Monday, November 11, 2013

South Korean female footballer asked to take gender test to prove she is a woman

South Korean football player Park Eun-Seon has been asked to take a gender test to prove she is a woman, after scoring 19 goals in 22 games in the country's women's soccer league. The entire league is threatening to boycott all games unless Park, who is the competition's best striker, takes a sex test. Some of them think that Park is actually a man. 

Her supporters have called for an investigation into whether her human rights is being violated. Meanwhile Park took to her Facebook page a few days ago to express how she felt about the situation
"I have gone through the gender examination thing several times. I did it in a World Cup, in an Olympics and in several others and there were no problems. I've worked so hard to get to this point, and I will not give up easily. I know what these people are trying to do, and I won't fall down." She wrote
Secretary General of Seoul Sports Council Kim Joon-soo supported Park in a statement “This is a serious violation of human rights that she’s suffering for a second time. The question regarding (Park’s) gender identity shall never be raised again. The city of Seoul will take all necessary measures to protect our player’s human rights,” he said.

Local media reported that six of the WK-League’s seven coaches held an informal meeting on October 19 and subsequently filed a complaint with the Korea Football Association that if Park did not take a gender test they would boycott next year’s competition. Park has agreed to go through another test. 

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