How Fascism Shaped Modern Sex Testing Policies
In this episode, Johanna and Anna chat with Michael Waters about the complex history of gender, sexuality, and politics in sports, focusing on the 1936 Berlin Olympics, sex testing policies, and the broader implications for contemporary debates on trans inclusion.
Michael Waters is an esteemed author and historian whose work has been featured in The Atlantic, the New York Times, and Slate, among numerous other outlets. He recently published the essential trade history, The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports. For those engaged in a critical analysis of athletics and the gendered systems utilized by authoritarian regimes to regulate bodies, this book is a mandatory read.
Chapters
02:04 The story of Zdenek Kovac and its significance
04:07 The origins of the book and its research process
06:48 Kovac's memoir and its historical importance
10:05 The medical and social context of Kovac's transition
13:00 Perceptions of gender and sexuality in the 1930s
15:58 Nuances in medical and societal responses to gender transition
19:54 The role of Alice Milliat and women's sports activism
22:57 The politics of the Women's World Games
28:10 The co-optation and suppression of women's sports movements
32:57 The controversy around Kubek and gender rumors
37:51 The influence of fascism and Nazi ideology on sports policies
44:09 The rise of sex testing policies and their political motivations
51:53 The international context and resistance to gender policing
01:00:01 The impact of the 1936 Berlin Olympics and its legacy
01:05:48 Contemporary parallels and the ongoing backlash against trans athletes
01:13:54 The future of gender and sports policies
01:16:51 Michael Waters' current project on credit systems
Keywords: sports history, gender politics, 1936 Berlin Olympics, sex testing, trans rights, fascism, queer history, international sports, Alice Milliat, Michael Waters
Hosts in this episode: Anna & Johanna
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