Transgender teen wins gold, shares medals at California school athletics championships
The transgender teen shared first place with two other athletes. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY
SAN FRANCISCO - A transgender high school athlete won two gold and a silver and shared the medals with rivals under new rules aimed at tamping down controversy over her participation in the California State Track & Field Championships on May 31.
Ms AB Hernandez, 16, cleared 1.70m in the high jump with no failed attempts and shared first place with Ms Jillene Wetteland and Ms Lelani Laruelle – who each cleared the same height with one failed attempt.
They topped the podium together at the championships held in Clovis, outside of Fresno, under new rules announced this week by the California Interscholastic Federation in response to criticism of the policy that allows transgender athletes to compete in girls' events.
CIF first modified their championship entry rules so that biological females were not excluded from competition due to the participation of trans athletes.
They then issued a rule change targeting events in which Ms Hernandez had qualified to compete – high jump, long jump and triple jump – saying any 'biological female student-athlete who would have earned a specific placement on the podium will also be awarded the medal for that place' in those events.
The changes came after days of controversy that included a social media post from US President Donald Trump, who threatened to withhold future federal funding from California if Ms Hernandez was allowed to compete.
'As a female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS,' Mr Trump wrote.
'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...This is a totally ridiculous situation!!!'
The US Department of Justice has also launched an investigation into whether California has violated Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding.
On May 29, Clovis mayor Diane Pearce also called for CIF to block Ms Hernandez's participation.
During preliminary competition on May 31, a small plane circled the stadium pulling a banner that read: 'No boys in girls sports!'
About a dozen protesters outside the venue sported T-shirts and signs reading 'Save girls sports'.
Ms Hernandez shrugged off the controversy, also winning the triple jump and finishing second in the long jump.
In the triple jump, Ms Hernandez leapt 12.87m and shared gold with Ms Kira Gant Hatcher, who jumped 40 feet five inches.
Ms Loren Webster won the long jump with a jump of 6.40m. Ms Hernandez was second with 20 feet 8.75 inches and shared silver with Ms Brooke White, who jumped 19 feet 4.25 inches. AFP
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