Entertainment
For women athletes of color, scrutiny of gender and identity rules is part of a long-standing trend
PARIS (AP) — An emotional Algerian boxer, Imane Khelif, left the ring in tears after a resounding victory this weekend. Khelif faced days of hateful comments and false accusations about her gender after her first fight with an Italian opponent who surrendered after a few seconds of the fight.
“It’s because she’s African, because she’s Algerian,” Algerian fan Adel Mohammed, 38, said Saturday after Khelif won her Olympic medal. “These comments come from white people… it’s a kind of racism.”
Women of color athletes have historically faced disproportionate scrutiny and discrimination in terms of gender testing and false accusations that they’re male or transgender, historians and anthropologists say. Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting, who won her fight Sunday after similar abuse and questions on her gender, are the newest examples of women of color finding themselves in contentious debates concerning the regulation and perception of gender in sports.
More women from the Global South or developing countries are affected by gender testing in sports, said Payoshni Mitra, director of the Center for Sport and Human Rights, a Switzerland-based human rights organization that has worked with dozens of female athletes in Asia and Africa to combat gender testing practices.
“Sports is very Eurocentric — it’s not necessarily a global approach,” Mitra said. “We need to accept women in all their diversity. And right now we’re not seeing that.”
Mitra and other proponents of the speculation and anthropologists note that international sports federations haven’t tended to advertise an understanding of diversity in terms of sex and gender identity, and that gender testing has often been conducted on athletes of color who don’t conform to typical Western, white ideals of femininity.
In 2009, after winning the 800 meters on the world championships, South African runner Caster Semanya was sidelined for 11 months because of track and field rules regarding hormone levels. She spent years in a legal battle against the requirement that she suppress her natural testosterone with the intention to compete.
Semenya was identified as female at birth, raised as a girl and has been legally identified as a woman her entire life. She has one of several conditions often called differences in sexual development, or DSD, that cause naturally high levels of testosterone.
World Athletics, track and field’s governing body, said Semenya’s testosterone levels gave her an athletic advantage comparable to a man competing in women’s events and that rules were needed to account for that. Critics of the rules — which were introduced in 2011 and tightened through the years — see naturally high testosterone levels as a genetic gift, likening them to a basketball player’s height or a swimmer’s long arms.
“Nobody was disqualifying Michael Phelps because of the specific biological characteristics that allowed him to be successful swimmers,” said medical anthropologist Danyal Kade Doyle Griffiths, an associate professor on the City University of New York.
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Indian sprinter Dutee Chand also faced a ton of scrutiny and was thrown out of the 2014 Commonwealth Games after reports of elevated testosterone levels. She underwent rounds of testing and eventually took the international track and field federation to court, difficult regulations that placed a limit on naturally occurring testosterone levels in female athletes.
Regardless of differences in gender or hormones, women of color—and Black women specifically—have often been subjected to stereotypes that portray them as more masculine. This dehumanization and objectification dates back to slavery, when enslaved Black women were auctioned off based on their physical appearance and skills, which were perceived as more masculine or more feminine.
Conspiracy theories and misinformation have circulated online around tennis superstar Serena Williams, falsely claiming she was born a man. In 2017, she wrote an open letter to her mother, thanking her for being a role model in standing as much as individuals who were “too ignorant to understand the power of a black woman.”
Basketball star Brittney Griner has also faced similar false accusations amid criticism of black women and their bodies that is rooted in historical racism: they are sometimes seen as not feminine enough, too muscular, intimidating or masculine.
“These examples strike me as particular cases where racism, transphobia and intersexphobia are inseparable,” Griffiths said. “This speaks to a much longer history of the way race is gendered, where black women are seen as more masculine compared to white women.”
The definition of femininity “is often based on Western notions of white femininity or standards of white beauty,” said Cheryl Cooky, a professor of American studies and women’s, gender and sexuality studies at Purdue University. If a female athlete doesn’t fit those white, Western standards, “she’s subject to those questions and those accusations.”
In Khelif’s case, the banned International Boxing Federation disqualified her from the 2023 world championships after it said she failed unspecified qualifying tests for women’s boxing events, citing elevated testosterone levels. The Russian-dominated organization — which has been at odds with the International Olympic Committee for years — has refused to offer any information concerning the tests.
“The entire process is flawed,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Sunday. “From the conception of the test, to the way the test was made available to us, to the way the tests became public, it is so flawed that it is impossible to engage with it.”
Adams has previously said Khelif “was born a female, was registered as a female, lived as a female, was treated as a female and has a female passport.”
The Olympic body published a 10-principle approach to gender and gender inclusion in 2021 that recognized the necessity for a “safe, harassment-free environment” that respects athletes’ identities while ensuring the integrity of competitions. Advocates like Mitra hope they will likely be taken seriously.
Meanwhile, Algerians have come out in support of Khelif, defending her from the hateful comments. Algerian hammer thrower Zahra Tatar called Khelif’s fight “beautiful” and said “we all hope she wins the gold medal.”
Entertainment
Melania slammed Donald Trump with third prenup change, fueling rumors of marital drama after she dodged his kiss and claim resurfaced
For years, there was speculation concerning the authenticity of the love between President-elect Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump. The theories intensified after Melania was caught repeatedly hiding from her husband’s public displays of affection for years.
Some imagine their relationship is solely business-related, a view that gained popularity when the New York Post reported in September 2023 that its alleged insider claimed that Melania had renegotiated her prenuptial agreement with the forty fifth president for the third time. The move followed Trump’s confirmation of his intention to hunt a second term as president after announcing his re-election campaign on November 15, 2022.
When the couple married in 2005, the initial prenuptial agreement reportedly significantly favored Donald Trump. However, since then the contract has been renegotiated not less than 3 times, with the primary renegotiation going down in 2017 and one other in 2020, when she served as apparently delayed moving to the White House – not less than that is what the New York Post claims in its unconfirmed reports. It is unclear why the thrice-married Trump would conform to loosen up his protections as part of such an arrangement.
In 2023, an alleged insider told the Post’s Page Six gossip column: “Over the past yr, Melania and her team have been quietly negotiating a brand new deal following the suspension of her contract with Donald Trump. This is not less than the third time Melania has renegotiated the terms of her marriage contract.
It continued to be claimed that Melania can be increasingly concerned about Trump’s mounting legal problems. Last yr, he was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with making secret payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. That same yr, Trump was also found liable in a civil suit for sexual abuse and defamation of author E. Jean Carroll. More than a yr ago, Trump was also charged in Atlanta with attempting to overturn the presidential vote within the 2020 elections in Georgia. Trump ultimately faced federal criminal charges related to his mishandling of classified documents after leaving office and the January 6 rebel.
With all this happening against Trump, Melania obviously desired to be certain she can be secure.
“This agreement was necessary due to ongoing legal disputes that (…) (Donald) has suffered,” the source said.
However, the insider also told Page Six that the postnuptial agreement doesn’t mean Melania plans to depart Trump.
They said the revised deal would also provide money for his or her 18-year-old son, Barron Trump.
“Melania is most concerned with maintaining and increasing the considerable trust she has in her son, Barron.”
Another source backed up this statement, saying, “I know she wanted this to provide her with more money, and also – from what I understand – there is at least a set amount that Barron is expected to get.”
Fans shared their thoughts on Melania renegotiating her prenup with The Daily Beast’s. side.
One person said: “Thanks to her we managed to save him. After filing for bankruptcy five times, he will be living on Melany’s benefits.”
The second wrote: “He must secure Barron’s future before the non-existent money disappears.”
A third commenter advised: “Honey, take the money and run.”
CNN is preparing for Trump’s second visit to the White House reported that his wife doesn’t plan to live in Washington full time. Sources told the news outlet that while Melania plans to attend essential events, she will spend loads of time living between New York City – as her son Barron attends NYU there – and Palm Beach, Florida, where many of her friends live.
Her reported impending absence from the White House has sparked whispers about whether Melania is serious about her responsibilities and priorities as first lady, but that is not all. It also sparked more speculation about whether she and Trump have a blissful marriage.
Even during Trump’s victory speech, a smiling Melania avoided being kissed by her husband as he sang her praises on stage. After thanking her and expressing his appreciation for her “best-selling book in the country,” Trump moves to hug and kiss his wife, then places her hand on her cheek as she turns her head barely.
Still, Melania assures doubters that every little thing is effective in her marriage to Trump. In September, she even tried to disclaim the rumors during an interview on “Fox & Friends.”
When asked what she liked about her husband, she replied: “His essence. His humor. His personality. His kindness,” he added later. “It’s very special. His positivity. His energy. It’s unbelievable. Yes, so we’ve got a fantastic relationship.
Entertainment
Jussie Smollett’s 2019 Self-Attack Conviction Overturned – Andscape
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the choice to fireside an actor Jussie Smollett conviction on charges of organizing a racist and anti-gay attack on himself in downtown Chicago in 2019 and lying to police.
The the state’s highest court ruled that the special prosecutor shouldn’t have been allowed to intervene after the Cook County state’s attorney initially dropped charges against Smollett in exchange for waiving $10,000 bail and performing community service. The ruling and appeal didn’t address Smollett’s continued claim of innocence.
Smollett, who’s black and gay, claims two men attacked him, hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and placed a noose around his neck, resulting in an enormous seek for suspects by Chicago police and sparking a world uproar. Smollett was starring in a television drama that was filmed in Chicago, and prosecutors alleged that he organized the attack because he was unhappy with the studio’s response to hate mail he received.
“We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and considered it unfair,” Justice Elizabeth Rochford wrote in a 5-0 decision. “Nevertheless, more unfair than the resolution of any single criminal case would be for this court to find that the state is not obliged to honor agreements on which people have relied to their detriment.”
Smollett’s attorneys argued that the case ended with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office dropped initially 16 counts of disorderly conduct. A grand jury reinstated the fees after a special prosecutor took over the case. The jury convicted Smollett of five counts of disorderly conduct in 2021
Emails searching for comment were sent Thursday to Foxx’s office and Smollett’s attorney, who argued that Smollett was the victim of a racist and politicized justice system.
Testimony at trial showed that Smollett paid $3,500 to 2 men he knew to perform the attack. Prosecutors said he told them what insults to shout and shout that Smollett was in “MAGA country,” an apparent reference to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign slogan.
Smollett testified that “there was no fraud” and that he was the victim of a hate crime in his downtown Chicago neighborhood.
He was sentenced to 150 days in prison, six of which he had already served released pending further notice — 30 months probation and ordered to pay roughly $130,000 in restitution.
The state appeals court’s ruling upheld Smollett’s conviction, declaring that nobody promised Smollett that he would not face a brand new charge after accepting the unique deal.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis and Justice Joy Cunningham didn’t take part in Thursday’s decision.
Entertainment
Lil Baby didn’t just rap about change – he went to Harvard to achieve it – Essence
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 27: Songwriter of the Year Award winner Lil Baby speaks on stage on the ASCAP R&S Music Celebration on the London Hotel on June 27, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for ASCAP)
Lil Baby will not be only considered one of the most important names in hip-hop – he can also be an aspiring entrepreneur who’s serious about taking his business knowledge to the subsequent level.
The GRAMMY Award-winning rapper recently participated in Harvard Business School’s “Launching New Ventures” program, a prestigious short course designed to help entrepreneurs grow their ventures through modern strategies. The program, which will not be a level-granting initiative, focuses on key entrepreneurial tools, including opportunity assessment, competitive evaluation and developing sustainable business models, – we read on this system’s website.
For Lil Baby, born Dominique Armani Jones, the move was greater than just earning bragging rights. Known for hits like and , the Atlanta native has all the time been open about his desire to construct a legacy beyond music. As head of his record label 4PF (Four Pockets Full), he is committed to creating opportunities for artists and running a business that will not be only profitable, but in addition influential. However, he realized that running a successful label required honing his skills, and Harvard was the right place for this.
Movie shared on X On Wednesday, we got to see Lil Baby participating within the show. The clip ended on a touching note as he was presented together with his certificate of completion, followed by a surprise ceremony organized by his family.
While critics were quick to indicate that he didn’t “graduate” from Harvard – despite misleading headlines – his decision to commit to this system is critical in itself. Shows like “Launching New Ventures” offer insights that may transform corporations and help entrepreneurs overcome challenges, and Lil Baby’s presence signals his commitment to constructing a legacy that goes far beyond music. For Lil Baby, the move is an element of a broader commitment to securing his position not only as a rapper, but in addition as a mogul. His commitment to self-improvement reflects the values he promotes through his music: perseverance, resilience and development.
It’s also value noting that Lil Baby’s decision to attend Harvard sends a powerful message to his community, especially Black entrepreneurs. In a world where barriers to business education still exist, his decision to pursue higher education shows that it’s never too late – or too unconventional – to take what you are promoting seriously.
As Lil Baby grows, one thing is obvious: his diligence knows no limits. Whether he’s behind the microphone or within the classroom, he proves that the important thing to success is to continually strive for more.
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