J.K. Rowling. Elon Musk. Jake Paul. All are prominent public figures, with one thing in common: spreading misinformation.

An Olympic women’s boxing match sparked an online outcry last week when Algerian boxer Imane Khelif defeated her opponent 46 seconds into the match. Anti-LGBTQ figures accused her of being transgender, calling the match “dangerous” and “unfair.”

But Khelif isn’t transgender –– she has differences of sex development (DSD). DSD is a group of rare conditions that causes an individual’s sex development to be different from most others.

Women with DSD can have both an X and Y chromosome, which is typically only present in males. Although the condition may alter physical appearance or reproductive functions, having DSD doesn’t make one transgender or intersex.

Social advocates, like the civil rights organization the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC), have condemned the accusations and called for change.

“Black and other non-white women are often the prime targets of transphobic and racist individuals and actions designed to diminish their achievements and wipe white tears,”  NBJC CEO David Johns said. 

Despite this public information, figures like Rowling and former President Donald Trump continue to spread false accusations and harmful rhetoric.

Trump misgendered Khelif, stating, “he was a good male boxer.”

Rowling tweeted on Aug. 1, “...explain why you’re OK with a man beating a woman in public for your entertainment.”

Although Khelif isn’t transgender, Olympic rules state her gender identity wouldn’t prevent her from competing anyway.

A 2021 framework was implemented to protect Olympic athletes from discrimination based on their gender identity and/or sex variation.

Clause 5.2 of the framework states that “until evidence determines otherwise, athletes should not be deemed to have an unfair or disproportionate competitive advantage due to their sex variations, physical appearance and/or transgender status.”

Even with the notion that Khelif’s identity wouldn’t affect her ability to compete, Johns said the accusations fuel social stigmas instead of expanding public perception and understanding.

“Instead of educating themselves on the diverse expressions of sex characteristics that encompass womanhood and femaleness, they perpetuate harmful stereotypes and discriminatory practices designed to exclude, divide and conquer,” he said.

The misinformation isn’t limited to celebrities and commentators. The Boston Globe printed a headline incorrectly labeling Khelif as transgender.

The author of the article, sports journalist Greg Beachem, said he didn’t write the headline, citing that the word “transgender” doesn’t appear once in his story.

Amid the public outcry, Khelif’s competitive status wasn’t altered, and she clinched a medal.

“I want to tell the entire world that I am a female, and I will remain a female,” Khelif said after her win.