Transgender track athlete wins gold in California state championships despite Trump threat

[ad_1] CLOVIS, Calif. — Overcoming intense strain to give up from President Trump, dozens of native protesters and different distinguished critics of transgender athletes in ladies’ sports activities, 16-year-old AB Hernandez bounded previous a lot of her friends to win a number of gold medals at California’s highschool observe and discipline championships Saturday.

The transgender junior from Jurupa Valley Excessive Faculty — who competed regardless of a directive from Trump that she be barred from doing so — received state titles within the ladies’ triple soar and the lady’s excessive soar and took second place within the ladies’ lengthy soar.

Hernandez’s success on the 2025 CIF State Monitor and Area Championships in Clovis got here amid excessive warmth — with temperatures above 100 levels for a lot of the day — and underneath an intense highlight.

Earlier within the week, Trump had mentioned on social media that he was “ordering native authorities, if obligatory, to not enable” Hernandez to compete, wrongly alleging she had received “every part” in a previous meet and calling her “virtually unbeatable.” Protesters gathered exterior the meet each Friday and Saturday to denounce her inclusion and the LGBTQ+-friendly state legal guidelines permitting it.

Regardless of all that, Hernandez appeared calm and targeted as she competed. When her title was introduced for the lengthy soar, she waved to the gang. When she was introduced for the excessive soar, she smiled.

Hernandez beat out all different opponents within the triple soar, although the runner-up was additionally awarded 1st place underneath new guidelines established by the California Interscholastic Federation after Trump issued his threats.

Hernandez tied with two different ladies within the excessive soar, with the three of all of them clearing the identical top and sharing the gold.

Hernandez’s mom, Nereyda Hernandez, heaped reward on her after the occasions in an announcement offered to The Occasions, saying, “As your mom, I can not absolutely specific how PROUD I'm of you.”

“Watching you rise above months of being focused, misunderstood, and judged not by friends, however by adults who ought to’ve identified higher, has left me in awe of your power,” her mom mentioned. “Regardless of all of it, you stayed targeted. You saved coaching, you saved displaying up, and now you’re bringing THE GOLD HOME!!!

Throughout a few of Hernandez’s jumps, a protester could possibly be heard on a bullhorn from exterior the Buchanan Excessive Faculty stadium chanting “No boys in ladies’ sports activities!” California Interscholastic Federation officers banned protest indicators inside the ability, however exterior protesters held a spread of them — together with ones that learn “No Baby Is Born within the Mistaken Physique,” “Trans Ladies Are Boys: CIF Do Higher,” and “She Trains to Win. He takes the trophy?”

Josh Fulfer, a 46-year-old father and conservative on-line influencer who lives close to the stadium, mentioned he was the protester on the bullhorn. He mentioned Hernandez mustn't have been competing — no matter how she positioned — as a result of her presence within the competitors had a unfavorable “psychological impact” on her cisgender opponents.

“I stand with reality,” he mentioned. “Males shouldn't be pretending to be females, they usually shouldn’t be competing in opposition to feminine athletes.”

Loren Webster, a senior from Wilson Excessive Faculty in Lengthy Seaside who beat Hernandez within the lengthy soar, mentioned she wasn’t giving Hernandez a lot thought — as an alternative, she was targeted on her personal efficiency.

“It wasn’t some other individual I used to be fearful about. I knew what I used to be able to,” Webster mentioned. “I can’t management the uncontrollable.”

<img class="image" alt="A child holds a protest sign with a family member and others opposed to transgender athletes competing." srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c762f0c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2001+0+0/resize/320x213!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2Fc8%2F279cf6174604a4caf0ef0384a886%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0006.JPG 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6287f67/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2001+0+0/resize/568x379!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2Fc8%2F279cf6174604a4caf0ef0384a886%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0006.JPG 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/43516f1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2001+0+0/resize/768x512!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2Fc8%2F279cf6174604a4caf0ef0384a886%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0006.JPG 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/15e7cf5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2001+0+0/resize/1024x683!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2Fc8%2F279cf6174604a4caf0ef0384a886%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0006.JPG 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3b7b7ec/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2001+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2Fc8%2F279cf6174604a4caf0ef0384a886%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0006.JPG 1200w" sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="800" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3b7b7ec/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2001+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F51%2Fc8%2F279cf6174604a4caf0ef0384a886%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0006.JPG" decoding="async" loading="lazy"/> A toddler holds a protest signal alongside a member of the family and others against transgender athlete AB Hernandez competing within the 2025 CIF State Monitor and Area Championships, at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Buchanan Excessive Faculty in Clovis.

(Tomas Ovalle / For The Occasions)

The extreme deal with Hernandez over two days of competitors Friday and Saturday mirrored a broad rise in conservative outrage over transgender ladies competing in sporting occasions nationwide, regardless of their representing a tiny fraction of opponents. It additionally mirrored a concerted effort by Trump and different distinguished conservative figures to single out Hernandez, individually, as an unwitting poster baby for such issues.

Current polls, together with one performed by The Occasions final 12 months, have proven that many People assist transgender rights, however a majority oppose transgender ladies taking part in youth sports activities. California has lengthy defended transgender youngsters and their proper to take part in youth athletics, however different states have more and more moved to restrict or take away such rights completely.

<img class="image" alt="Marci Strange supports protestors as they protest against transgender athlete AB Hernandez." srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c7f24d6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1920+0+0/resize/320x205!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F88%2Fd1aa115440d7afeea4813d981d56%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0003.JPG 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/834eccb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1920+0+0/resize/568x364!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F88%2Fd1aa115440d7afeea4813d981d56%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0003.JPG 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8b5e70f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1920+0+0/resize/768x492!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F88%2Fd1aa115440d7afeea4813d981d56%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0003.JPG 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f169d1b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1920+0+0/resize/1024x655!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F88%2Fd1aa115440d7afeea4813d981d56%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0003.JPG 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c58617f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1920+0+0/resize/1200x768!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F88%2Fd1aa115440d7afeea4813d981d56%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0003.JPG 1200w" sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="768" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c58617f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1920+0+0/resize/1200x768!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F88%2Fd1aa115440d7afeea4813d981d56%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0003.JPG" decoding="async" loading="lazy"/> Marci Unusual helps protestors as they protest in opposition to transgender athlete AB Hernandez competing Within the 2025 CIF State Monitor and Area Championships, at Veterans Memorial Stadium Within the campus of Buchanan Excessive Faculty in Clovis.

(Tomas Ovalle / For The Occasions)

Trump first latched onto transgender points with fervor throughout his presidential marketing campaign, spending tens of millions of {dollars} on anti-transgender political advertisements. Since being elected, he has issued a wave of government orders and different insurance policies aimed toward rolling again transgender rights and protections.

Many times, Hernandez has been singled out in that dialogue.

Earlier this week, Trump referenced Hernandez in a social media put up through which he mentioned his administration would minimize federal funding to California if it didn’t block her from competing on this weekend’s state finals and extra broadly get consistent with his government order purporting to ban transgender youth from taking part at school sports activities nationwide.

The next day, U.S. Justice Division officers referenced Hernandez once more, asserting the launch of an investigation into whether or not California, its interscholastic sports activities federation and the Jurupa Unified Faculty District are violating the civil rights of cisgender ladies by permitting transgender college students corresponding to Hernandez to compete in sports activities.

<img class="image" alt="Transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed for Jurupa Valley High School in the high jump." srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/658951e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/320x213!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5f%2Ff2%2F83f8e13e42d99a5d7a23093f7adb%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0010.JPG 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/78b4681/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/568x379!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5f%2Ff2%2F83f8e13e42d99a5d7a23093f7adb%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0010.JPG 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c1f8d5d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/768x512!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5f%2Ff2%2F83f8e13e42d99a5d7a23093f7adb%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0010.JPG 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/53e1913/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1024x683!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5f%2Ff2%2F83f8e13e42d99a5d7a23093f7adb%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0010.JPG 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/52966b3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5f%2Ff2%2F83f8e13e42d99a5d7a23093f7adb%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0010.JPG 1200w" sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="800" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/52966b3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5f%2Ff2%2F83f8e13e42d99a5d7a23093f7adb%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0010.JPG" decoding="async" loading="lazy"/> Transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed for Jurupa Valley Excessive Faculty within the excessive soar on the 2025 CIF State Monitor and Area Championships at Buchanan Excessive Faculty in Clovis.

(Tomas Ovalle / For The Occasions)

On the meet Friday and Saturday, Hernandez usually blended in with the a whole bunch of different athletes, hardly drawing consideration. She was much less conspicuous by far than the protesters there to denounce her for competing.

Hernandez’s mom has pleaded with Trump and different adults in current days to indicate her daughter compassion, calling it heartbreaking “each time I see my baby being attacked, not for a wrongdoing, however merely for being who they're.”

She has mentioned her daughter “shouldn't be a risk,” whereas the harassment directed at her is “not simply merciless, it’s harmful.”

Native protesters — some with ties to nationwide conservative organizations — forged Hernandez’s competing in ladies’ occasions in starkly completely different phrases.

Earlier than being escorted out by police, Sophia Lorey, outreach director for the conservative California Household Council, walked across the stadium Saturday carrying a hat studying, “Girls’s Sports activities, Girls Solely.” She informed members of the gang that Hernandez was a boy and handed out pink “Save Ladies’ Sports activities” bracelets and fliers directing individuals to a web-based petition calling on the California Interscholastic Federation to alter its insurance policies to bar transgender athletes from competitors.

Trump administration officers have taken the same stance.

In a letter Wednesday to interscholastic federation government director Ronald W. Nocetti, Assistant Atty. Gen. Harmeet Dhillon, who was appointed by Trump to go the Justice Division’s Civil Rights Division, referred to as Hernandez’s success in current observe and discipline occasions “alarming.” And she or he mentioned the California insurance policies permitting Hernandez to compete are a possible violation of Title IX, the 1972 federal civil rights regulation prohibiting intercourse discrimination in instructional packages and different actions that obtain federal funding.

Dhillon additionally famous Gov. Gavin Newsom’s personal current comment to conservative activist Charlie Kirk that transgender ladies competing in sports activities is “deeply unfair.”

<img class="image" alt="Transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed in three events including the high jump, triple jump and long jump." srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9c2f939/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/320x213!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2Fa1%2F058386e04230ad48572dbc4c09d3%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0017.JPG 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/74a65c2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/568x379!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2Fa1%2F058386e04230ad48572dbc4c09d3%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0017.JPG 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/51e4b04/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/768x512!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2Fa1%2F058386e04230ad48572dbc4c09d3%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0017.JPG 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/efdcc78/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1024x683!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2Fa1%2F058386e04230ad48572dbc4c09d3%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0017.JPG 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f7de1b8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2Fa1%2F058386e04230ad48572dbc4c09d3%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0017.JPG 1200w" sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="800" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f7de1b8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2Fa1%2F058386e04230ad48572dbc4c09d3%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0017.JPG" decoding="async" loading="lazy"/> Transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed in three occasions together with the excessive soar, triple soar and lengthy soar on the 2025 CIF State Monitor and Area Championships at Buchanan Excessive Faculty in Clovis.

(Tomas Ovalle / For The Occasions)

The comment got here in a dialog on Newsom’s podcast in March, through which Hernandez was additionally singled out.

Kirk, a co-founder of the conservative group Turning Level USA, requested Newsom whether or not he would voice his opposition to Hernandez competing in ladies’ observe and discipline occasions. Newsom mentioned he agreed such conditions had been “unfair” however that he additionally took challenge with “the way in which that individuals speak right down to susceptible communities,” together with transgender individuals.

When Kirk steered Newsom may say that he has “a coronary heart for” Hernandez however nonetheless thinks her competing is unfair, Newsom once more mentioned he agreed.

Newsom has issued no such assertion since. However, the taking part in discipline has shifted in California for transgender athletes since Trump began speaking about Hernandez.

On Wednesday, the CIF introduced a change in its guidelines for this weekend’s championships. Below the brand new guidelines, a cisgender lady who's bumped from qualifying for an occasion closing by a transgender athlete will nonetheless advance to compete within the finals. As well as, the federation mentioned, any cisgender lady who's overwhelmed by a transgender competitor might be awarded whichever medal she would have claimed had the transgender athlete not been competing.

<img class="image" alt="Transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed in the high jump." srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/abb285d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1927+0+0/resize/320x206!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F06%2Fdfd239da411e8f61cfa936ca5986%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0024.JPG 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/27051e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1927+0+0/resize/568x365!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F06%2Fdfd239da411e8f61cfa936ca5986%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0024.JPG 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6e4a651/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1927+0+0/resize/768x493!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F06%2Fdfd239da411e8f61cfa936ca5986%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0024.JPG 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f497fad/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1927+0+0/resize/1024x658!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F06%2Fdfd239da411e8f61cfa936ca5986%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0024.JPG 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5397ce1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1927+0+0/resize/1200x771!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F06%2Fdfd239da411e8f61cfa936ca5986%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0024.JPG 1200w" sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="771" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5397ce1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1927+0+0/resize/1200x771!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F06%2Fdfd239da411e8f61cfa936ca5986%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0024.JPG" decoding="async" loading="lazy"/> Transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed for Jurupa Valley Excessive Faculty within the excessive soar on the 2025 CIF State Monitor and Area Championships at Buchanan Excessive Faculty in Clovis.

(Tomas Ovalle / For The Occasions)

The CIF didn't point out Hernandez by title in asserting its coverage change, nevertheless it did make direct reference to the excessive soar, triple soar and lengthy soar — the three occasions through which she was to compete.

Below the brand new guidelines, Hernandez shared her place on every of the occasion podiums with different ladies.

The CIF didn't reply to a listing of questions on its new coverage. A spokesman for Newsom applauded the change, however others had been unimpressed.

Critics of transgender athletes rejected it as inadequate and demanded a full ban on transgender athletes. Fulfer, the protester on the bullhorn, mentioned the CIF was “admitting that they’ve bought it mistaken for a very long time” whereas nonetheless not doing sufficient to repair it — which Trump would see clearly.

“I hope Donald Trump sees what occurs this weekend, and I hope he pulls the funding away from California,” Fulfer mentioned.

LGBTQ+ advocates additionally criticized the rule change, however for various causes, calling it a crass capitulation that singled out a teen to appease a crowd of bullies choosing a political combat.

“The truth that these similar political gamers proceed to bully and harass one baby, even after CIF modified its coverage, exhibits this was by no means about sports activities or equity,” mentioned Kristi Hirst, co-founder of the general public schooling advocacy group Our Colleges USA.

“It was merely about utilizing a baby, whereas compromising their private security on a nationwide scale, to attain political factors and distract from the intense points households and communities on this nation are literally involved about,” Hirst mentioned, “affording groceries, the lack of well being care, and entry to high quality academics and assets of their public colleges.”

<img class="image" alt="Transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed for Jurupa Valley High School in the long jump." srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a4c6c76/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1875+0+0/resize/320x200!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fde%2F45%2F57dd51224064bf141e0f5fb37efe%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0028.JPG 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dc1702f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1875+0+0/resize/568x355!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fde%2F45%2F57dd51224064bf141e0f5fb37efe%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0028.JPG 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3d0b33b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1875+0+0/resize/768x480!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fde%2F45%2F57dd51224064bf141e0f5fb37efe%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0028.JPG 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/53d84d3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1875+0+0/resize/1024x640!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fde%2F45%2F57dd51224064bf141e0f5fb37efe%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0028.JPG 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6dbe34d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1875+0+0/resize/1200x750!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fde%2F45%2F57dd51224064bf141e0f5fb37efe%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0028.JPG 1200w" sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="750" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6dbe34d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1875+0+0/resize/1200x750!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fde%2F45%2F57dd51224064bf141e0f5fb37efe%2F1508463-sp-trans-gender-athlete-controversy-0028.JPG" decoding="async" loading="lazy"/> Transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed for Jurupa Valley Excessive Faculty within the lengthy soar on the 2025 CIF State Monitor and Area Championships at Buchanan Excessive Faculty in Clovis.

(Tomas Ovalle / For The Occasions)

Nereyda Hernandez mentioned she hoped AB’s wins would function inspiration for different youngsters who really feel “unseen.”

“To each younger individual watching, particularly those that really feel unseen or unheard, let AB be your reminder that authenticity, braveness, and resilience shine BRIGHTER than hate,” she mentioned. “It received’t be straightforward, however undoubtedly price it.”