Controversy Erupts as Trans Athlete Dominates California Girls’ Track Meet: Protests Ignite Over Unfair Advantage Claims

This weekend, a high school track and field event in California drew attention and controversy as a transgender athlete claimed victory in three jumping events, sparking protests from some attendees.

Competing at the CIF Southern Section Division 3 preliminaries, AB Hernandez, a senior from Jurupa Valley, showcased her prowess by securing the triple jump title with an impressive leap of 42 feet 4 inches, outdistancing other competitors by several feet. Additionally, her long jump reached 20 feet 4 1/4 inches, a remarkable performance that exceeded her rivals at Yorba Linda High School in Orange County by over a foot.

In the high jump, Hernandez tied for first place with Reese Hogan from Crean Lutheran High School, someone she has previously competed against. This connection between the two athletes harkens back to 2025 when Hogan finished second to Hernandez at a CIF event. A photograph of Hogan standing on the podium’s top step, previously occupied by Hernandez, quickly gained traction online, stirring discussions once more.

Saturday’s meet was not without controversy, as it mirrored past events when Hernandez’s participation was met with protests. The group Save Girls Sports voiced their discontent, criticizing California Governor Gavin Newsom for what they perceive as neglecting the needs of female athletes in the state. The ongoing debate highlights the complexities and tensions in the intersection of sports and gender identity.

And as was the case in 2025, Hernandez’s presence at the meet was protested on Saturday, where the group, Save Girls Sports, accused California Governor Gavin Newsom of abandoning girls in the state. 

‘It happened last year and I thought it’d be done, but it’s California,’ one grandparent attending the meet told Outkick, the Fox-owned website that has seized on the issue of transgender athletes in women’s sports.

AB Hernandez, a transgender student at Jurupa Valley, is pictured at a 2025 meet

Save Girls Sports outreach director and former NCAA soccer player Sophia Lorey told the crowd outside the meet that the presence of transgender athletes in girls sports will result in lost scholarship opportunities.

Citing the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) bylaw allowing participation based on gender identity, Lorey claimed ‘girls across California will continue losing placements, safety and opportunities that they rightfully earned.’

Meanwhile, a smaller counterprotest was also seen at the meet, where demonstrators fought back against the argument that transgender athletes were depriving female rivals of opportunities.

For starters, CIF changed policy at last year’s state meet to extend access and awards to biological females displaced by transgender competitors. 

And with the NCAA complying with President Donald Trump’s executive order threatening the funding of organizations that permit transgender athletes to compete in female sports, scholarships are no longer in play.

AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley competes in the girls high jump during the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet at Moorpark High School, May 24, 2025, in Moorpark, California 

AB Hernandez has been successful at all three jumping events at the high school level 

‘Let’s talk fairness,’ one counter protestor said at the rival demonstration in Yorba Linda. ‘Last year, under CIF’s policy, transgender athletes were not permitted to displace the cisgender athletes who placed after them. If they came in first, they shared that award with the runner up.

‘And guess what, trans athletes are currently barred from competing in college. They are not taking anybody’s scholarships. They can’t. They are not allowed to play. Their chance to be on a team and experience the camaraderie and the thrill of sports ends in high school.

‘Despite these cold, hard facts, this hate coalition has continued to bully, stalk and harass the tiny handful of transgender students who play at the high school level in California.’

Lorey fought back against bullying accusations against her organization, which she framed as a direct attack on female student athletes. Previously, a Newsom spokesperson criticized the planned protests as ‘cynical’ and vowed to stand up to ‘bullies.’

‘Shame on Governor Newsom for calling the girls behind me bullies,’ Lorey said. ‘That is unacceptable. These girls are not bullies for defending fairness and female sports.’

Last July, the Justice Department filed suit against California state agencies regarding alleged Title IX violations linked to the issue. The US Department of Education has since expanded that investigation to include 17 other institutions for potential civil rights breaches across the state.

The Governor’s office has defended the status quo, citing a 2013 law that requires students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity.