Transgender High School Student Wins California Track Championship, Sparks Controversy

Trump Warns of Possible Suspension of Federal Funding

A high school track and field athlete who transitioned from male to female has become the center of controversy after winning a championship in California, according to foreign media reports.

According to the New York Times on June 1 (local time), AB Hernandez, a transgender third-year student at Jurupa Valley High School in southern California, took first place in the girls' high jump and triple jump, and second place in the long jump at the state high school track and field championship held at a high school near Fresno, in the state's south-central region, on May 31.

It is not the first time a transgender athlete has won in the United States, but the issue has gained attention after President Donald Trump criticized Hernandez's participation.

On May 28, President Trump posted on his social media account that it was inappropriate for Hernandez to be eligible to compete as a female athlete, stating, "This is unfair and completely demeaning to women. If the executive order on this issue is not enforced, large-scale federal funding may be cut off." President Trump had signed an executive order in February banning transgender athletes from participating in women's sports competitions.

AB Hernandez (center) stands on the first-place podium with two other co-champions at the high school track and field championship high jump medal ceremony held in Clovis, California, on the 31st of last month. Julia Teven, who took third place, stands on the right. Photo by AP News Agency

The U.S. Department of Justice also announced that it would investigate whether the federation and the school district to which Hernandez belongs violated federal anti-discrimination laws based on sex.

In response, the organizing body, the state high school athletic federation, allowed one additional athlete to participate in the events Hernandez entered and to receive medals. The federation also recognized the rankings that would have applied if Hernandez had not competed. As a result, although Hernandez placed first in the high jump and triple jump, she became a co-champion with other athletes at the medal ceremony.

The federation stated, "We respect all student-athletes and will continue to uphold state law, which carries the mission of providing students with a sense of belonging, solidarity, and opportunities for competition." Under California state law, enacted in 2013, students are allowed to compete in categories that align with their gender identity.