AB Hernandez, a 16-year-old transgender junior from Jurupa Valley High, excelled at the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships in Clovis, winning gold in girls’ triple jump and high jump, and silver in long jump. Her participation occurred despite intense pressure from President Trump, who had ordered state officials to block her and threatened to cut federal funding to California. Alongside a half-dozen protesters gathered outside the meet both Friday and Saturday to denounce her inclusion and the LGBTQ+-friendly state laws allowing it.
Trump’s social media posts and threats of federal funding cuts, along with these protests, aimed to bar Hernandez. Despite the controversy and over 100-degree heat, Hernandez remained composed, waving to the crowd and smiling.
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) implemented new rules after Trump’s threats. Under these rules, Hernandez shared her first-place awards in triple jump and high jump with cisgender athletes, and a cisgender girl who was surpassed by a transgender athlete would still advance to finals and receive the medal she would have otherwise earned.
Hernandez’s mother praised her daughter’s strength amidst the public scrutiny. Protesters, some with ties to conservative organizations, continued to denounce Hernandez’s participation, claiming a “psychological effect” on cisgender competitors. However, long jump winner Loren Webster focused on her own performance, stating she couldn’t “control the uncontrollable.”
This intense focus on Hernandez reflects a broader conservative backlash against transgender girls in sports, despite their small representation. Polls show many Americans support transgender rights but oppose transgender girls in youth sports. California defends these rights, while other states are limiting them.
The Justice Department also launched an investigation into California over potential civil rights violations regarding transgender athletes. The CIF’s rule changes, while applauded by some, were criticized by both those demanding a full ban and LGBTQ+ advocates who saw it as a capitulation. Hernandez’s mother hopes her daughter’s success inspires other “unseen” kids.
