California Trans Athlete Wins Girls’ Track Amid Federal Investigation

At the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Final, transgender athlete AB Hernandez won both the long jump and triple jump, sparking controversy among female competitors. Katie McGuinness of La Canada High School, who finished second in the long jump, expressed frustration over competing against Hernandez, citing genetic advantages that biological males have over females. McGuinness described feeling discouraged after narrowly missing her goal of winning a CIF title and emphasized her belief that the competition was not on a level playing field. In the triple jump, Crean Lutheran High's Reese Hogan also placed behind Hernandez and symbolically took the first-place podium spot after the trans athlete stepped down, an act that went viral and drew support from anti-trans activists. Both McGuinness and Hogan conveyed respect for Hernandez's talent but underscored their view that he should compete in boys' divisions due to inherent physical advantages. This event has become a new focal point in the ongoing debate over transgender athletes in girls' sports, highlighting the tensions between fairness in competition and inclusion policies.