SACROMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s High School Sports Management Board is changing competition rules at the state’s athletics championships this weekend, allowing more girls to participate amid a controversy over trans student-athletes’ participation.
The Inter-Calif. Federation of Governances has said it is expanding access for more “biological women” athletes to participate in championship competitions. The group announced the changes on Tuesday after President Donald Trump Posted on his social media site About transathletes taking part in the contest.
“Under this pilot entry process, biological female student athletes who won one next qualifying mark for the automatic section qualifying entries at the CIF State Championships and did not achieve the CIF State’s large mark in the finals at the section tournament have expanded their opportunities to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships.” “CIF believes that this pilot entry process will achieve opportunities for participation that will give student-athletes plenty of room.”
This move takes place amid the national battle Transgender youth rights State states restrict transgender girls from joining women’s sports teams. Gender-affirming surgeries for minors were prohibited and parents had to be notified if the child changed pronouns at school. At least 24 states have book laws that prohibit transgender women and girls from participating in sports competitions for certain women or girls. Some policies have been blocked in court.
a Recent AP-NORC public theory It turns out that about seven in 10 adults in the US believe that transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women’s sports at high school, college or occupational levels. That view was shared by about nine of the 10 Republicans and about half of the Democrats.
The federation did not specify whether the changes would apply to all events or to only events in which Transathletes competed in the finals. This change applies only to competitions this weekend. The organization did not say how many students are expected to be affected by the change.
The change in the rules could be the first attempt nationwide by high school sports governing bodies to expand competition when trans-athletes are involved.
Trump threatens to withdraw federal funds
Trump threatened to withdraw federal funds in California on Tuesday if the state did not ban trans students from participating in women’s sports. This post referenced Ab Hernandez, a trans athlete who competes in girls’ track and field and will compete in the state finals in the women’s national team triple jump, high jump and long jump. According to the results of the CIF, she won the Division 3 Girls Long Jump and the Girls Triple Jump, finishing in the High Jump on May 19th.
“This is not fair, it’s completely despicable for women and girls,” Trump writes about the true society.
Trump too Criticized the Democratic governor of Maine After she said, the state will take the president to court about his efforts to prevent the Trans Girls from competing in women’s sports.
Trump administration The investigation has begun Earlier this year, over California law that says that if a student changes gender identity at a school, districts cannot notify their parents to teachers and staff.
Newsom praises the change
Recently California Governor Gavin Newsom I said on his podcast It is “deeply unfair” for transgender girls to participate in women’s sports. Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a guest on the podcast, specifically referred to Hernandez when asking Newsom about the issue.
Trump said he was going to talk to Newsom about it on Tuesday. The governor’s office did not confirm the phone, but said that changing rules for the Inter-Calif. Governance Federation was a “thoughtful approach.”
“The proposed CIF pilot is a rational and respectful way to navigate complex issues without compromising competitive fairness. It’s a model worth pursuing,” Newsmom spokesman Izzy Gerdon said.
Sofia Lawley, along with the conservative California Family Council, protesting Hernandez, who competes in women’s sports, said the change in the rules was “damage control.”
“The girl who was unfairly eliminated suddenly returned to the state this weekend,” Laurie said. “This is a step in the right direction, but let’s become reality. This should never happen. Boys don’t belong to women’s sports.”
California Democratic lawmakers I blocked my bill last month It would have banned transgender girls from participating in women’s sports.
Athletes and district answers
Parents and conservative supporters against transgender girls competing in women’s sports criticized Hernandez for taking part in and took the athletes during the postseason competition.
After losing to Hernandez in the sectional final in a long jump, LaCagnada High School’s Katy McGuinness urged the CIF to change its policy quickly. Interview with Fox News.
“I have nothing as a person for this athlete, nothing for the trans community,” McGuinness said. “My message today is actually to be specific to the CIF and to them act quickly and timely, because this is a really time-sensitive issue.”
Hernandez He spoke to the publication Capital & Main Earlier this month, she focuses on what she has control in response to verbal attacks from adults saying, “There’s nothing I can do about people’s behavior.”
“I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and behaving like a child shows how you’re like a person,” she said.
In an email, Hernandez’s mother declined to comment on the changes to rules on Tuesday.
The Jurupa Unified School District, which includes a high school in Hernandez in Southern California, said it continues to follow state law by allowing trans student-athletes to compete on sports teams that match their gender identity.
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Associated Press journalists Janie Har of San Francisco and Darlene Superville of Washington contributed.
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Austin is a legional member of the Associated Press/Report’s American State University News Initiative. American Report It is a non-profit, national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms and reports on secret issues. Follow Austin on X: @sophiedanna
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