A trans athlete won in California. Her peers cheered – and exposed the truth

[Jessica_Rose]

A trans athlete won in California. Her peers cheered – and exposed the truth.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/a-trans-athlete-won-in-california-her-peers-cheered-and-exposed-the-truth-opinion/ar-AA1FYR7S?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=f76a588c16264f30e585e88380529390&ei=107

Opinion by Sara Pequeño (3 June 2025)

Over the weekend, California held its state high school track and field meet.

But this event was different. That's because of the participation of AB Hernandez, a 16-year-old transgender girl who in recent days has been the focus of national attention after President Donald Trump threatened to cut funding to the state if it allowed a trans girl to compete in categories that aligned with her gender.

The threat led event organizers to change the rules of the meet, allowing the athlete who finished behind Hernandez to share the podium with her. In a scenario almost designed to single out Hernandez, she and her competitors made the most of it.

Hernandez shared first place in the high jump and triple jump, as well as second in the long jump. While some heckled her as she competed, they were drowned out by cheers.

In 2022, Olympian and Stanford swimmer Brooke Forde released a statement about swimming against University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who is trans. You might remember how Riley Gaines, one of the women who competed against Thomas, made an entire career out of complaining about her fellow competitor...

However, I think Forde's opinion on the matter deserved, and failed to receive, equal attention.

"I believe that treating people with respect and dignity is more important than any trophy or record will ever be, which is why I will not have a problem racing against Lia at NCAAs this year," Forde said in a statement her father read in a sports podcast.