20-05-2025
After Trans athlete's victory, crowd cheers second-place girl as ‘Real Champion'
At a recent high school track meet in California, 16-year-old
Reese Hogan
finished second in the girls' triple jump, and set a new personal and school record. The first-place spot went to
AB Hernandez
, a transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley.
While Hernandez was awarded the top position, many in the crowd applauded Hogan as the "real champion." After the podium ceremony, Hogan briefly stood on the first-place platform for a photo, smiling proudly.
Her quiet protest sparked strong reactions online, especially from people who believe girls' sports should be limited to athletes assigned female at birth.
What's the Protect Girls' Sports movement
The Protect Girls' Sports movement is an effort aimed at safeguarding fair competition and equal opportunities for female athletes in school and professional sports.
It focuses on ensuring that girls' sports teams remain reserved for athletes who were assigned female at birth, based on biological differences that impact performance. Advocates argue that this protection is necessary to maintain a level playing field, prevent unfair advantages, and preserve the integrity of women's sports.
The movement also highlights the importance of supporting girls' participation in athletics, promoting their physical and mental well-being, and celebrating their achievements in a space designed specifically for them.
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Undo
Support grows online
After the event, Hogan received praise on social media, including from former NCAA swimmer and activist
Riley Gaines
. Gaines, who is known for speaking out on transgender athletes in women's sports, posted, 'Congrats to Reese Hogan, the REAL champ!' She and others shared the video of Hogan stepping onto the top podium once Hernandez had walked away, calling it a bold but respectful move.
Tensions rise over the protest
This isn't Hogan's first quiet protest. Just days earlier, she and several other girls wore 'Protect Girls Sports' shirts at a track prelim event.
Officials told them to remove the shirts immediately before competing. According to the athletes, the request felt forceful and unfair, especially since other students wearing non-school shirts were not treated the same way. The girls complied to avoid being disqualified.
Event officials respond
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) later confirmed that the shirt removal incident happened. They said all athletes must wear school-issued uniforms during competitions.
However, witnesses claimed that only the girls wearing the 'Protect Girls Sports' shirts were asked to remove them, raising questions about equal treatment and free expression.
Despite the controversy, Hernandez now qualifies for the
CIF Masters Meet
. Meanwhile, the debate about fairness in girls' sports continues to grow across the country. For many, Reese Hogan's quiet stand has made her more than just an athlete — she's become a symbol in a much larger conversation.
The incident at the CIF Southern Section Finals, where Reese Hogan, a 16-year-old high school athlete, posed on the first-place podium after finishing second to a transgender athlete, has ignited a broader conversation about
fairness in women's sports
. Hogan's symbolic gesture, though controversial, underscores a growing concern among female athletes regarding the inclusion of transgender women in women's competitions. While it's essential to support and respect transgender athletes, it's equally important to ensure that the integrity and fairness of women's sports are maintained.
