AB Hernandez, a 16-year-old transgender athlete from Southern California, has spoken out in defense of her performance after winning a state track-and-field title amid a heated public debate over her participation in the competition.
Hernandez, who represents Jurupa Valley High School, earned the gold medal in the triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state championship on May 31. Her jump of 42 feet 2 inches tied for first place with Kira Grant Hatcher, who recorded a jump of 40 feet 5 inches.
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Policy Changes and Protests
In preparation for the championship, CIF introduced a policy to preserve rankings for cisgender female athletes competing alongside transgender athletes. The updated rule ensured that any student finishing behind a transgender athlete would retain their position in the rankings. Additionally, the policy allowed for an extra cisgender female competitor in each event that Hernandez entered.
Despite these efforts to ensure fairness, Hernandez’s participation sparked protests at several meets, including the state championship. Demonstrators gathered outside the venue, voicing opposition to CIF’s policy and claiming it undermined fairness in girls’ sports.
Hernandez’s Response to the Backlash
In an interview with KCRA, Hernandez addressed the backlash directly, stating, “It’s definitely crazy. I get a lot of hate comments, but I’m like, ‘I don’t care.’ I’m a 16-year-old girl with a mad attitude, you think I’m going to care?”
She described the protestors as “just weird” and expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support she received from the audience: “I wasn’t expecting any of it, to be honest. I was just expecting to go out there and compete alone, but the support was amazing. They really made my experience perfect. I’ll forever be grateful.”
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Double Victory at the Championship
In addition to her win in the triple jump, Hernandez also tied for first place in the varsity high jump final with Jillene Wetteland and Lelanie Laruelle. All three athletes shared the podium under the same CIF rule. Hernandez remarked, “I did what I wanted to do. My performance was all I wanted to be good. So all this backlash … I performed my best, so that’s all I cared about.”
Political and Legal Impact
The controversy surrounding Hernandez’s participation has attracted attention from beyond the sporting world. Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to criticize California’s policy, claiming, “California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum [sic], continues to ILLEGALLY allow ‘MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS.’”
Trump further threatened to withhold federal funding from California unless the state complied with his executive order aimed at “protecting women’s sports.” While federal education funds were briefly at risk, the White House ultimately released them following legal challenges.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it would review California’s School Success and Opportunity Act, which permits transgender students to participate in sports according to their gender identity, to determine whether it conflicts with Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education.
Hernandez’s Focus on the Sport
As the legal and political battles continue, Hernandez remains determined to focus on her sport and is unapologetically proud of her accomplishments. “I’m doing what I love, and nothing will take that away from me,” she said.
Hernandez’s story has become a focal point in the ongoing debate about transgender athletes in women’s sports, and despite the controversy, she remains committed to her performance and her journey.