In a highly charged atmosphere at the California high school track and field state championships, transgender athlete AB Hernandez claimed two titles, sparking widespread debate and protests.
The event, held on May 30-31, 2025, at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis, California, unfolded against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s warnings to the state over transgender participation in girls’ sports.
AB Hernandez, a junior at Jurupa Valley High School, secured first place in the girls’ high jump and triple jump, while finishing second in the long jump to Loren Webster of Woodrow Wilson High School, the only competitor to outperform Hernandez in any event.
Hernandez’s victories followed a dominant postseason, including wins in the long jump and triple jump at the Southern Section Masters Meet on May 17, 2025, which qualified her for the state finals.
The championships drew national attention after President Trump issued a Truth Social post on May 27, 2025, criticizing California and Governor Gavin Newsom for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ events.
Trump, who signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order on February 5, 2025, threatened to withhold federal funding and involve local authorities to prevent such participation, arguing it was “unfair” and “demeaning to women and girls.”
Despite these warnings, California proceeded with the event, with Hernandez competing under state laws and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) policies that permit athletes to participate based on their gender identity.
Protests marked the event, with over 50 demonstrators present on Friday, May 30, according to witnesses. Signs reading “Save Girls Sports” and “No Boys in Girls’ Sports” were displayed, and a plane flew over the stadium with a banner echoing the latter message.
Tensions escalated when an LGBTQ protester, Ethan Kroll, allegedly attacked conservative activist Josh Fulfer with a flagpole, leading to Kroll’s arrest for assault, vandalism, and obstructing a public officer, as confirmed by Clovis Police Department records.
In response to the controversy and Trump’s threats, the CIF announced a last-minute rule change on May 27, 2025, expanding the competitor pool to include “biological female” athletes who missed qualifying due to transgender participation.
On May 28, the CIF further adjusted rules to award medals to female athletes displaced by transgender competitors.
Governor Newsom’s office endorsed these changes, with spokesperson Izzy Gordon calling them a “reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue without compromising competitive fairness.”
However, some families, including that of La Canada High School’s Katie McGuinness, who finished second to Hernandez in the long jump at the sectional final, expressed dissatisfaction.
They argued that the rule changes did not fully address the perceived unfairness, stating, “Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports is unfair, unjust and defies common sense.”
