The mother of transgender high school track athlete AB Hernandez claimed that a policy from the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) rendered her child “invisible” by forcing her to share the winner's podium with other athletes. Nereyda Hernandez spoke about the issue at the San Francisco Pride Summit on Thursday, expressing her disappointment with the CIF's decision to award first-place honors to biological female athletes who finished behind AB.
"Of course I’m going to be upset," Hernandez said. "AB put in all the work, all the hours after school, and she got put aside. It was heartbreaking. I knew it hurt her, because she’s physically there but she’s kind of invisible."
The CIF policy, implemented in 2025, was established to address controversies surrounding transgender athletes competing in women's sports. This issue had previously drawn attention from former President Trump, who stated he would withhold federal funding from California if it continued to allow transgender athletes in women's sports.
AB, who graduated in May, competed for Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County and secured top finishes in several events last month. Her participation in these events led to protests from individuals advocating for the "Save Girl’s Sports" initiative, carrying signs that read, "No boys. No bias. Just fairness."
Regarding the protests, AB stated last month that she was unfazed. "I don’t care," the athlete said. "Track is a very singular sport; it teaches you to rely on yourself. Once you’re on the track, you just stay focused on the track."
