Defiant trans athlete AB Hernandez hits out at 'weird' protests
By OLIVER SALT
Transgender high school athlete AB Hernandez has branded protests over her inclusion in female track events 'weird' amid outrage from furious parents.
Hernandez, who is a biological male, was met with fresh scrutiny after claiming gold in the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation state finals at the end of May.
In previous meets, the 17-year-old has faced a backlash from her own competitors while storming to a number of dominant victories - with a teenage girl she beat to first place even waiting for her to get down from the top of the podium before posing up there herself.
And with the controversy showing no signs of slowing down, Hernandez has spoken out in an interview with Sacramento television station KCRA-3.
'It’s definitely crazy, I get a lot of hate comments but I’m like, "I don’t care,"' the track star said defiantly. '[I'm a] 16-year-old girl with a mad attitude. You think I’m going to care?'
She also added about the protests: 'It's just weird at this point.'
Trans athlete AB Hernandez says protests over her inclusion in female track events are 'weird'
Hernandez, who is a biological male, was met with fresh scrutiny after claiming gold in the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation state finals at the end of May
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Hernandez finished tied-first place in the varsity high jump final on May 31, when she shared top spot with female rivals Lelani Laruelle and Jillene Wetteland.
She later wrapped up the night with another first-place finish, this time sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher, after rival parents and California residents had protested against her inclusion outside the venue.
The demonstrators, who were forced to carry out their protest outside the stadium due to the CIF's rules, carried signs bearing messages of 'NO DUDES IN GIRLS SPACES' and 'NO CHILD IS BORN IN THE WRONG BODY.'
The dramatic row surrounding Hernandez's participation has sparked fury across the US, with president Donald Trump even threatening to hold back 'large scale Federal Funding' in California and blasting the state governor who he claims has continued to 'ILLEGALLY allow "MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS"'.
However, Hernandez did find some support inside the stadium when she claimed her latest victory, which was a more pleasant surprise.
'I wasn't expecting any of it to be honest. I was just expecting to go out there and compete alone, but the support was amazing,' she said. 'They really made my experience perfect. I will forever be grateful for them because they helped me get through the weekend.'
Hernandez's mother, Nereyda, has also been confronted by angry parents whose daughters are losing out on gold medals due to her child's inclusion in track meets.
Angry parents and protestors have been campaigning against the trans athlete's inclusion
In a video which recently went viral on TikTok, Nereyda was approached by another mom who questioned why she is allowing her male-born child to compete in women's sports.
'What a coward of a woman you are allowing that,' she can be heard shouting.
The parent is also heard saying: 'Your mental illness is on your son, coward.'
Yet Hernandez has heaped praise on her mom for her continued support amid the controversy.
'It means a lot,' she said. 'There's some kids out there whose parents don't accept who they are.'
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