California Girls Rally Against Trans Athlete Laws in Fight for Fair Sports

In a bold stand for fairness, California female athletes, their families, and supporters will rally outside the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) meeting in Costa Mesa on Friday, protesting state laws allowing biologically male transgender athletes to compete in girls' sports. Organized by the California Family Council, the event features young voices like Taylor Starling, Kaitlyn Slavin, and Celeste Duyst, who are set to speak out at a press conference.

Starling and Slavin are locked in a legal battle with Riverside Unified School District after a transgender athlete claimed Starling’s varsity cross-country spot. Their 'Save Girls Sports' T-shirts were shockingly likened to swastikas by school officials, igniting further outrage. Meanwhile, Duyst’s emotional speech at a school board meeting, detailing the discomfort of sharing a locker room with a transgender athlete, struck a chord across the state.

The protest follows a turbulent CIF track and field championship where AB Hernandez, a transgender student from Jurupa Valley High School, clinched titles in high jump and triple jump. Despite President Donald Trump’s warnings of federal funding cuts and hefty fines, California stood firm, though CIF adjusted rules to elevate girls’ rankings when finishing behind transgender athletes. Still, shared podiums at medal ceremonies left many feeling sidelined.

Sophia Lorey, outreach director for the California Family Council, called it a fight for justice, arguing that policies ignoring biological differences are robbing girls of opportunities. The issue has drawn federal scrutiny, with the Department of Justice launching a Title IX probe in May, following a Department of Education investigation. California Attorney General Rob Bonta vowed to defend state laws protecting transgender students’ rights, dismissing Trump’s threats.

A Public Policy Institute of California survey revealed that 65% of adults and 71% of public school parents oppose transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports based on gender identity. Even Governor Gavin Newsom labeled the situation 'deeply unfair' on his podcast, yet the state’s stance remains unchanged.

This rally isn’t just a protest—it’s a demand for fairness, amplifying the voices of young women who feel their dreams are being pushed aside in the name of inclusion.