It’s already bad enough when a president of the United States insults other adults and makes threatening remarks. But going after a teenager? That’s beyond disturbing.
This time, a 16-year-old girl — who should be focusing on school, exams, and planning for college — has become a target in one of Donald Trump’s latest social media posts. The teen is transgender and competes in high school track and field. Trump used her story to attack California Governor Gavin Newsom, criticizing the state’s support for transgender athletes. While Trump didn’t name her directly, it’s very easy to figure out exactly who she is, what school she goes to, and when she’s competing — which puts her in serious danger.
If you think this isn’t a real safety concern, just think back to what happened on January 6, 2021. We’ve seen what can happen when Trump riles up his supporters.
This young athlete, AB Hernandez, has had to deal with constant protests and harsh criticism just for showing up to her track meets. Videos even show people yelling at her mother for letting her compete. Still, Hernandez stays strong. She said, “I’m still a kid. You’re an adult. And the way you act shows more about you than me.”
But it’s one thing to deal with angry protesters. It’s something else entirely to be singled out by a former U.S. president, someone with millions of followers.
And once again, facts are being ignored. Trump claimed Hernandez won everything and is “practically unbeatable.” That’s not true. She won two events — the triple jump and long jump — but didn’t win everything. In the high jump, she actually came in fourth. Her triple jump is impressive, but still nearly two feet behind the best jump in the country this season. In the long jump, her performance doesn’t even rank in the top 25 nationwide or lead the state.
After one meet, where she placed in some events but not others, Hernandez pushed back on the claims that she has an unfair advantage because she’s transgender. She said, “Your silly claims don’t hold up. I’m not winning because I’m transgender.”
There’s no solid scientific proof that transgender girls have an advantage in sports. And comparing them to boys or men isn’t fair — transgender girls are not the same. They’ve been competing for years now, and they’re not taking over the sport or winning everything. They’re not a threat to girls’ or women’s athletics.
Yes, some transgender athletes have won events, just like any other competitor. But that happens in every sport. Winning depends on many things: training, coaching, dedication, nutrition, and natural talent — not just gender identity.
Unfortunately, transgender athletes have become easy targets for some politicians and media personalities. They use them to distract people or push certain agendas. And with only a small number of transgender athletes competing, it’s clear they’re being unfairly made into villains.
This behavior is not just unfair — it’s cruel. And in this case, it’s also dangerous. The conversations around transgender athletes have become so extreme and disconnected from reality that someone could end up getting hurt.
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