At the CIF Southern Section Finals, Crean Lutheran’s Reese Hogan refused second place, standing atop the empty first-place podium in protest of competing against trans athlete AB Hernandez. The viral moment has reignited the fierce U.S. debate on fairness, inclusion, and women’s sports.
High School Podium Protest Sparks Nationwide Outrage
At the CIF Southern Section Finals on May 18, Crean Lutheran senior Reese Hogan did the unthinkable—she climbed onto the first-place podium in the triple jump, even though she placed second.
Why? The winner, AB Hernandez, is a transgender athlete born male but now competing in the female division. Hogan’s silent stand—captured in viral video—has once again ignited America’s fiery debate over the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports.
The Viral Moment
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Hernandez won the triple jump with a leap of 41 ft 4 in, outdistancing Hogan by over four feet.
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As Hernandez left the podium, Hogan quietly stepped onto the now-empty gold-medal spot—her way of protesting what she and many others view as an unfair playing field.
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A Nation Divided
Supporters of transgender inclusion call it a matter of identity and human rights. Critics argue it threatens fairness and safety in women’s competition.
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Former President Trump signed an executive order banning transgender women from female sports, declaring:
“The war on women’s sports is over.”
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Maine and other states have refused to enact such bans, reflecting deep regional divisions.
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Online Reactions
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Women’s sports advocate Jennifer Sey:
“This guy won the girls triple jump by 8 ft. He’s really crushing it!”
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Critics:
“Second place is the real champion! Good on her—this nonsense must stop.”
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A blunt homemade sign at the meet read:
“The weakest men compete with girls, the weakest minds celebrate it.”
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Past Incidents Fuel the Fire
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In 2022, volleyball player Payton McNabb suffered a serious injury after colliding with a transgender opponent—prompting North Carolina to pass a statewide ban.
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More than 400 Olympic athletes later urged the NCAA to keep its doors open, arguing that sport should remain “for all.”
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Hernandez Speaks Out.
Hernandez told Capital & Main:
“I followed all the rules… Trans girls are girls.”
They pointed to studies showing transgender women do not consistently outperform cisgender peers, and in some metrics, may even be disadvantaged.
What’s Next?
With state laws, federal orders, and high-school protests colliding, the future of women’s sports remains uncertain. Hogan’s podium protest may be a local moment, but the national fight over fairness versus inclusion shows no sign of slowing down.
