Latest news with #ABHernandez
The Independent
23 minutes ago
- General
- The Independent
California track-and-field championships draw limited protest over trans student's participation
A transgender teen will compete in the California high school track-and-field finals on Saturday, one day after advancing in the competition as a protest plane circled above the meet drew national attention, including criticism from President Donald Trump. AB Hernandez — a trans student who on Friday advanced in the girls high jump, long jump and triple jump — will be in the finals Saturday, competing under a new rule change that may be the first of its kind nationally by a high school sports governing body. The new California Interscholastic Federation announced the new policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez's success. According to the policy, the CIF will let an additional student compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified. The two-day championship kicked off in the sweltering heat at high school near Fresno. The atmosphere was relatively quiet Friday despite critics — including parents, conservative activists and President Donald Trump — calling for Hernandez to be barred from girls competition leading up to the meet. There was some pushback Friday. A group of fewer than 10 people gathered outside the stadium ahead of the meet to protest Hernandez's participation. Some of them wore 'Save Girls' Sports' T-shirts. At one point as Hernandez was attempting a high jump, someone in the stands yelled an insult. An aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour during the events, carrying a banner that read, 'No Boys in Girls' Sports!' Two groups, the Independent Council on Women's Sports and Women Are Real, that oppose transgender athletes participating in women's sports took credit for flying the banner. Separately, one person was arrested outside the competition on Friday after getting in a confrontation with another protester that turned physical, according to the Clovis Police Department. The rest of the night ran smoothly for Hernandez, who finished the triple jump with a mark close to 41 feet (13 meters), nearly 10 inches (25 centimeters) ahead of her closest competitor, San Francisco Bay Area junior Kira Gant Hatcher. Hernandez also led in the long jump with a mark close to 20 feet (6 meters) to advance to the final. She advanced in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 5 inches (1.7 meters) with ease. She did not address the press. California at center of national debate The CIF rule change reflects efforts to find a middle ground in the debate over trans girls' participation in youth sports. 'The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law,' the group said in a statement after announcing its rule change. A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women's sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats. The federation announced the rule change after Trump threatened this week to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls teams. The CIF said it decided on the change before then. The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the state federation and the district that includes Hernandez's high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law by allowing trans girls to compete in girls sports. Some California Republicans also weighed in, with several state lawmakers attending a news conference to criticize the federation for keeping Hernandez in the competition and a Republican gubernatorial candidate planning to attend Saturday's finals. California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity. The federation said the rule would open the field to more 'biological female' athletes. One expert said the change may itself be discriminatory because it creates an extra spot for 'biological female' athletes but not for other trans athletes. The federation did not specify how they define 'biological female' or how they would verify whether a competitor meets that definition. Hernandez told the publication Capital & Main earlier this month that she couldn't worry about critics. 'I'm still a child, you're an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person,' she said. Another student breaks a record California's state championship stands out from that of other states because of the number of competitors athletes are up against to qualify. The state had the second-largest number of students participating in outdoor track and field in the nation during the 2023-2024 school year, behind Texas, according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Olympians Marion Jones and Tara Davis-Woodhall previously set state championship records in the long jump in 1993 and 2017, respectively, both surpassing 22 feet (6.7 meters). The boys 100-meter dash heats were also a highlight Friday. Junior Jaden Jefferson of De La Salle High School in Concord finished in 10.01 seconds, about .2 seconds faster than a meet record set in 2023. Jefferson's time won't count as a record unless he can replicate his results in the final. ___
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
California Transgender Athlete Met With Plane Banner at Event
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. On Friday, a 17-year-old transgender athlete AB Hernandez secured their place in the finals of three events at a competition for California school children while campaign groups flew a banner that read "No Boys in Girls' Sports!" over the event. Newsweek contacted the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), which organized the competition, for comment on Saturday via telephone and voicemail message outside of regular office hours. Why It Matters The transgender debate in the United States escalated during the 2024 presidential election cycle, as President Donald Trump pledged to minimize transgender athletes' participation in sports that don't match their biological sex. One of his first executive orders mandated that the government only recognize the existence of two sexes—male and female—which he said are "not changeable." Trump took an interest in the California school competition posting earlier this week on Truth Social that California Governor Gavin Newsom, who he branded "Newscum," was illegally allowing "MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS" and threatening to withhold federal funding. The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday announced it is launching an investigation into California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the CIF regarding transgender participation in girls' sports in the state. Over the past few years, a number of sports organizations have introduced bans on transgender participation in women's events including World Athletics, the U.K. Athletics Federation and World Aquatics. What To Know On Friday, Hernandez, who was born a biological male, won preliminary heats in the high jump, long jump and triple jump at a California track and field state championship preliminary competition in Clovis, securing their position in Saturday's finals. During the event, a banner reading "NO BOYS IN GIRLS' SPORTS!" was flown over Buchanan High School's Veterans Memorial Stadium by a small aircraft in a protest organized by the Women Are Real and Independent Council on Women's Sports campaign groups. Plane flies 'No Boys in Girls' Sports' banner at California track and field state championship. AB Hernandez, a boy, will compete in the girls' high jump, triple jump, and long jump finals tomorrow. Great work by @WomenAreReals and @icons_women 🙌🏼 — Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) May 31, 2025 There was also an altercation, with the Clovis Police Department telling Fox News Digital that one person, who they identified as an LGBTQ+ activist, was arrested after allegedly smashing a car window using a flag pole after which pepper spray was deployed. In response to criticism earlier this week, the CIF said it was expanding the pool of competitors and would also give a medal to any "biological female" who lost a medal to a transgender competitor. Transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley leaves the track during the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium on May 30 in Clovis, California. Transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley leaves the track during the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium on May 30 in Clovis, California. Kirby Lee/AP What People Are Saying In a press release the Independent Council on Women's Sport said: "California is beginning to reap the consequences of defying federal law and brazenly harming girls. "How long will Governor Newsom and legislators in this state continue to prioritize granting a few boys the right to take opportunities and recognition away from girls? Not one single boy should ever be in girls' sports. It's the easiest problem in the world to solve—and the most brazen public 'screw you' to female athletes by Democrat leadership." On X, formerly Twitter, former college athlete Riley Gaines, who campaigns against transgender participation in women's sports, wrote: "Plane flies 'No Boys in Girls' Sports' banner at California track and field state championship. AB Hernandez, a boy, will compete in the girls' high jump, triple jump, and long jump finals tomorrow. Great work by WomenAreReal and Independent Council on Women's Sports." In a previous interview with California news outlet Capital & Main, AB Hernandez said: "There's nothing I can do about people's actions, just focus on my own. I'm still a child, you're an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person." Earlier this week on Truth Social, President Donald Trump wrote: "This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won 'everything,' and is now qualified to compete in the 'State Finals' next weekend. As a Male, he was a less than average competitor. As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable." He added: "THIS IS NOT FAIR AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS...I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals. This is a totally ridiculous situation!!!" What Happens Next? Finals for the California track and field state championship events are due to take place on Saturday. If Hernandez wins any of the three events they are taking part in, it is likely to renew controversy around their participation.
CNN
4 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
‘Well, we all are going to die': GOP Senator defends Medicaid cuts in heated town hall
GOP senator pressed on Medicaid in heated town hall GOP Sen. Joni Ernst faced concerns from town hall attendees over potential cuts to Medicaid and SNAP programs as a result of President Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill, saying at one point, 'Well, we all are going to die,' and insisting that those who are eligible for Medicaid will continue to receive payments. 01:12 - Source: CNN Fareed Zakaria breaks down Trump's tariff battle CNN's Fareed Zakaria breaks down what's going on with President Donald Trump's battle with the Supreme Court over tariffs. 00:58 - Source: CNN Hear from the athlete at center of Trump threat on trans sports If high school track standout A.B. Hernandez competes at the state championship, California's federal funding may be in doubt. President Donald Trump has promised to cut the funds if the transgender teen is allowed to compete. CNN's Julia Vargas Jones reports. 02:07 - Source: CNN President Trump's timeline for things seems to almost always be 'in two weeks' President Donald Trump told reporters it will take about 'two weeks' to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the war in Ukraine. That two week timeline, CNN's Abby Phillip says, is a familiar one. 01:48 - Source: CNN President Trump is on a pardoning spree President Donald Trump used his pardon power to grant clemency to a wave of individuals who had been convicted of crimes that range from public corruption, guns and even maritime-related offenses, according to multiple officials. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports. 00:53 - Source: CNN Trump responds to Wall Street term 'TACO': Trump Always Chickens Out President Donald Trump was asked about "TACO," an acronym that means "Trump Always Chickens Out," which is used by Wall Street workers for his on-and-off approach to tariffs. Calling it "the nastiest question," Trump defended his tariff policy by calling it "negotiation." 01:13 - Source: CNN Harvard students and faculty speak out against Trump Harvard students and faculty spoke to CNN ahead of commencement as Donald Trump said the university should cap foreign enrollment. The Trump administration has recently sought to cancel $100 million in contracts with the school. 02:03 - Source: CNN Trump says new Russia sanctions could hurt peace talks President Donald Trump expressed concern that levying new sanctions against Russia in response to their continued strikes in Ukraine could jeopardize peace talks between the two nations. 00:51 - Source: CNN Trump voter may lose his job because of Trump policies CNN's John King visits one of the country's top targets of the 2026 midterms — Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District — and speaks to a Trump voter who is in danger of being laid off due to the President's tariffs. 01:11 - Source: CNN He voted for the first time at 55. Hear why CNN's John King visits one of the country's top targets of the 2026 midterms — Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District — and hears why, at 55, one man felt compelled to vote in a presidential election for the first time in his life. 01:04 - Source: CNN DEI leader: Trump's agenda 'instills fear' CNN's John King visits one of the country's top targets of the 2026 midterms — Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District — where a leader of a DEI program tells him what she's doing to prepare for possible funding cuts. 00:48 - Source: CNN NYC Mayor Eric Adams defends Trump relationship New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks with CNN's Maria Santana about his controversial relationship with President Donald Trump, which has garnered close attention after the Department of Justice recommended his criminal charges be dropped. 01:07 - Source: CNN Trump directs federal agencies to cancel Harvard contracts The White House is directing federal agencies to cancel all remaining contracts with Harvard University – about $100 million in all, two senior Trump administration officials told CNN – the latest barb against the school as it refuses to bend to the White House's barrage of policy demands amid a broader politically charged assault on US colleges. 01:15 - Source: CNN Finland's president responds to Russian military activity along border CNN's Erin Burnett speaks with Finland's President Alexander Stubb about his country ramping up its military to deter potential Russian aggression. 02:16 - Source: CNN Trump pardons reality TV couple Todd and Julie Chrisley President Donald Trump has signed full pardons for imprisoned reality show couple Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in 2022 for a conspiracy to defraud banks out of more than $30 million, according to a White House official. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports. 01:07 - Source: CNN Trump: 'I don't know what the hell happened to Putin' Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, President Donald Trump said that he was 'not happy with what Putin is doing', after Moscow launched its largest aerial attack of its three-year full-scale war on Ukraine overnight. 00:50 - Source: CNN Trump visits Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day President Donald Trump honors fallen service members at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day. 00:27 - Source: CNN Johnson pressed on Medicaid cuts in spending bill CNN's Jake Tapper asks House Speaker Mike Johnson about who will lose Medicaid under President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'. Johnson defends the proposed cuts and argues the changes target "waste, fraud and abuse." 01:30 - Source: CNN Is the U.S. on the brink of fiscal crisis? President Trump's economic agenda is expected to add nearly $4 trillion to the US national debt. CNN's Phil Mattingly breaks down what that could mean for the economy. 01:48 - Source: CNN
New York Times
4 hours ago
- General
- New York Times
What We Know About the Conflict Over a Trans Athlete in a California Track Meet
A transgender girl in California qualified for this week's state high school track and field meet, and her inclusion in the two-day event has angered people who do not believe that trans girls should compete in girls' events. They believe that trans girls hold a physical advantage and say that allowing them to take part is unfair. Her participation has fueled a political debate that has reached the White House: President Trump has threatened to pull federal funding from the state if it lets the trans girl, AB Hernandez, compete at the meet. Civil rights advocates have denounced the threat as bullying behavior. Now the eyes of the president, the governor, conservative activists and transgender rights groups will be on the meet, which began Friday in Clovis, near Fresno. It's arguably the most competitive high school track and field meet in the nation. Here's what to know: What events is the trans girl competing in? Hernandez qualified for the meet in three events: the high jump, the long jump and the triple jump. On Friday, she finished as the top qualifier in all three events and advanced to Saturday's finals. There, medals typically go to the top nine athletes. She is one of the favorites in the long jump and the triple jump. What is the gist of the debate? People who are against trans girls' competing in girls' events believe that those athletes hold unfair advantages over other competitors. Athletes who were born male, they say, have a physiological edge — including muscle mass and bone length — that they retain even after their transition. They think that physical edge makes it harder for all girls to have an equal chance at making teams, qualifying for meets and winning. In California, trans girls have had the right to compete in girls' events since 2013, when a law was passed that said students could participate in school sports in the category that matched their gender identity. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Transgender teenager sparks Donald Trump fury after thrashing female track rivals
A transgender high-school athlete shrugged off protests and heated criticism from Donald Trump to reach the finals of multiple events at California's state championships on Friday. AB Hernandez, 16, was the top qualifier for Saturday's finals in the girls' long jump and girls' high jump at the California State Track & Field Championships in Clovis, outside of Fresno. Her triple jump measured 41 feet – nearly 10 inches further than her closest rival. Hernandez's participation at the meeting has been the subject of intense controversy, with the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) scrambling to adjust competition rules this week as anger grew on all sides. On Friday, 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'. On Tuesday, CIF officials announced that entry rules had been modified so that biological females were not excluded from competition because of the participation of trans athletes. A day later, CIF issued another rule change – specifically targeting events in which Hernandez was qualified to compete – which mandates that any athlete who misses out on a podium finish behind a trans athlete would still receive a medal. 'If necessary, in the high jump, triple jump and long jump events at the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships, a biological female student-athlete who would have earned a specific placement on the podium will also be awarded the medal for that place and the results will be reflected in the recording of the event,' the federation announced in a statement. The last-minute rule changes came after days of controversy which have included Hernandez being targeted by Trump on social media. The US president, who did not mention Hernandez by name, threatened to withhold federal funding from California in future if she was allowed to compete in this week's championships, which got underway on Friday with finals due on Saturday. 'As a female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS,' 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 is a totally ridiculous situation!!!' Trump's comment was followed by an announcement from the US Department of Justice that it had launched an investigation into whether California had violated Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding. Hernandez's mother, Nereyda, responded on Instagram and said: 'Hate has no place in leadership and NO child, ESPECIALLY not MINE, should become the target of a national campaign of cruelty just because they are different. We need a president who protects ALL children, not just the ones that fit a political narrative. 'We must choose unity over division, love over hate, and humanity over politics. 'My child is not a threat; SHE IS LIGHT!!! As AB's mother, I will continue to stand by her, proudly fiercely, and unconditionally.' Local and state officials have also criticised Hernandez's participation, calling for the teenager to be prevented from competing. At a press conference on Thursday, Clovis mayor Diane Pearce called for CIF to block Hernandez's participation following their rule amendments earlier in the week. 'Today, I call on CIF to do the right thing. Updates one and two were not enough, but the third time can be the charm,' Pearce said. 'CIF still has a chance to make it right by removing biological males from girls' sports.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
