The state of California is facing scrutiny after the high school sports governing is allowing a biological male to face off against girls in the State Track & Field Championships.
Competing in the 1,600-meter race, an athlete named Athena Ryan of Sonoma Academy won 2nd place, which qualifies for the championship.
🚨 POLL: Should athletes compete based on biological sex?
YES 👍 or NO 👎
This eliminated Ellie Buckley of Campolindo.
Protesters at the track meet held a banner that read, “Protect Female Sports.”
Ryan, who is a junior at the high school, advances to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Track & Field Championships.
🏃Trans-identifying male, Athena Ryan (Jr) took 2nd today in the “Girls 1600m” at a CA State Championship qualifier meet in Dublin, CA.
Ryan beamed while 4th place senior, Adeline Johnson gave a thumb down after losing the chance to advance to the State Championships by 1 spot. pic.twitter.com/iY2InxvhJt
— ICONS (@icons_women) May 21, 2023
What about the feelings of the girl denied the opportunity to advance?
What about the feelings of the girl denied the opportunity to stand on podium 6?
Don't their feelings matter? https://t.co/0adNoF8lK5
— Glendale Arizona FOP Lodge 12 (@GlendaleFOP12) May 21, 2023
More on this story via Fox News:
“I find that f—ing offensive.” Another video showed security chasing down the women who were holding the banner.
Ryan, a junior, appeared to undeterred by the protests and controversy. Ryan finished with a 4:55.91 time result.
“I wasn’t expecting that. I dropped like 17 seconds on my season’s best in the past two weeks,” Ryan told MileSplit after the race. “After last weekend, I didn’t think I could run low 5s again. I was just coming here trying to break 5 – just glad I finished it out.”
Ryan told the outlet she hoped to “have fun” at the event next week.
Ryan finished sixth in the 1,600-meter preliminary race and 21st in the girls 800-meter preliminaries.
The CIF has a “Gender Diverse Youth Sports Inclusivity Toolkit.” One section outlines “Gender Identity Participation.” The CIF has had “Gender Identity Participation” rules since 2013.
Everyone that clapped this, and the parents of those that STILL competed, are responsible.
You HAVE to take a stand and boycott. All of you. Not one. Not two. All of you.
This is so unfair. https://t.co/TdfZwlorNM
— Matthew Marsden (@matthewdmarsden) May 21, 2023
Question for the @NCAA, World Athletics has banned Trans athletes, as they should, so how is Athena Ryan already getting scholarship offers , when y’all said you will follow the individual sports guidelines. Wouldn’t Ryan be banned from competing in female sports in college? https://t.co/lGJVPRtmdu
— Sara Higdon (@SaraHigdon_) May 21, 2023
Video of security removing us for having a banner that read “Protect Female Sports.” You can hear in the video how spectators were unaware a boy had just stolen a spot from a girl at the state championship.@SF_TERF_CENTRAL @XxtraEstroGenny @icons_women #SaveWomensSports pic.twitter.com/lRC1UjdhdJ
— WomenAreReal (@WomenAreReals) May 21, 2023