The U.S. Justice Department has intensified its efforts to prevent transgender athletes from competing in California school sports. On Monday, officials warned school districts that they could face legal consequences if they do not comply with new directives to bar transgender athletes from competition. This announcement follows a series of threats from the Trump administration aimed at California and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), which oversees youth sports and currently allows transgender athletes to compete.
The warning comes shortly after AB Hernandez, a 16-year-old transgender junior from Jurupa Valley High School, won multiple medals at the state high school track and field championships. Hernandez’s victories occurred despite a directive from President Trump that she should not be allowed to compete. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who has a history of challenging LGBTQ+ rights, stated in a letter that allowing transgender athletes to compete violates the U.S. Constitution by depriving girls of opportunities based on their biological sex.
Dhillon’s letter demands that each school district certify by June 9 that they will stop following CIF rules that permit transgender athletes. She publicly criticized over 1,600 California schools for allegedly violating equal protection laws in girls’ sports. Her comments come after the CIF amended its rules to ensure that cisgender girls who were pushed out of competition by transgender athletes still had opportunities to compete and receive awards.
LGBTQ+ advocates have condemned the Justice Department’s actions, arguing that they are not genuinely concerned about fairness in sports but are instead targeting transgender youth for political gain. Shannon Minter, a legal expert who helped draft the CIF’s original rules, emphasized that the changes were meant to ensure that both transgender and cisgender athletes could compete without one group being unfairly disadvantaged.
In response to the Justice Department’s pressure, California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office expressed concern and reiterated its commitment to defending the rights of all students, including transgender individuals. The California Department of Education is preparing to issue guidance to school districts regarding the new federal directives.
The ongoing debate over transgender athletes in sports has sparked significant controversy, with some conservative groups supporting the Justice Department’s stance. For instance, the Chino Valley Unified School District recently passed a resolution supporting Title IX protections for girls in sports, emphasizing that biological differences can create competitive advantages.
As this issue unfolds, many are watching closely to see how California schools will respond to the Justice Department’s ultimatum and what impact it will have on the future of transgender athletes in the state.