Trans athlete AB Hernandez sparks storm over podium celebration
Trans athlete AB Hernandez was seen grinning and flaunting medals after defeating female rivals at the California state track championship.
Hernandez claimed gold in the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state finals – defying Donald Trump's executive order that bans trans athletes from women's sports.
Violent protests erupted yesterday as the trans pupil, 16, sparked a heated row after competing in women's sports.
Trump had said on social media that he was 'ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow' Hernandez to compete.
But the CIF this week introduced a new policy that allowed an additional student to compete and win medals in the events where Hernandez qualified.
This is why the trans athlete shared winning spots with at least one female rival.
Hernandez claimed tied-first place in the varsity high jump final alongside Lelani Laruelle and Jillene Wetteland – both females.
The trans athlete later won another first-place in the triple jump, sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher – who trailed by just over a half-metre.
But the sports row surrounding Hernandez took a dramatic turn yesterday after furious protesters gathered around the stadium to denounce the trans teen.
They were seen carrying placards and boards outside the Veterans' Memorial Stadium, where the sporting event took place.
A banner reading 'NO BOYS IN GIRLS' SPORTS!' was flown above the sporting venue during the high school track-and-field championships.
The protests quickly turned violent after one person was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Clovis police Sargeant Chris Hutchison told the Chronicle.
He said the person – understood to be an LGBTQ activist – allegedly used a Pride flag to smash a car window, leaving a person injured.
During the heats, furious high school parents berated Hernandez's mother for the trans athlete's dominant victory.
The video, which has now gone viral on TikTok, shows the parents hounding Hernandez's mother for allowing the teen to compete.
One of the parents can be heard yelling at the mother: 'What a coward of a woman you are allowing that.'
Hernandez's story previously made headlines after another teenage girl, who the athlete beat to first place in a separate contest, waited for Hernandez to descend from the podium before moving to pose in the top spot.
In the TikTok, the parent can also be heard shouting: 'Your mental illness is on your son, coward.'
More than half of the US states have implemented bans on trans youth athletes participating since 2020.
But California state law allows the participation of trans women and girls in women's sports.
Trump posted on Truth Social: 'Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to.'
His message refers to an Executive Order from February titled 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports'.
In an interview with Capital & Main, Hernandez, from Jurupa Valley, California, said: 'There's nothing I can do about people's actions, just focus on my own.'
The trans pupil faced heckling and protesters in the crowd at a track meet earlier this month and was accompanied by campus security and Sheriff's Department deputies, CNN has reported.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Chip stocks lift Wall St as investors await trade talks
US stock indexes have edged higher, helped by gains in Nvidia and other chipmakers, as investors awaited possible negotiations between the United States and its trading partners for more clarity on tariff plans. US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to speak this week, the White House said on Monday, days after Trump accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions. Trump's administration wants countries to provide their best offer on trade negotiations by Wednesday as officials seek to accelerate talks with multiple partners ahead of a self-imposed deadline in just five weeks, according to a draft letter to negotiating partners seen by Reuters. Trump said last week he planned to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to 50 per cent starting on Wednesday, fuelling fresh concerns among investors and hampering global stocks as they approached record highs. A softening of Trump's harsh trade stance allowed a recovery in risky assets in May, with the benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq posting their biggest monthly percentage gain since November 2023. The S&P 500 remains less than 4.0 per cent away from its record peak touched in February. "The markets are still trading with a decent level of uncertainty because they're not sure how everything's going to turn out," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management. "Having a best and final offer deadline and a framework to move forward should be positive for the markets." In early trading on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 10.40 points, or 0.02 per cent, to 42,315.12, the S&P 500 gained 10.39 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 5,946.18 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 87.28 points, or 0.46 per cent, to 19,330.74. Six of the 11 major S&P 500 sub-sectors fell. Communication services declined the most with a nearly 0.7 per cent fall. On the flip side, information technology stocks led gains with a 0.8 per cent rise, helped by a 2.7 per cent rise in Nvidia. Chipmaker Broadcom rose 2.1 per cent ahead of its results later this week. Constellation Energy rose 2.9 per cent after Meta Platforms said it had struck a power agreement with the utility's nuclear plant. It lifted other nuclear stocks such as Vistra Corp, up 4.4 per cent, GE Vernova, up 1.8 per cent, and NuScale Power, up 2.1 per cent. A US Labor Department report showed job openings increased in April but lay-offs picked up, signalling a slowing labour market as tariffs impact the economic outlook. Central bank officials including Fed Board governor Lisa Cook, Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee and Dallas president Lorie Logan are due to speak through the day. Monthly jobs data on Friday will offer more signs on how trade uncertainty is affecting the world's biggest economy. Pinterest rose 4.7 per cent after JPMorgan raised its rating to "overweight" from "neutral". Dollar General jumped 12.9 per cent as the discount retailer raised its annual sales forecast after surpassing quarterly sales expectations. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.61-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.67-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 24 new 52-week highs and 4 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 66 new highs and 41 new lows. US stock indexes have edged higher, helped by gains in Nvidia and other chipmakers, as investors awaited possible negotiations between the United States and its trading partners for more clarity on tariff plans. US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to speak this week, the White House said on Monday, days after Trump accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions. Trump's administration wants countries to provide their best offer on trade negotiations by Wednesday as officials seek to accelerate talks with multiple partners ahead of a self-imposed deadline in just five weeks, according to a draft letter to negotiating partners seen by Reuters. Trump said last week he planned to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to 50 per cent starting on Wednesday, fuelling fresh concerns among investors and hampering global stocks as they approached record highs. A softening of Trump's harsh trade stance allowed a recovery in risky assets in May, with the benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq posting their biggest monthly percentage gain since November 2023. The S&P 500 remains less than 4.0 per cent away from its record peak touched in February. "The markets are still trading with a decent level of uncertainty because they're not sure how everything's going to turn out," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management. "Having a best and final offer deadline and a framework to move forward should be positive for the markets." In early trading on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 10.40 points, or 0.02 per cent, to 42,315.12, the S&P 500 gained 10.39 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 5,946.18 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 87.28 points, or 0.46 per cent, to 19,330.74. Six of the 11 major S&P 500 sub-sectors fell. Communication services declined the most with a nearly 0.7 per cent fall. On the flip side, information technology stocks led gains with a 0.8 per cent rise, helped by a 2.7 per cent rise in Nvidia. Chipmaker Broadcom rose 2.1 per cent ahead of its results later this week. Constellation Energy rose 2.9 per cent after Meta Platforms said it had struck a power agreement with the utility's nuclear plant. It lifted other nuclear stocks such as Vistra Corp, up 4.4 per cent, GE Vernova, up 1.8 per cent, and NuScale Power, up 2.1 per cent. A US Labor Department report showed job openings increased in April but lay-offs picked up, signalling a slowing labour market as tariffs impact the economic outlook. Central bank officials including Fed Board governor Lisa Cook, Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee and Dallas president Lorie Logan are due to speak through the day. Monthly jobs data on Friday will offer more signs on how trade uncertainty is affecting the world's biggest economy. Pinterest rose 4.7 per cent after JPMorgan raised its rating to "overweight" from "neutral". Dollar General jumped 12.9 per cent as the discount retailer raised its annual sales forecast after surpassing quarterly sales expectations. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.61-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.67-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 24 new 52-week highs and 4 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 66 new highs and 41 new lows. US stock indexes have edged higher, helped by gains in Nvidia and other chipmakers, as investors awaited possible negotiations between the United States and its trading partners for more clarity on tariff plans. US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to speak this week, the White House said on Monday, days after Trump accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions. Trump's administration wants countries to provide their best offer on trade negotiations by Wednesday as officials seek to accelerate talks with multiple partners ahead of a self-imposed deadline in just five weeks, according to a draft letter to negotiating partners seen by Reuters. Trump said last week he planned to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to 50 per cent starting on Wednesday, fuelling fresh concerns among investors and hampering global stocks as they approached record highs. A softening of Trump's harsh trade stance allowed a recovery in risky assets in May, with the benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq posting their biggest monthly percentage gain since November 2023. The S&P 500 remains less than 4.0 per cent away from its record peak touched in February. "The markets are still trading with a decent level of uncertainty because they're not sure how everything's going to turn out," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management. "Having a best and final offer deadline and a framework to move forward should be positive for the markets." In early trading on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 10.40 points, or 0.02 per cent, to 42,315.12, the S&P 500 gained 10.39 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 5,946.18 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 87.28 points, or 0.46 per cent, to 19,330.74. Six of the 11 major S&P 500 sub-sectors fell. Communication services declined the most with a nearly 0.7 per cent fall. On the flip side, information technology stocks led gains with a 0.8 per cent rise, helped by a 2.7 per cent rise in Nvidia. Chipmaker Broadcom rose 2.1 per cent ahead of its results later this week. Constellation Energy rose 2.9 per cent after Meta Platforms said it had struck a power agreement with the utility's nuclear plant. It lifted other nuclear stocks such as Vistra Corp, up 4.4 per cent, GE Vernova, up 1.8 per cent, and NuScale Power, up 2.1 per cent. A US Labor Department report showed job openings increased in April but lay-offs picked up, signalling a slowing labour market as tariffs impact the economic outlook. Central bank officials including Fed Board governor Lisa Cook, Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee and Dallas president Lorie Logan are due to speak through the day. Monthly jobs data on Friday will offer more signs on how trade uncertainty is affecting the world's biggest economy. Pinterest rose 4.7 per cent after JPMorgan raised its rating to "overweight" from "neutral". Dollar General jumped 12.9 per cent as the discount retailer raised its annual sales forecast after surpassing quarterly sales expectations. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.61-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.67-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 24 new 52-week highs and 4 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 66 new highs and 41 new lows. US stock indexes have edged higher, helped by gains in Nvidia and other chipmakers, as investors awaited possible negotiations between the United States and its trading partners for more clarity on tariff plans. US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to speak this week, the White House said on Monday, days after Trump accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions. Trump's administration wants countries to provide their best offer on trade negotiations by Wednesday as officials seek to accelerate talks with multiple partners ahead of a self-imposed deadline in just five weeks, according to a draft letter to negotiating partners seen by Reuters. Trump said last week he planned to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to 50 per cent starting on Wednesday, fuelling fresh concerns among investors and hampering global stocks as they approached record highs. A softening of Trump's harsh trade stance allowed a recovery in risky assets in May, with the benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq posting their biggest monthly percentage gain since November 2023. The S&P 500 remains less than 4.0 per cent away from its record peak touched in February. "The markets are still trading with a decent level of uncertainty because they're not sure how everything's going to turn out," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management. "Having a best and final offer deadline and a framework to move forward should be positive for the markets." In early trading on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 10.40 points, or 0.02 per cent, to 42,315.12, the S&P 500 gained 10.39 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 5,946.18 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 87.28 points, or 0.46 per cent, to 19,330.74. Six of the 11 major S&P 500 sub-sectors fell. Communication services declined the most with a nearly 0.7 per cent fall. On the flip side, information technology stocks led gains with a 0.8 per cent rise, helped by a 2.7 per cent rise in Nvidia. Chipmaker Broadcom rose 2.1 per cent ahead of its results later this week. Constellation Energy rose 2.9 per cent after Meta Platforms said it had struck a power agreement with the utility's nuclear plant. It lifted other nuclear stocks such as Vistra Corp, up 4.4 per cent, GE Vernova, up 1.8 per cent, and NuScale Power, up 2.1 per cent. A US Labor Department report showed job openings increased in April but lay-offs picked up, signalling a slowing labour market as tariffs impact the economic outlook. Central bank officials including Fed Board governor Lisa Cook, Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee and Dallas president Lorie Logan are due to speak through the day. Monthly jobs data on Friday will offer more signs on how trade uncertainty is affecting the world's biggest economy. Pinterest rose 4.7 per cent after JPMorgan raised its rating to "overweight" from "neutral". Dollar General jumped 12.9 per cent as the discount retailer raised its annual sales forecast after surpassing quarterly sales expectations. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.61-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.67-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 24 new 52-week highs and 4 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 66 new highs and 41 new lows.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe breaks silence on fiancee's mysterious cruise ship death
Faster Pussycat frontman Taime Downe has opened up about his fiancee Kimberly Burch's death for the first time since she plunged over the side of a cruise ship following an alleged argument with the '80s glam rocker on March 2. 'It's a roller coaster,' Downe, 60, said during SiriusXM's Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk on Friday, May 30. 'I'm hanging in there. I'm just taking it a day at a time. 'And everybody thought going out on the road and doing what I do and being with my family in my band would be good for me,' he continued, reports the New York Post. 'So I've taken their advice and I'm doing this. We're going out with some cool bands.' Downe and Burch, 56, were on-board Royal Caribbean ship Explorer of the Seas for an '80s-themed cruise where Faster Pussycat was performing alongside other bands like Men at Work, Squeeze and Tiffany. But on the first night of the seven-day voyage, Burch fell to her death while the ship was out to sea between Miami and the Bahamas. Burch's mother told entertainment website TMZ that the tragedy happened shortly after her daughter and Downe got into a 'heated' argument and that Burch had been drinking shortly before falling overboard. Downe added that his fiancee's shocking death was 'alcohol and prescription-related' during his interview with Trunk. 'So I blame alcohol and pills on it,' he said. 'There's no way I'd touch booze. For me, that's just completely disgusting in my brain, you know what I mean?' 'So I've got some hatred for booze, 'cause I loved the hell out of Kimberly, and it was just hard to deal with,' the House of Pain singer continued. 'We spent basically nine years together.' 'This is just heavy s**t,' Downe added, 'and I'm just looking forward to playing shows and having fun'. While the Poison Ivy vocalist said that 'it is what it is,' he also admitted that it's 'good to talk about it' three months after his fiancee's disappearance and death. 'It's good to talk about it. It's good to talk about it with my friends, my close-knit friends,' he said. 'But I don't really wanna talk about it with strangers, 'cause it doesn't seem appropriate'. 'It is what it is,' Downe added. A video of the incident, which has since been obtained by investigators, reportedly showed Burch climbing the cruise ship's railing before plunging off. It is still unclear whether she purposely jumped or accidentally fell. Her body was never recovered. Her brother, Keith, exclusively told The Post in March that his family is 'lost' without Burch. 'We feel lost … We have no answers at all,' he said. 'Something happening to one of your loved ones, and not even knowing what happened — it's awful'. Her family also addressed her death in a Facebook on March 4. 'She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her,' her loved ones stated. 'We ask for prayers during this time for our family as we try to wrap our minds around this heartbreaking tragedy. 'We love and miss you, Kimberly Burch!' Meanwhile, Downe and Faster Pussycat kicked off a new tour on May 30 in Las Vegas. The band will be on the road until early July. 'I just think it'll be very therapeutic to get to see a bunch of fans and a bunch of friends across the country,' Downe said of Faster Pussycat's current tour. 'So I think it'll be helpful'.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Diddy trial descends into courtroom chaos
The trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs descended into chaos on Tuesday, US time, when a ranting member of the public was forcibly removed from the court as the music mogul looked on. 'These motherf***ers are laughing at you,' the woman was reported to have screamed before testimony began at the federal court in Downtown Manhattan. Meanwhile a security guard at a ritzy hotel has testified he buried CCTV of Combs assaulting his ex-girlfriend for $150,000 with the star telling him not to make any 'big purchases' with the windfall. Combs is on trial in New York on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Combs has denied all the charges. The trial is popular for spectators given the court is the only place to see the live testimony which is not streamed or broadcast anywhere else. The main courtroom is often full from early in the day with family members, journalists, influencers, fans and others simply interested in the case. Many queue overnight to get in. On Tuesday, after Combs entered the courtroom, a woman got up and shouted 'Diddy,' leading him to turn round. 'These motherf***ers are laughing at you,' she said. She also railed against the 'system,' reported the New York Post, before being warned by marshals to not 'do it again'. The woman was then led away before the jury came into the room. YouTuber banned from court The conduct of some in the court has become increasingly concerning for Judge Arun Subramanian. On June 2, federal prosecutors told the judge that one of the many YouTubers, who rush out of the courthouse during each break to report live on events inside, used the real name of a witness who the court demanded should remain anonymous. 'Mia' gave evidence for three days until Monday of this week. She was a former assistant to Combs and testified that the star had raped and assaulted her. She was only referred to as 'Mia' in court and court sketches didn't show her face. That YouTuber has now been banned from the case for allegedly using her real name on his transmission. Also on Tuesday, a security guard at the Los Angeles InterContinental Hotel took the stand. It was at this hotel, in March 2016, that Combs was caught on CCTV violently assaulting his then girlfriend Cassie Ventura in the corridor. Eddy Garcia, who had been given immunity from prosecution due to his testimony, said that senior Combs' staff member Kristina Khorram called hotel security shortly after the assault to see if there was 'any possible way to get a copy of the video'. 'Off the record, it's bad,' Mr Garcia said he told her. Mr Garcia told the court that he told both Ms Khorram, and later Combs himself, that only hotel management could release the CCTV. 'Eddy, my angel': Combs He testified that Combs then said 'he would take care of me' if could obtain the footage. The security guard said he went to his boss who replied he 'would do it for 50,' which was $50,000 ($A77,000). 'Eddy, my angel, I knew you could do it,' Combs said, according to Mr Garcia. But he insisted he had to have the 'only copy'. Mr Garcia then dropped off a USB with the video to an address given to him by Combs where he was requested to sign a confidentiality agreement and threatened with a $1 million penalty if he broke it. In total Combs gave him $100,000 ($A154,000) which he split with his boss and another colleague. He said the musician told him not to make any 'big purchases' with the cash.
