TL;DR
- AB Hernandez dominated her track events but shared the podium with cisgender girls.
- New CIF policy allows co-winners, raising fairness questions.
- Protests against transgender inclusion continue, but support grows.
- Hernandez’s mother defends her daughter’s right to compete.
- Next up: CIF preliminaries with hopes for a state title.
California’s own AB Hernandez, a two-time state champion, recently made headlines at her latest track meet, but not for the reasons you might expect. Despite absolutely crushing it in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump, this fierce transgender athlete found herself sharing the podium with cisgender girls who couldn’t even come close to matching her stellar performances. Talk about a plot twist!
At the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section finals, Hernandez jumped higher than any other girl, yet the state athletic policy enacted last year forced her to share the spotlight. During the long jump medal ceremony, poor Gianna Gonzalez from Moorpark High School stood alone on the top podium, despite finishing over a foot behind Hernandez. Can we say awkward?
Later, Hernandez edged out Oak Park High School’s Gwynneth Mureika by a mere two inches in the high jump but still had to share the top spot with her. It wasn’t until the triple jump that Hernandez finally stood alone, jumping nearly two feet higher than Malia Strange of Shadow Hills, who was absent but still received a gold medal as a co-winner. The drama is real!
While there were no protests at this particular meet, the anti-inclusion group Save Girls’ Sports had previously organized demonstrations, accusing Governor Gavin Newsom of failing to protect fairness in girls’ sports. “Girls across California will continue losing placements, safety, and opportunities that they rightfully earned,” lamented former soccer player Sophia Lorey, who is now the outreach director for the California Family Council, a group labeled a hate organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Yikes!
Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda, provided some perspective on the situation, reminding her daughter that these protests are politically motivated. “I told AB, this is an election year. It’s just the outsiders,” she said. “They’re using us for their campaigns.” And she’s not wrong; the political landscape is definitely heating up.
Despite the controversy, Hernandez’s participation in sports is legal and compliant with California law. “She’s been doing this sport since freshman year [of high school],” her mother emphasized. “She’s not doing anything wrong.” And honestly, can we get a round of applause for that kind of support?
The CIF’s pilot entry program, which allows cisgender female athletes to qualify for first place even if they don’t win, has sparked heated debates about fairness in sports. Critics argue that this policy acknowledges an inherent unfairness while still allowing transgender athletes to compete. Clovis Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pearce, an anti-trans inclusion advocate, even admitted that criticisms of the student-athletes were unjust. “Everyone should feel safe. These are kids, okay?” she said. That’s right, let’s keep it respectful.
Next up for Hernandez and her fellow student-athletes are the CIF preliminaries, where they’ll face off against the best female jumpers in the state. Hernandez is gunning for that coveted state championship title, but with the current CIF rules, even if she wins, she’s likely to share the glory. What a world we live in!
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: AB Hernandez is not just a talented athlete; she’s a symbol of resilience in the face of adversity. And we’re here for it!