Fierce Backlash After Transgender California High School Runner's 2nd Place Finish in Girls Race

The California high school sports authority is facing harsh criticism after a transgender athlete secured second place in the CIF-North Coast Section Meet of Champions on Sunday.

In the varsity girls’ 1,600-meter run finals that took place on Saturday, Athena Ryan, a junior, at Sonoma Academy secured the runner-up position.

Ryan finished her race trailing Hanne Thomsen of Montgomery, but surpassed Ellie Buckley of Campolindo.

As a result of her placement, Ryan is set to participate in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Track & Field Championships the following week.

The Independent Council on Women’s Sports acknowledged Ryan’s performance on their social media platform.

🏃Trans-identifying male, Athena Ryan (Jr) took 2nd today in the “Girls 1600m” at a CA State Championship qualifier meet in Dublin, CA.

Ryan beamed while 4th place senior, Adeline Johnson gave a thumb down after losing the chance to advance to the State Championships by 1 spot. pic.twitter.com/iY2InxvhJt

— ICONS (@icons_women) May 21, 2023

Ryan, still a junior, blew by female seniors in the field signed to run at NCAA Division 1 schools this coming fall. pic.twitter.com/wFmkImkq6T

— ICONS (@icons_women) May 21, 2023

Should transgenders be allowed to compete in women's sports?

Security removed women from the field seen holding signs in support of girls in the sectional meet. Many parents were completely unaware there was a boy competing in girls races. Others, were appreciative that they were there when they themselves felt silenced. @WomenAreReals… pic.twitter.com/Vd4MXN6RDp

— ICONS (@icons_women) May 21, 2023

The WomenAreReal social media page reported that during the event, some women displayed a banner advocating for the protection of female sports.

A conversation was captured between two women, one of whom was holding the banner and was confronted with the statement, “I find that f—ing offensive.”

One women found our “Protect Female Sports” banner disgusting and offensive. Note the secretive thank you’s and a high-five by a female athlete at the end. @SF_TERF_CENTRAL @XxtraEstroGenny @icons_women #SaveWomensSports pic.twitter.com/4SHwXYxJI6

— WomenAreReal (@WomenAreReals) May 21, 2023

A second video showed security personnel pursuing the women holding the banner.

Video of security removing us for having a banner that read “Protect Female Sports.” You can hear in the video how spectators were unaware a boy had just stolen a spot from a girl at the state championship.@SF_TERF_CENTRAL @XxtraEstroGenny @icons_women #SaveWomensSports pic.twitter.com/lRC1UjdhdJ

— WomenAreReal (@WomenAreReals) May 21, 2023

Ryan, who is currently in her junior year, appeared unaffected by the ensuing uproar and protest, completing her race with a time of 4:55.91.

“I wasn’t expecting that. I dropped like 17 seconds on my season’s best in the past two weeks,” Ryan shared with MileSplit post-race. “After last weekend, I didn’t think I could run low 5s again. I was just coming here trying to break 5 – just glad I finished it out.”

For the upcoming event, Ryan voiced her intention to simply “have fun.”

Ryan had previously ranked sixth in the 1,600-meter preliminary race and secured the 21st spot in the girls’ 800-meter preliminaries.

The CIF provides a “Gender Diverse Youth Sports Inclusivity Toolkit” which includes a section on “Gender Identity Participation.” Since 2013, CIF has enforced regulations around “Gender Identity Participation.”

According to these guidelines, “All students should have the opportunity to participate in CIF athletics and/or activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity. Most athletic programs are presently segregated by gender as stated in CIF Bylaws 300.B. and C.”

They further state that “Athletes will participate in programs that align with their gender identity or the gender most consistently expressed. The school staff who determine student eligibility will work collaboratively with the student-athlete to establish eligibility. Once the student is deemed eligible to participate in the sport that aligns with their gender identity, this eligibility is granted throughout the student’s participation and does not need to be renewed every sports season or school year.”

Critics argue that this regulation may provide transgender women with a physical advantage that is inherently unfair to female athletes, sparking a debate about the integrity and fairness of women’s sports.

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