-funded transitioning/transitioned athletes project
Press Release - November12th, 2007
Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS)
Most Influential Women in Canadian Sport for 2007 - Published January 2008
Chatelaine Magazine 80th Anniversary Edition– Canada’s Top 80 Women in Sport,
Conferences Attended 2007 as Guest Speaker
Conferences 2007
Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine (CASM) – Quebec City
Guest Speaker – March 30th, 2007
Understanding physical transition and the truth behind policy development, politics and their impact in elite sport.
World Professional Association of Transgendered Health (WPATH) – Chicago, IL
Guest Speaker/Jamison Green presented – September 9th, 2007
Understanding physical transition and the truth behind policy development, politics and their impact in elite sport.
Play the Game 2007 Conference - Iceland
Guest Speaker – October 28th, 2007
Understanding physical transition and the truth behind policy development, politics and their impact in elite sport.
Laval University, Department of Physical Education – Quebec City
Guest Speaker – November 26th, 2007
Understanding physical transition and the truth behind policy development, politics and their impact in elite sport.
Open letter from the Organisation Intersex International to Lidsey Craig, CBC
Dear Lindsey Craig,
My name is Curtis E. Hinkle and I am writing on behalf of the Organisation Intersex International, an intersex organisation incorporated in the Province of Quebec with worldwide membership.
Yesterday I read the following article that you wrote about Kristen Worley, an outstanding athlete and inspiration to many people around the world, and I felt ashamed of you and the CBC for publishing such an insensitive and misleading article.
The beginning of this article is deceptive and insensitive at many levels. You described Kristen Worley as "a woman who used to be a man" and then you focused almost exclusively on the negative aspects of her brilliant success as an athlete and never once did you mention that Kristen was in mourning over losing her father to a debilitating form of bone cancer at the very time this article was published.
It is insensitive to refer to Kristen as a "man". It is not only insensitive; it is inaccurate. Kristen Worley is a woman, period, and Canadian sports associations have been among the leaders worldwide in educating the public about the rights of both intersexed and transitioned athletes to participate with equal dignity and the same rights as any other athletes in national and international events. How could you show such disrespect for this woman who has sacrificed so much of her time to take care of her father and other people such as the members of the Organisation Intersex International? I know Kristen Worley very well and was so grateful for all she did to help an intersexed athlete in India, Santhi Soundararajan.
You intentionally framed this story so as to hook the reader with a sensational and very inaccurate description of Kristen and in so doing you hurt not only Kristen but many others whom she has spent so much of her time helping. This hook that you used to frame Kristen as a "woman who used to be a man" misleads the readers into thinking that what has been the problem preventing her from qualifying for the Olympics is that Kristen is demanding some kind of special treatment that other athletes would not have because of her status. You know that is not true.
You knew that the reason that Kristen has missed some qualification events was because her father was near death and you refused to inform the readers of that fact. Also, any athlete would have been given the same consideration that Kristen Worley is being given by those in authority in Canadian sport. The authorities have understood that the compassionate response is to work with the athlete and make sure she has time to qualify in time and you never mention that this is what is going on. Kristen still has time to qualify. There has been no
special treatment. As a matter of fact, I am convinced that you would have written this story very differently if Kristen had been a man who had lost his father and still had time to qualify. I am convinced you would have mentioned all of his successes and the hardships he had faced with this father's death and would have gone on to explain why he still had time to qualify. However, with Kristen, you published this insensitive article on the very day she was dealing with a funeral and did not even mention her father had been ill and just died. Then you mislead people to think that if she does qualify after you have written this article that it would be because she is someone
wanting special rights.
I know Kristen. She has sacrificed so much of her time for others. She has never felt that what she is doing is about her. She is doing this for all of us and I can never express how much I admire her courage and willingness to continue despite the adversity she has faced. She is truly an exceptional woman, one that Canada should be
proud of.
I feel that the least you can do is apologize to Kristen Worley for how insensitive and misleading you have been. The Canadian sports officials who know her are working to end the bigotry and insensitivity that you have openly expressed for everyone to see. It is ugly and unbecoming of a professional. I hope you will think seriously about what you have done and act ethically and compassionately.
Kind regards,
Curtis E. Hinkle
Fondateur, Organisation Internationale des Intersexes
Founder, Organisation Intersex International
Kristen Worley: OII-Canada
Spokeswoman for the Organisation Intersex International against sexism and discrimination
