Adeline Johnson, a female track athlete from Dublin, California, was denied entry to the state finals after losing a 1600-meter race to a male-to-female transgender runner. During a video of the athletes being awarded on the podium, Johnson can be seen giving a visible thumbs down as her biological male opponent was being awarded his medal over her. Multiple women’s advocacy groups were at the meeting, holding up signs in protest and voicing their opinions. Just recently, an attempt was made by House Republicans to pass a federal ban on biological men in women’s sports; no Democrat congressional leaders voted ‘yes’ on the legislation, and as a result, the bill did not even make it to the Senate.
DAILY MAIL: Unhappy at the finish line: California high school athlete gives big thumbs down after being pushed out of state finals by trans runner as parents clash with protestors – ‘that is disgusting’
By Alex Lang; May 21, 2023
A high school athlete was seen giving a thumbs down on the medal podium after losing a shot at the state championships to a transgender athlete.
Adeline Johnson finished fourth in the 1600 meter race at the CIF-North Coast Section Meet of Champions, where Athena Ryan, a transgender female, came second.
Johnson, from Branson High School, can be seen waving at people in the crowd before giving a thumbs down during the medal presentation in Dublin, California on Saturday.
Ryan, from Sonoma Academy, along with the first and third place winners, will now move on to California Interscholastic Federation State Track & Field Championships next week.
Protestors were seen at the track meet with signs saying ‘protect female sports’ before they were removed from the stadium after a clash with security.
The video of Johnson’s giving the thumbs down was posted by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports.
According to their Twitter bio, the group is a ‘network of women athletes & our supporters advocating for female protected categories in sport.’
The video incorrectly referred to Ryan as a ‘trans-identifying male’ but pointed out Johnson’s thumbs down response to her place.
ICONS was not the only group to have their eye on the track meet in California at the weekend as another group that goes by ‘Women Are Real’ on social media also showed up at the meet to voice their opposition.
The angry protesters held up a banner reading ‘Protect Female Sports’ and video posted on the Women Are Real Twitter account showed an altercation involving another woman who took issue with the banner.
‘That is f**kng disgusting,’ the woman said. ‘I find that f**king offensive.’
Another video shows security removing the group from the premises.
‘They’re kicking us out because we care about women and girls,’ one protestor says.
Ryan spoke with MileSplit after the race and did not seem bothered by the protests.
In her second place finish in the 1-mile race, she recorded 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 said in an interview after the 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.’
Before her second place finish at the qualifier for state championships, she had placed sixth in the 1,600-meter preliminary race.
The California Interscholastic Federation follows ‘Gender Identity Participation’ rules first implemented in 2013.
‘All students should have the opportunity to participate in CIF athletics and/or activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity,’ the rules read.
‘Athletes will participate in programs consistent with their gender identity or the gender most consistently expressed,’ the guide continues.
The rules also state that once a student has been granted eligibility, they do not need to be renewed every school year.
The transgender athlete’s win has since sparked outrage online as the debate over transgender athletes in girl’s sports rages.
In April, House Republicans passed a ban on transgender women and girls from competing in female school athletics.
No Democrats joined their conservative counterparts in voting for the bill, which will not be taken up in the Senate.
Republicans say the issue is about protecting women’s rights while Democrats say it opens up a fresh salvo to attack trans kids who already face bullying in schools.
‘Anyone who claims to be a feminist or believe in what feminism was founded upon, should probably stand with us,’ Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, said in a news conference at the time.
Those on the other side of the aisle disagreed vehemently with Republicans.
‘These kids are kids and should be able to play with their friends. This isn’t about protecting women & girls, it’s about attacking trans kids,’ said Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons