California Schools Decline to Compete Against Female Team with Transgender Athlete

In a notable incident, several schools in California have opted not to compete against a girls’ volleyball team that includes male athletes. This situation has once again placed Jurupa Valley High School in the spotlight, though not for the best reasons.

This controversy traces back to a recent athletic event in Ventura County, where an athlete identified as a girl—known as Ab Hernandez—competed alongside female athletes in high jumps, triple jumps, and long jumps. As a result, Hernandez collected multiple gold medals at state championships. What may not be as widely recognized is that Hernandez has also led the women’s volleyball team to an undefeated season.

However, several schools chose to forfeit games against Hernandez’s team, likely influenced by a growing debate surrounding another transgender volleyball player this season.

Reports suggest that Riverside Poly High School, Rim of the World High School, Orange Vista High School, AB Miller High School, Aquinas High School, Yucaipa High School, and San Dimas High School have all refused to play against Jurupa Valley High School. It’s unclear just how many games have been won by default for Jurupa, but they were credited with a win after Yucaipa High School declined to participate.

In a surprising twist, three of Hernandez’s teammates filed a lawsuit against their school, claiming they had to share a locker room with the transgender athlete for three years. The plaintiffs, sisters Madison and Alyssa McPherson, come from a Catholic background rejecting the idea of genders beyond male and female. The third teammate, Hadier Hashame, belongs to a Muslim family that has religious obligations concerning modesty, which includes wearing a hijab.

In response to the situation, Sofia Lowry, outreach director at the California Family Council, expressed that every time a young woman shows courage to stand up, it encourages more girls to do the same. She also mentioned that female athletes are caught in a difficult bind, having to choose between their beliefs and their passion for the sport.

Former national gymnastics champion Jennifer Say, who advocates for women’s sports, showed her support for these young women, asserting that it’s unfortunate that the responsibility falls on them to advocate for their own safety and dignity.

When contacted, both the California Department of Education and the Yulpa Unified School District refrained from commenting. Jurupa Valley High School expressed disappointment about the cancellations but noted that the decision to cancel was made by the other teams, asserting their commitment to comply with legal requirements protecting students from discrimination based on gender identity. They mentioned their dedication to finding additional matches for their athletes.