Transgender athlete sparks controversy, protests after winning 3 gold medals at girls’ track and field competition

Hernandez, a senior student at Yorba Linda High School in Orange County, made sweeping victories in three jumping events at the California State High School Track and Field Championships at Yorba Linda High School, Orange County, on May 9.

The competition immediately became the center of controversy surrounding the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports.

Hernandez captured the gold medal in the triple jump with a leap of approximately 12.9 m, far ahead of the closest competitor in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 qualifying round. Hernandez’s success continued in the long jump, where she achieved a distance of roughly 6.2 m, securing first place with a 30 cm margin over the runner-up.

Hernandez later tied for first place in the high jump with 1.57 m alongside Reese Hogan of Crean Lutheran High School.

Hogan had finished second to Hernandez during a CIF competition last year. At that time, a photograph of Hogan standing on the gold medalist podium following the awards ceremony went viral on social media and became a symbol for the wave of protests against transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports in high school, NY Post reported.

Amid this year competition, advocacy group Save Girls Sports organized a protest this weekend, directing harsh criticism at California Governor Gavin Newsom for allegedly abandoning female students.

Sophia Lorey, a former NCAA football player who now serves as the director of communications for Save Girls Sports, argued that allowing transgender students to compete in women’s sports deprives female students of hard-earned achievements and athletic scholarships.

Lorey specifically cited the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) regulations, which currently permit students to compete on teams that align with their gender identity. She stated that under these rules, “girls across California will continue losing placements, safety and opportunities that they rightfully earned,” Daily Mail reported.

She also rejected accusations that Save Girls Sports was bullying transgender students, asserting instead that her organization’s sole focus is protecting fairness for biological female athletes.

Five female students protest against the participating of transgender athletes in women’s events in the U.S. Photo by X/@SophiaSLorey

However, a counter-protest gathered near the competition venue to defend the rights of transgender students to participate in school sports. These demonstrators pointed out that the CIF had proactively adjusted its regulations last year. Under the revised guidelines, female athletes who are displaced transgender competitors are still awarded corresponding medals and official rankings.

One vocal counter-protester argued that the narrative of transgender athletes stealing scholarships is fundamentally flawed and outdated. They highlighted that the NCAA has recently moved to comply with U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order, which restricts organizations receiving federal funding if they allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.

“And guess what, trans athletes are currently barred from competing in college,” this person told Daily Mail. “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.”

A spokesperson for Governor Newsom’s office stated that the governor’s administration will continue to stand with students who feel they are being bullied by these advocacy groups.

The controversy over transgender athletes participating in school sports in California has escalated over the past few years.

Last July, the U.S. Department of Justice intervened, suing state education agencies over alleged violations of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. It was designed to ensure equal opportunities for biological females in academic and athletic environments. Consequently, the Department of Education expanded its investigation to 17 other educational institutions across California.

Meanwhile, the California state government continues to defend its 2013 legislative regulations, which legally guarantee that students are permitted to participate in sports activities and utilize facilities that align with their gender identity, regardless of their biological sex at birth.