A California high school volleyball match was forfeited after one team refused to play against a squad that included a transgender athlete.
Jurupa Valley High School, which has trans player AB Hernandez on its girls’ team, was scheduled to face Riverside Poly High on August 15. Riverside Poly withdrew, saying the decision was about maintaining a “safe, positive environment.”
Parents later confirmed the forfeit was due to Hernandez’s inclusion, a move made by school officials, not players. School board member Amanda Vickers defended the decision, citing safety concerns and referencing a past injury involving a transgender athlete.
Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda, strongly criticized the decision, saying it unfairly targets transgender children and has nothing to do with fairness in sports. She noted AB has faced repeated harassment, including heckling and protests at school sporting events.
The controversy has drawn national attention, with Donald Trump threatening to cut funding to California schools that allow transgender athletes to compete.
AB’s mother insists her daughter deserves the same right to play as any other student.