A California school district is being sued in federal court by members of its girls’ high school volleyball team in an effort to ban a transgender teammate from continuing to compete on the squad. What’s more, that transgender student athlete is also named as a defendant and accused of sexual harassment.
‘Girls’ sports are for girls,’ read a statement from Advocates for Faith & Freedom attorney Julianne Fleischer, who represents the three plaintiffs. ‘No policy can erase the biological differences between males and females, and forcing young women to compete against boys is both unfair and unsafe.’
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages in addition to new policies banning transgender athletes entirely from girls sports and locker rooms.
Identified only by their initials in the lawsuit, current and former Jurupa Valley High School volleyball players Hadeel Hazameh, Alyssa McPherson and Madison McPherson have previously spoken out publicly on Fox News and were also identified by the East Bay Times.
Likewise, the transgender athlete is only identified by her initials in the lawsuit but was previously names in several articles as AB Hernandez, a senior girls volleyball player and high jumper at Jurupa Valley.
Hernandez is accused of sexual harassment in the lawsuit.
Transgender athlete AB Hernandez (right) has won state medals in the long jump and triple jump. She’s currently a member of the Jurupa Valley girls volleyball team
‘Beyond the locker room, A.H. engaged in unwelcomed and offensive contact, including slapping and/or placing his hands on female players’ buttocks, including Plaintiffs, during practices, games, and huddles,’ read the filing.
The filing includes a photo of volleyball players huddled with their arms around each other’s hips.
Hernandez’s mother has responded to the East Bay Times, saying the suit contains ‘defamation, false claims, fabricated evidence, harassment and perjury,’ although the website did not include any specifics and it’s unclear if she offered any.
According to the filing: ‘Plaintiffs felt violated and objectified by A.H.’s repeated inappropriate touching.’
Also listed as defendants are the California Interscholastic Federation and state Department of Education.
‘Defendants have knowingly permitted a male student to compete on the JVHS varsity girls’ track and field and volleyball teams, access female locker rooms and bathrooms, and engage in harassing conduct toward female athletes,’ read the filing obtained by Daily Mail.
From left: Plaintiffs Hadeel Hazameh, Alyssa McPherson and Madison McPherson
Days before the lawsuit was filed, Hernandez spoke out to CBS News about the effort to stop her from competing against girls in track and volleyball.
‘They swear I’m like this crazy danger to society,’ Hernandez told CBS. ‘I’m just a normal kid going to school, playing sports.
‘I think people just see one thing and they’re like ‘Oh, that’s what you are.’ They don’t take the time to get to know me. So, it’s just a little frustrating.’
Hernandez first attracted national attention from President Donald Trump and other conservatives when she took first place in the state high hump and triple jump. She also faced protests in the state finals, which she admitted has been challenging.
More recently, three high school teams forfeited volleyball games rather than play Jurupa Valley and Hernandez.
‘A team sport, I can’t take that,’ she said. ‘It’s a team effort. My team needs to be willing to fight with me and that’s what it takes to win a team title.’
Hernandez’s mother Nereyda was admittedly ‘grateful’ after Chaffey High School recently became the second team to face Jurupa Valley this season.
‘As a mom, it means a lot,’ she said. ‘Those girls mean a lot because I know it helps AB get through these hard times.’
