Reese Hogan enters this weekend's CIF Southern Section divisional finals at Cerritos College knowing she faces the same transgender athlete who has beaten her for three straight years at California girls' track and field tournaments. The Crean Lutheran senior high jumper cleared 5 feet, 4 inches at last Saturday's sectional preliminaries at Trabuco Hills High School—a mark that would have taken first place if only biological females competed.
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See subscription optionsThe Division 4 meet draws 24 qualifying athletes from across Orange County and surrounding areas, with the top finishers advancing to the CIF State Championships scheduled for May 24-25 at Buchanan High School in Clovis. Hogan's personal record of 5-6 ranks her second among biological females in her division this season.
One Year After Viral Podium Protest
Hogan's latest competition marks exactly one year since she went viral for stepping up to the first-place spot on a medal podium after a trans athlete who won stepped off during the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Buchanan High School on May 25, 2023. The Christian school athlete lost what would have been her CIF State Title in Division 5 last year to the same competitor she faces this weekend.
Video footage of Hogan's podium protest drew more than 2.3 million views on social media platforms and sparked nationwide debate. The incident occurred during the medal ceremony for the girls' high jump, where Hogan finished second with a jump of 5-5, one inch behind the winning mark.
This is my third year competing against a transgender athlete, and last year I was stripped away of a CIF Title, and I basically worked my whole career to get to that point. It's just really disappointing to go into a competition knowing you already lost.
Students Criticize Adult Silence
Hogan's teammate Olivia Viola, a junior sprinter who competes in the 100-meter and 200-meter events, has competed alongside her throughout all three years against trans athletes. Viola qualified for this weekend's sectionals in the 200m with a time of 25.84 seconds at the Division 4 preliminaries.
Viola criticized adults who privately support them but refuse to speak publicly about the issue, pointing to conversations with parents, coaches, and school administrators who express private agreement but avoid public statements.
I haven't heard nearly enough adults come out and say anything. A lot of them like to say that they agree with you, that they're proud of you for speaking up now, but they won't do it themselves.
California's Decade-Old Policy Under Fire
California has allowed biological males to compete in girls' sports since 2013 when the state enacted Assembly Bill 1266 under Governor Jerry Brown. The School Success and Opportunity Act requires public schools to allow students to participate in sex-segregated activities consistent with their gender identity rather than biological sex assigned at birth.
The law puts California among 22 states that have enacted inclusive policies, while 26 states have passed laws restricting transgender athletes to teams matching their birth-assigned sex. California's policy affects approximately 800,000 high school athletes across the state's public school system, according to CIF data.
The state's education agencies now face a federal Title IX lawsuit filed by the Trump administration's Department of Education, which argues California's policy violates federal protections for biological females in sports. The case, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, seeks to force the state to comply with the federal government's interpretation of Title IX.
Governor Newsom Defends Current Law
Governor Gavin Newsom's office defended the policy when responding to news of a "Save Girls Sports" rally held at last Saturday's meet, which drew approximately 150 supporters to the Trabuco Hills campus. The rally was organized by Our Duty USA and featured speakers including former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines.
Newsom's office provided a statement rejecting what it called "the right wing's cynical attempt to weaponize this debate as an excuse to vilify individual kids." The governor's position, according to the statement, is to "stand with all kids and stand up to bullies" while being "guided by fairness, dignity, and respect."
At the rally, Hogan fired back at Newsom's characterization, though her complete response was cut off in available reports. The ongoing legal and political battle puts student competitors like Hogan at the center of a national debate over Title IX protections that could reshape youth sports policy.
What's Next
This weekend's sectional finals serve as a testing ground for both athletic competition and legal strategy. The federal lawsuit against California is expected to reach summary judgment motions by late summer, with oral arguments potentially scheduled for fall 2024. For Hogan, a verbal commit to Azusa Pacific University, the meet represents her final high school competition against the transgender athlete who has defined much of her prep career.
