A jaw-dropping moment at a California high school track meet is sparking outrage and reigniting fierce debate across the country.
During the CIF Southern Section Finals, Crean Lutheran’s Reese Hogan took a bold stand — literally — by stepping onto the first-place podium, even though she finished second in the triple jump.
The reason? Hogan was edged out by AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete who was born male but now competes as female.
War on women’s sports?
The debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports is tearing the nation in two. Supporters say it’s about inclusion, identity, and basic human rights — but critics warn it’s a direct threat to fairness and the integrity of women’s competition.
Now, the issue isn’t just a cultural flashpoint — it’s a political one, too. In February, former President Donald Trump took a bold stance by signing an executive order that bans transgender women from competing in female sports divisions.
Trump declared, “The war on women’s sports is over,” vowing that during the upcoming LA Olympic Games, “my administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes.”
The move, unsurprisingly, ignited a nationwide firestorm — and not every state is falling in line. Maine, for example, has openly refused to ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.
And now, a viral moment out of California has reignited the explosive debate.
The footage
At the CIF Southern Section Finals on May 18, Crean Lutheran High School’s Reese Hogan took a defiant stand.
Though she finished second in the triple jump, Hogan returned to the podium after the official ceremony and stood tall on the top spot —left empty after the event’s winner, outspoken transgender athlete AB Hernandez, exited.
The scene, captured in viral footage, quickly made the rounds online. For many, it symbolized frustration over what they see as an unfair playing field.
Hernandez, a biologically male athlete who identifies as female, dominated the competition with a jump of 41 feet, 4 inches — over four feet ahead of Hogan.
Hernandez, from Jurupa Valley High School in California, also won the long jump and placed seventh in the high jump, qualifying for the CIF Masters Meet scheduled for May 24.
The internet was quick to react.
“This guy won the girls long jump and triple jump in a CA track meet over the weekend,” wrote Jennifer Sey, founder of women’s sports advocacy group XX-XY.
“He won the triple jump by 8ft. He’s really crushing it!”
“Wow, what an accomplishment. I’m sure it had nothing to do with being a biological male,” snarked Trending Politics co-owner Colin Rugg.
Others joined in, echoing a growing wave of criticism.
“Second place is the real champion!” one person posted. “Good on her! This nonsense has to stop,” another added.
A blunt sign spotted at the meet read:
“The weakest men compete with girls, the weakest minds celebrate it.”
Another user chimed in:
“I’m sick of this. All the fight for women’s rights is now gone by the same people who fought for women’s rights in the first place.”
String of controversies
The backlash is the latest in a string of controversies tied to transgender athletes competing in women’s events. Many point to previous high-profile incidents, including one in North Carolina that left lasting consequences.
Back in 2022, 17-year-old volleyball player Payton McNabb suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a spike from a transgender player. Her mother later said:
“At the time, we weren’t allowed to speak up. We couldn’t say, ‘No, she’s not playing against a boy, it’s dangerous.’”
The McNabb case helped spur North Carolina lawmakers to pass legislation banning transgender athletes from participating on girls’ and women’s sports teams at the middle, high school, and college levels.
But not everyone is on board with that kind of policy. Over 400 current and former Olympic athletes signed a letter urging the NCAA not to enact similar bans, saying they wanted to be on the “right side of history” and asserting that sports should remain “for all.”
Meanwhile, Hernandez brushed off the outrage, calling it “ridiculous.”
“The mere fact that men compete against women is absurd,” one critic argued online. “Trans people should have their own league, and regular, normal people can have their traditional men’s and women’s sports.”
“Trans girls are girls”
But others defended the young athlete’s right to compete.
“She followed all the rules,” one user wrote. “If people don’t like it, the problem is with the rules, not with her.”
“Trans girls are girls,” another added. “Hernandez won fair and square.”
In a recent interview with Capital & Main, Hernandez opened up about the wave of backlash she’s faced during a rollercoaster track and field season — one that’s included standout finishes as well as moments where she didn’t even make the podium.
“I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person. All I thought was, ‘I don’t think you understand that this puts your idiotic claims to trash. She can’t be beat because she’s biologically male.’ Now you have no proof that I can’t be beat.”
According to Capital & Main — an award-winning nonprofit outlet covering major economic, environmental, and social issues in California — studies suggest that transgender athletes have not consistently outperformed their cisgender peers. In fact, by several metrics, transgender women were shown to be at a disadvantage compared to cisgender women.
The issue shows no sign of going away anytime soon. With more states pushing for bans and high-profile athletes weighing in on both sides, the fight over the future of women’s sports is far from settled.
And because of Reese Hogan’s silent podium protest, it just got a whole lot louder.
