A federal civil rights lawsuit filed last week accuses California education officials and the Jurupa Unified School District of violating Title IX by allowing a transgender student to compete on girls’ volleyball and track teams, and to access female locker rooms and facilities. The plaintiffs, three Jurupa Valley High School athletes, say the district failed to protect female athletes after AB Hernandez joined the teams as a female athlete and accessed female facilities. The suit names the California Department of Education, the California Interscholastic Federation and Jurupa Unified School District as defendants and identifies Hernandez as a transgender student represented in the case by CNN’s reporting.
The complaint, filed on behalf of Madison McPherson, Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh by Advocates for Faith and Freedom, claims defendants knowingly permitted a male student to compete on the JVHS varsity girls’ track and field and volleyball teams, to access female locker rooms and bathrooms, and to engage in harassing conduct toward female athletes. The plaintiffs say Hernandez’s presence on the girls teams and in their locker rooms infringes on their religious freedoms. The lawsuit asserts that Hernandez laughed after injuring opponents during a volleyball game, boasting about causing concussions and displaying a strength to hit balls “at a force greater than most female athletes.” It alleges that Hernandez lacked the skill to consistently control her hits and, on multiple occasions, struck opponents in the head with the ball. A coach’s instruction to limit hitting to the back row allegedly went unheeded, with the suit contending Hernandez attacked from the front row with force far exceeding what the girls were expected to display.
The plaintiffs also describe unwanted physical contact and inappropriate remarks that made them uncomfortable. The two students, Madison and Alyssa McPherson, identify as practicing Catholics who hold that God created human beings as male and female and that gender is a fixed characteristic. Hazameh, a practicing Muslim, cannot expose her hair or body to men, the lawsuit notes, and the plaintiffs say they object to sharing locker rooms with members of the opposite sex and to participating on teams that include members of the opposite sex. Advocates for Faith and Freedom says the girls have faced unfair athletic competition, safety risks, sexual harassment and deprivation of equal educational opportunities as a result of the circumstances described in the filing.
Robert Tyler, the nonprofit’s president and chief counsel, said in a press release that the plaintiffs’ daughters are being denied fair play and subjected to sexual harassment “all because California insists on putting radical gender ideology ahead of common sense and safety.” The complaint contends Hernandez has competed in sports with and against women since 2022, and the girls’ legal team asserts the district did not take adequate steps to address the situation.
The case comes as part of a larger debate over transgender student-athlete participation in sex-segregated sports. California has allowed trans students to participate in sex-segregated school programs, including sports, that align with their gender identity since 2013. Hernandez has publicly discussed the situation with media outlets, noting both her desire to compete and the challenges she has faced from critics. In interviews, she has described herself as a normal student trying to focus on school and sports, and she has acknowledged that crowds have gathered around the controversy and protests have accompanied some events.
In interviews with Capital & Main, Hernandez said she could not control others’ actions but could focus on her own performance, adding that she is still a minor and that adults who criticize her behavior are contributing to a difficult situation. She has acknowledged losing at events and has spoken about the pressures she faces from opponents and from protesters who have attended competitions. Her mother has spoken to media outlets about the family’s perspective, saying she initially did not understand the transition but has come to support her child and those who have stood by her, while acknowledging the broader emotional strain this issue places on families and schools.
The lawsuit also intersects with national politics surrounding transgender participation in sports. Earlier this year, former President Donald Trump criticized California officials over the issue, condemning the state’s policies and threatening to withhold federal funds under an executive order aimed at keeping men from competing in women’s sports. Trump’s rhetoric framed the debate as a national confrontation over gender identity and fairness in athletics, highlighting how state policies on transgender participation have become a flashpoint in broader political contests.
The defendants have not publicly responded to the suit in detail, and the case now proceeds through the U.S. court system. The plaintiffs are seeking relief under Title IX, arguing that the district and state agencies failed to uphold protections against sex-based discrimination and to provide equal educational opportunities. The suit also contends that the policies at issue heighten safety risks for female athletes and create an environment that undermines their right to compete on a level playing field.
As the legal process unfolds, the families and advocates involved in the case say their aim is to ensure compliance with existing civil rights laws while safeguarding the safety and opportunities of female athletes. The complaint emphasizes the impact of the dispute on the girls’ education and athletic experiences, portraying it not only as a matter of competition but also of equal protection and safety under the law.