A growing dispute over the participation of a transgender-identifying athlete in girls’ high school sports has led to at least eight forfeits and a new federal lawsuit in Southern California.
The Jurupa Unified School District confirmed that Patriot High School forfeited its Sept. 26 volleyball match against Jurupa Valley High School, which rosters senior athlete AB Hernandez, a male competing on the girls’ team. The decision marks the first forfeit from a school within the district, which is about one hour east of Los Angeles.
“We can confirm the Patriot High School volleyball team will forfeit their Sept. 26 match,” JUSD told Fox News Digital.
In recent weeks, at least seven other programs have refused to compete against Jurupa Valley. During the Freeway Games tournament this month, Aquinas, Yucaipa, and San Dimas high schools all opted not to play the Jaguars. Prior forfeits have also come from Riverside Poly, Rim of the World, Orange Vista, and A.B. Miller high schools.
Meanwhile, three current and former Jurupa Valley athletes filed suit on Sept. 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that the district, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), and the California Department of Education (CDE) violated their rights under Title IX and other civil rights laws by allowing Hernandez to participate on girls’ teams.
“This case is about defending the integrity of women’s athletics, preserving opportunities for girls, and protecting the God-given distinctions between male and female,” a statement on the Advocates for Faith and Freedom read.
The lawsuit names sisters Madison and Alyssa McPherson, along with teammate Hadeel Hazameh, as plaintiffs. Alyssa McPherson and Hazameh, both current seniors, previously announced they would step away from the volleyball team while Hernandez remained on the roster. Their complaint argues that being required to compete with and share locker rooms with a male student deprived them of equal opportunities and violated their privacy.
Court filings cite both religious and safety concerns. The McPherson family, practicing Catholics, said their beliefs affirm that gender is fixed and biologically determined. Hazameh’s family, who are Muslim, argued that sharing facilities with a male classmate infringes on her religious obligations of modesty.
The school district has not addressed the lawsuit directly but issued a statement noting that districts are bound by state law. “School districts do not write laws for the state of California, nor do they have the power to ignore them or change them,” the statement read.
California law, passed in 2013, permits students to participate in school sports and programs consistent with their gender identity. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said the CIF and CDE are responsible for implementing that policy, adding that any change would require legislative action.
Last spring, AB Hernandez competed in girls’ track and field and was the state champion in the triple jump and high jump. Hernandez took second in the long jump.
President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funding if California didn’t comply with his executive order banning athletes who identify as transgender from competing in girls’ or women’s sports. It’s unclear whether any funds were withheld.
