The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) continues to defy President Trump's executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports, sparking heated protests and legal challenges.
Residents recently demonstrated outside a CIF board meeting in Long Beach, urging the organization to comply with the federal mandate. Some even threatened lawsuits if the CIF persists in its non-compliance. One existing lawsuit against the CIF and California Attorney General Rob Bonta stems from a situation at Martin Luther King High School involving a transgender athlete on the girls' cross-country team.
Julianne Fleischer, legal counsel at Advocates for Faith & Freedom, warned the CIF about potential legal and financial repercussions if they continue to disregard federal law.
Trump's executive order threatens to withhold federal funding from schools that allow biological males to compete in girls' sports. California public schools receive substantial federal funding, approximately $16.8 billion annually, representing a significant portion of their budget.
Sonja Shaw, Chino Valley Unified School Board President, expressed her concerns as a mother and criticized the CIF's stance. She condemned those responsible for implementing policies allowing boys to compete against girls.
California law AB 1266, enacted in 2014, grants students the right to participate in sports based on their gender identity, regardless of their birth sex. This law and subsequent regulations have fueled several controversies surrounding transgender athletes in the state.
Ryan Starling, whose daughter lost a varsity spot to a transgender athlete, spoke at the protest and board meeting, sharing his daughter's experience. He urged the CIF to create a separate category for transgender athletes to ensure fair competition.
Starling's family is involved in the lawsuit against the CIF and Bonta, alleging that AB 1266 violates Title IX protections for female athletes.
Other recent incidents include Stone Ridge Christian High School forfeiting a volleyball match against a team with a transgender athlete and a transgender volleyball player facing harassment during a game.
California Assembly member Kate Sanchez plans to introduce the Protect Girls’ Sports Act, aiming to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports, similar to legislation in 25 other states.
