A transgender volleyball player has stirred controversy after transitioning to track and field, where she excelled against female competitors.
AB Hernandez, a biological male from Riverside County, dominated all three jumping events during the Division 3 qualifying round at CIF Southern Section held on Saturday.
The high school senior achieved impressive results, scoring big in the long jump, high jump, and triple jump, winning by nearly three feet over the second-place competitor.
His presence at the event was met with protests calling for a ban on biological males from competing against girls, citing concerns over physical advantages.
Parents and officials are urging Governor Gavin Newsom to take action to ensure the integrity of women’s sports in California, advocating for policies that allow transgender athletes to engage in sports corresponding to their gender identity.
At the Yorba Linda High School meet-and-greet, Hernandez achieved a remarkable triple jump of 42 feet, 4 inches, surpassing the next competitor, who managed only 39 feet, 7.5 inches.
In the long jump, he registered a distance of 20 feet, 4.25 inches, more than a foot ahead of the second-place finisher who reached 19 feet, 1.5 inches, while the third place came in at 18 feet, 7 inches.
Hernandez also tied for first in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 2 inches alongside Reece Hogan.
This isn’t his first time in the spotlight. Hernandez had previously participated in women’s volleyball competitions, which also prompted significant backlash, leading some girls to quit rather than compete against him.
The results from Saturday ignited criticism, as many contend that biological males possess a physical edge that disrupts the fairness of women’s athletics.
Outside the venue, protesters assembled for a “Save Girls Sports” rally, spearheaded by former NCAA athlete Sophia Lowry.
Beth Vaughn, part of Mamas for Liberty and a parent of a daughter compelled to compete against boys, expressed her frustration, labeling Newsom a “coward” for permitting such occurrences in California.
“Men should not take over women’s sports and spaces,” she stated, emphasizing the need for separate categories for female athletes.
She asserted, “This will be Newsom’s legacy: a man who says one thing but does another.”
Last October, Born had made headlines for advocating privacy in women’s locker rooms while attending a school board meeting in a bikini.
Sonja Shaw, a Republican candidate for California’s superintendent of education, criticized the situation’s negative impact on women’s sports in the state.
She remarked, “How much longer will California allow our daughters to suffer? Gavin Newsom is a bully to California’s daughters.”
Shaw added that Newsom had privately questioned the fairness of these policies while publicly siding with those advocating for transgender rights.
“We demand the reinstatement of gender-based categories in all sports and protection for women’s locker rooms and safe spaces,” she insisted, pointing out that many Californians share this view.
Hernandez has become a focal point in the heated national debate over transgender women’s participation in sports.
Saturday’s event also featured a competition with Hogan, who previously made headlines for outperforming Hernandez in another event.
California remains at the forefront of the controversy involving transgender athletes, with the Department of Justice suing the state over its regulations.
The Department of Education is broadening its investigation into various California schools and athletic organizations for potential Title IX violations regarding the competition of trans athletes against girls.
This federal probe includes the California Community College Athletic Association, overseeing a wide range of athletic programs statewide.
“Women’s sports are for women, and the Trump administration will not accept policies that undermine women’s rights,” remarked Kimberly Ritchie, assistant secretary for civil rights.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has voiced her support for Olympic gold medalists Nancy Hogshead and Kylie Humphries, both critical of California’s stance on the issue.
“Nancy is spot on!!! We are inherently different!!!,” Navratilova remarked on social media, later adding, “Newsom could change this in an instant. No excuses.”
