A high school competition devolved into a “public humiliation ritual for girls” as a blue state’s opposition to Title IX protections made for an absurd award ceremony.
Since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, he and his administration have worked to right many of the woke wrongs committed by his predecessor, including the spread of gender ideology. Saturday, despite already being slapped with a Justice Department lawsuit, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) once again sought to skirt Title IX by allowing the top-finishing girl to share the gold medal podium with the victorious boy masquerading as female.
Taking the top spot in the CIF Southern Section finals for long jump and triple jump, male athlete AB Hernandez was seen atop the podium as Katie McGuinness and Reese Hogan, the girl athletes who would have won the respective finals, were given the opportunity to stand beside him.
“If you have to create a shared podium for the boy competing in the girls’ event, you’ve already admitted you know he isn’t a girl and that his participation is unfair,” wrote former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who herself had to contend with male athlete Leah Thomas being permitted to compete against women.
“At that point, you’re just seeking a public humiliation ritual for girls,” added Gaines as Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett (R) reacted, “I just threw up.”
I just threw up. https://t.co/YEKtw56abt
— Tim Burchett (@timburchett) May 17, 2026
Prior to the competition, the CIF reintroduced a pilot program used in the 2025 state finals, allowing for shared podiums, and told parents in a May 16 letter, “The CIF values all our student-athletes, and we will continue to uphold our mission in providing students the opportunity to belong, connect and compete, while competing with California law and education code.”
As previously reported, the decision by the California Department of Education (CDE) and CIF against compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s call for enforcement of Title IX — which gave Hernandez the opportunity to win two state titles — resulted in a lawsuit from the Justice Department.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said at the time, “Title IX was enacted over half a century ago to protect women and girls from discrimination. The Justice Department will not stand for policies that deprive girls of their hard-earned athletic trophies and ignore their safety on the field and in private spaces.”
“Young women should not have to sacrifice their rights to compete for scholarships, opportunities, and awards on the altar of woke gender ideology,” she added.
As a result of the latest victories at the Southern Section, Hernandez would next compete at the CIF preliminaries on May 23, ahead of another possible spot at the two-day state finals beginning May 29. Meanwhile, reactions continue to pour in with outrage that common sense has yet to prevail in saving girls’ sports, including musician John Rich, who wrote on X, “This is probably one of the most abusive things you could do to a young woman. Minimize her accomplishments, force her to stand and smile, and pretend it’s all ok…This is psychological abuse on display.”
This is probably one of the most abusive things you could do to a young woman. Minimize her accomplishments, force her to stand and smile, and pretend it’s all ok…This is psychological abuse on display.
— John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) May 17, 2026
What a terrible decision by the far woke leftist idiots. Creating even a space sharing the podium with the true female winner is showing How out of touch they are. This male and other males in female sports should be stopped now. A mental illness perpetuated as normal.
— barry (@barry61330314) May 18, 2026
I feel sorry for the boy. What sort of parents would allow their child to be humiliated in such a fashion? At some point someone has to realize that this is child abuse and say “STOP!”.
— Ed Hillenbrand (@EdHillenbrand) May 17, 2026
It’s all so wrong. He should have never been allowed to compete with these young ladies.
Another reason to never support Newscum or honestly any democrat. I’m so over this insanity.— jenifer rooke (@mygodshot) May 17, 2026
Why isn’t Hernandez mortified to stand there as if he actually won something?
They modified the podium because of him.
That modification is acknowledgement that he is not a girl and he stole that medal. pic.twitter.com/FgzCjrf19z
— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) May 17, 2026
ATTENTION MODERATE DEMOCRATS:
This is what your party leadership has wrought, all because you either weren’t paying attention or you partook in the social contagion of the syndrome of hating the other side so much that you just didn’t want to admit how utterly wrong this is.… https://t.co/Z86UQwyMAA
— Scott Alan Meyers For Congress (@ScottAMeyersLA) May 17, 2026
A girl, who worked and trained hard for a podium spot, shouldn’t really be sharing it with a boy who puts on lots of makeup and thinks he’s a girl. Adults, who allow this, stop this. You have to know he is not a girl, nor will he ever be one. The rest of us do.
— Christy Hunter (@ChristyHun84655) May 17, 2026
— Ben Everson (@BenEverson40168) May 17, 2026
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
- High school competition devolves into ‘public humiliation ritual for girls: ‘I just threw up’ - May 18, 2026
- Charming town shaken after police install hidden AI monitoring cameras - May 18, 2026
- C-SPAN caller claims to be 3-time Trump voter, now says he’s seen the light of a Hitler-like brainwasher - May 18, 2026
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.