{"id":2270,"date":"2026-07-28T00:25:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T00:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/?p=2270"},"modified":"2026-07-28T00:25:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T00:25:36","slug":"high-school-girl-claims-first-place-podium-spot-despite-losing-to-trans-athlete","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/?p=2270","title":{"rendered":"High school girl claims first-place podium spot despite losing to trans athlete"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39312\" src=\"https:\/\/happiness-life.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/54854h5.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 664px) 100vw, 664px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/happiness-life.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/54854h5.jpg 664w, https:\/\/happiness-life.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/54854h5-300x158.jpg 300w\" alt=\"\" width=\"664\" height=\"350\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A stunning incident at a California high school track meet is causing outrage and reigniting intense discussions nationwide.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the CIF Southern Section Finals, Crean Lutheran\u2019s Reese Hogan made a daring move \u2014 quite literally \u2014 by stepping onto the first-place podium, despite finishing second in the triple jump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why did she do it? Hogan was narrowly beaten by AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete who was assigned male at birth but now competes as female.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is there a war on women\u2019s sports?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The conversation surrounding transgender athletes in women\u2019s sports is dividing the country. Advocates argue it\u2019s about inclusion, identity, and fundamental human rights \u2014 while opponents caution that it poses a direct threat to fairness and the integrity of women\u2019s competitions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, this issue has evolved from a cultural flashpoint to a political one. In February, former President Donald Trump took a decisive stand by signing an executive order that prohibits transgender women from competing in female sports divisions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump stated, \u201cThe war on women\u2019s sports is over,\u201d pledging that during the upcoming LA Olympic Games, \u201cmy administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This decision, predictably, sparked a nationwide uproar \u2014 and not every state is complying. For instance, Maine has openly rejected the idea of banning transgender athletes from competing in women\u2019s sports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, a viral incident from California has reignited this heated debate.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The video footage<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the CIF Southern Section Finals on May 18, Reese Hogan from Crean Lutheran High School made a bold statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though she secured second place in the triple jump, Hogan made her way back to the podium after the official ceremony and proudly stood on the top spot \u2014 which was vacant after the event\u2019s winner, the outspoken transgender athlete AB Hernandez, had left.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1924193952590160100&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fhappiness-life.org%2Fhigh-school-girl-claims-first-place-podium-spot-despite-losing-to-trans-athlete-2%2F&amp;sessionId=71088bbc377b48338b1e748f9e1eeb61c6b8a6f4&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1924193952590160100\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1924124937188409622&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fhappiness-life.org%2Fhigh-school-girl-claims-first-place-podium-spot-despite-losing-to-trans-athlete-2%2F&amp;sessionId=71088bbc377b48338b1e748f9e1eeb61c6b8a6f4&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1924124937188409622\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The footage of the scene went viral and spread rapidly across the internet. For many, it represented their frustration regarding what they perceive as an unequal playing field.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hernandez, a male athlete who identifies as female, excelled in the competition with a jump measuring 41 feet, 4 inches \u2014 more than four feet ahead of Hogan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hernandez, hailing from Jurupa Valley High School in California, also triumphed in the long jump and secured seventh place in the high jump, earning a spot in the CIF Masters Meet set for May 24.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The online community was quick to respond.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis guy won the girls long jump and triple jump in a CA track meet over the weekend,\u201d stated Jennifer Sey, the founder of the women\u2019s sports advocacy group XX-XY.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe won the triple jump by 8ft. He\u2019s really crushing it!<\/p>\n<div class=\"618414a931e9cd97c0c9c493bb22fb8a\" data-index=\"2\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-2\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-2&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1896576679474315315&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fhappiness-life.org%2Fhigh-school-girl-claims-first-place-podium-spot-despite-losing-to-trans-athlete-2%2F&amp;sessionId=71088bbc377b48338b1e748f9e1eeb61c6b8a6f4&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1896576679474315315\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat an achievement! I bet it had nothing to do with being a biological male,\u201d quipped Colin Rugg, co-owner of Trending Politics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Others chimed in, reflecting a rising tide of criticism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSecond place is the true champion!\u201d one user commented. \u201cKudos to her! This nonsense needs to end,\u201d another remarked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A straightforward sign seen at the event stated:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe weakest men compete against girls, and the weakest minds applaud it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another individual added:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m tired of this. All the efforts for women\u2019s rights have been undermined by the very people who initially championed them.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Series of controversies<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This backlash is the most recent in a series of controversies surrounding transgender athletes participating in women\u2019s competitions. Many reference earlier high-profile cases, including one in North Carolina that had enduring effects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2022, 17-year-old volleyball player Payton McNabb experienced a traumatic brain injury after being hit by a spike from a transgender player. Her mother later remarked:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt that moment, we were not permitted to voice our concerns. We couldn\u2019t say, \u2018No, she shouldn\u2019t compete against a boy, it\u2019s unsafe.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The McNabb incident played a significant role in motivating North Carolina lawmakers to enact legislation that prohibits transgender athletes from joining girls\u2019 and women\u2019s sports teams at the middle, high school, and college levels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, not everyone agrees with such policies. More than 400 current and former Olympic athletes signed a letter urging the NCAA to refrain from implementing similar bans, expressing their desire to be on the \u201cright side of history\u201d and emphasizing that sports should be inclusive for everyone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the meantime, Hernandez dismissed the backlash, labeling it as \u201cridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe very idea of men competing against women is ludicrous,\u201d one critic stated online. \u201cTrans individuals should have their own league, while regular, traditional individuals can participate in standard men\u2019s and women\u2019s sports.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTrans girls are girls.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conversely, others supported the young athlete\u2019s right to compete.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe adhered to all the regulations,\u201d one user commented. \u201cIf people are unhappy, the issue lies with the regulations, not with her.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTrans girls are girls,\u201d another person remarked. \u201cHernandez won fair and square.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a recent discussion with Capital &amp; Main, Hernandez shared her experiences regarding the significant backlash she has encountered throughout a tumultuous track and field season \u2014 one that has featured impressive finishes alongside instances where she didn\u2019t even reach the podium.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m still a child, you\u2019re an adult, and your childish behavior reflects your character. All I could think was, \u2018I don\u2019t believe you realize that this undermines your foolish claims. She can\u2019t be defeated because she\u2019s biologically male.\u2019 Now you have no evidence to support that I can\u2019t be beaten.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As reported by Capital &amp; Main \u2014 a recognized nonprofit organization that addresses key economic, environmental, and social issues in California \u2014 research indicates that transgender athletes have not consistently outperformed their cisgender counterparts. In fact, by various measures, transgender women have been found to be at a disadvantage when compared to cisgender women.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The debate shows no signs of resolution in the near future. With more states advocating for bans and prominent athletes expressing opinions on both sides, the struggle over the future of women\u2019s sports remains unresolved.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And due to Reese Hogan\u2019s quiet protest on the podium, the conversation has become significantly louder.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A stunning incident at a California high school track meet is causing outrage and reigniting intense discussions nationwide. During the CIF Southern Section Finals, Crean Lutheran\u2019s Reese Hogan made a &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2],"class_list":["post-2270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trending","tag-breaking-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2270"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2270\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2271,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2270\/revisions\/2271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}