Trump threatens entire state with fines after trans athlete wins track and field championship
Donald Trump is hitting out at one particular state who allegedly ignored his request regarding trans people in women's sports.
The POTUS has made his feelings about transgender athletes competing in women's sports very clear, and even signed an executive order banning those born biologically male from competing in women's sports.
Part of the controversial order read: "In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports. This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports."
But several US states have been been taking a stand against the order, Illinois included. Just last month, the Illinois High School Association argued that the order was breaching the state's Human Rights Act.
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Now California has followed suit and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has made a series of changes to its rules in recent days that allows trans students to take part.
The new ruling adds: "A biological female student-athlete who would have earned a specific placement on the podium will also be awarded the medal for that place and the results will be reflected in the recording of the event."
These changes came ahead of AB Hernandez, a transgender student athlete for Jurupa Valley High School, competing in the California State Track & Field Championships in Clovis over the weekend.
Hernandez came in first in both the girls' high jump and triple jump. Loren Webster was the only female to beat Hernandez who came in first in the long jump.
Following the CIF's new rules, female athletes who finished behind Hernandez were all moved up a spot and received the medal they would have earned had the trans athlete not competed, Fox News reported.
In light of Hernandez's success, Trump has issued a scathing message on Truth Social.
He penned on June 3: "A Biological Male competed in California Girls State Finals, WINNING BIG, despite the fact that they were warned by me not to do so."
Continuing to make a swipe at Gavin Newsom, Trump went on: "As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!!"
Hernandez's success follows fellow trans athlete Verónica Garcia winning a track and filed event in Washington for the second year running.
Garcia won the class 2A 400-meter sprint at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma on Saturday (May 31).
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT national hotline at 888-843-4564, available Monday to Friday 4pm-12am ET and 12pm-5pm ET on Saturdays.
Topics: California, Donald Trump, Truth Social, US News, LGBTQ, Transgender
Niamh Shackleton