It seem that there are a lot of people out there who remain unconvinced that Algerian boxer and Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif is a biological woman, even after the Olympic Committee put out a statement confirming that she was completely eligible to compete in the women’s division.
You know what may finally convince all the haters and critics and naysayers, though? This viral clip of Khelif wearing makeup and lipstick and earrings in a campaign for Beauty Code:
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif shows off dramatic new feminine makeover, days after winning gold at the Paris Olympics. pic.twitter.com/6nlFR9HSJr
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) August 15, 2024
Unfortunately, judging by the comments underneath that clip, there are some people who absolutely refuse to believe that Imane Khelif is a woman, no matter what you tell them or show them. Even this old photo of Khelif as a child wearing pink isn’t enough to sway their opinion…
Of course, there’s the whole issue of the International Boxing Association (IBA) banning Imane Khelif from participating in the World Boxing Championship last year due to the presence of XY chromosomes in her tests. Supporters of Khelif argue that Khelif was absolutely born a biological woman, but somehow happens to have ridiculous testosterone levels and/or male chromosome composition, which is rare, but can happen.
It’s also worth noting that the International Olympic Committee has disputed the validity of the IBA’s tests, and that the IBA has since been stripped of its rights to govern global boxing.
This saga is far from over, though, with Imane Khelif revealing earlier this week that she’s filed a cyberbullying lawsuit against JK Rowling, Elon Musk and others, after they Tweeted that she was a man.
With the lawsuit going ahead, I’m pretty sure the opposition can demand to see files on Khelif’s medical history and even request new tests to be done to determine once and for all whether Imane Khelif is a man or a woman.
It’s going to be an interesting one to follow, one way or another.
For more on the lawsuit, click HERE.
