By Tamlyn Canham
Unathi, Somizi, and Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi are just some of the South African stars standing up for Caster Semenya.
The 800m Olympic champion is unable to participate in track events between 400m and 1,500m.
She will only be allowed to do so if she takes medication to decrease her testosterone levels.
In March, LUX started the ‘I Stand With Caster’ petition to overturn the controversial ruling.
“Let’s overturn the world Athletics’ ruling that bans South African Olympic athlete and multiple gold medalist, Caster Semenya from competing in any track event between 400m and a mile unless she takes hormone-suppressing drugs.
“She has now taken her case to the European Court of Human Rights to challenge this decision,” the petition reads.
So far, more than 10,000 people have added their signatures. The goal is 20,000.
Celebrities unite
Midday Joy’s Unathi is doing her part to help create awareness around the petition.
She took to Instagram on Monday to ask her nearly one-million followers to support Caster.
“Please join us on this GLOBAL CAMPAIGN against DISCRIMINATION. Please sign the petition to get Caster @castersemenya800m competing again on an OLYMPIC level as she has been banned,” she captioned a video with an impassioned plea.
Zozibini Tunzi says the policing over women’s bodies needs to end.
“The boxing us and stripping away of our autonomy has become a norm. It seems like everyone wants to tell us who we are or who we should be… It breaks my heart that Caster Semenya has been banned from competing in the 800m race at the 2021 Olympics.”
Somizi Mhlongo asked his followers to imagine waking up one day and being told there’s something wrong with who you are.
Main image credit: Instagram/@zozibini



