A high school girls’ volleyball match in California became a flashpoint for controversy after Riverside Poly High School’s team forfeited a game against Jurupa Valley High School, which includes trans athlete AB Hernandez on its roster. The match, scheduled for August 15, was called off by Riverside Poly, sparking debates over transgender athletes in girls’ sports.
Riverside Poly released a statement expressing disappointment over the decision but emphasized the need to maintain a safe and positive environment for all student-athletes. However, parents revealed to local media that the forfeit was linked to Hernandez’s participation and was ordered by school officials, not the students themselves.
Amanda Vickers, a Riverside school board member, defended the move, referencing a past incident where a North Carolina girl was injured in a match involving a transgender athlete. She stated the forfeit was to protect players’ safety and fairness.
Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda, pushed back strongly at a school board meeting, asserting her daughter was not the problem, but rather outside groups were using fear and religion to divide families. She said the issue was less about sports and more about the erasure of transgender children.
AB Hernandez has endured ongoing hostility, including loud heckling by adults at a recent track meet and protests at sporting events with “Save Girls Sports” shirts, which school officials equate to hate symbols. She described herself simply as a normal kid who enjoys sports, frustrated by the negative perceptions.
The matter has grown into a national political issue, with former President Donald Trump threatening to cut funding to California schools that allow transgender athletes in girls’ sports and his administration filing lawsuits claiming unfairness to female athletes.
For Hernandez’s mother, the political noise only complicates life. She insists that her daughter deserves to play sports equally and that their fight will continue despite the challenges and opposition.
