California trans athlete podium controversy ignites outrage among politicians, activists
A girls' track and field meet in California became the subject of national controversy for the second week in a row when a trans athlete swept three jumping events. What happened on the medal podium afterward became a point of mockery.
Trans athlete AB Hernandez won first place in the high jump, long jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section finals on Saturday. So too did the girl who would have finished first, based on a rule enacted last year that awarded any female athlete that finished behind a trans athlete a higher placement.
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Photos and video of the three podium ceremonies — one of which showed Hernandez and the top female finisher sharing the podium's top spot — went viral on social media, prompting backlash against the CIF among politicians including Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-N.C.; and activists including Riley Gaines and Jennifer Sey.
The CIF enacted a pilot program for the state finals last May that awarded any female athlete that finished behind a trans athlete one higher spot, which resulted in girls sharing podium spots with Hernandez for the championship. The program also ensured any female athlete who finished one spot out of qualifying for the state finals in events that included a trans competitor, to compete for the title as well.
Then in a recent letter to parents dated May 16, the CIF announced that program would be re-introduced starting for Saturday's events.
"The CIF values all our student-athletes, and we will continue to uphold our mission in providing students the opportunity to belong, connect and compete, while competing with California law and education code," the letter wrote.
The CIF originally enacted the program, which also advances to the state final any female athlete who finished one spot out of qualifying in events including a trans competitor, last May after Hernandez advanced to the state final, prompting President Donald Trump to speak out against California and Gov. Gavin Newsom and threaten a loss of federal funding if his executive order aimed at protecting girls' and women's sports wasn't followed.
Trump's Department of Justice then filed a Title IX lawsuit against the state's education agencies in July of last year, after Hernandez won two state titles and finished in second place in another.
The parent of a female athlete at Saturday's meet told Fox News Digital that a coach informed them that the same pilot program would be implemented for the remainder of the state postseason, starting with the section final on Saturday.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CIF for a response.
The controversy around Hernandez and Jurupa Valley's track and field season was renewed last Saturday when "Save Girls Sports" protesters held a rally at the sectional preliminary round. A source within Newsom's office provided a statement to Fox News Digital in the days before that meet, addressing the rally.
"The Governor has said discussions on this issue should be guided by fairness, dignity, and respect. He rejects the right wing’s cynical attempt to weaponize this debate as an excuse to vilify individual kids. The Governor’s position is simple: stand with all kids and stand up to bullies," the statement read.
"California is one of 22 states that have laws requiring students be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school sports consistent with their gender identity. California passed this law in 2013 (AB 1266) and it was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown."
Hernandez, now a Southern Section champion again, along with all the other winners will move on to the CIF preliminaries next Saturday to face the rest of the state's top female jumpers, with a chance to get back to the state finals.
The two-day state finals begin on May 29 in Clovis, California.
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