Title IX

The breaking point for women’s sports in California has officially arrived. At the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Girls Track and Field Finals at Moorpark High School, a bizarre, unprecedented spectacle unfolded on the winner’s podium—shattering 50 years of civil rights protections under the weight of progressive gender ideology. As transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School swept the long jump, high jump, and triple jump events by overwhelming margins, athletic officials rolled out a heavily criticized “pilot program.” Instead of allowing female competitors to stand on their earned podium steps, public address announcers declared “co-champions” for the events, effectively forcing biological girls to share the top spot with a male competitor or stand alone in protest. At The Modern Memo, we analyze the podium chaos in Moorpark, the U.S. Department of Justice’s sweeping Title IX lawsuit against California, and why Governor Gavin Newsom’s defense of the policy is alienating everyday parents. The Moorpark Illusion: The Gimmick of ‘Co-Champions’ Faced with overwhelming national scrutiny and the threat of total federal defunding, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) attempted to find a “middle ground” that has instead satisfied no one and humiliated biological female athletes. The Mandate: Under the new state-backed rules, if a transgender athlete wins a girls’ event, the biological female who finishes directly behind them is also awarded a first-place medal and designated a “co-champion.” The Podium Protests: The visual reality of the policy collapsed during Saturday’s medal ceremonies. For the long jump, Moorpark High’s Gianna Gonzalez stood alone on the top step of the podium after finishing more than a foot behind Hernandez, who was absent from the ceremony. Later, Oak Park High’s Gwynneth Mureika was forced to awkwardly share the top spot with Hernandez in the high jump, despite finishing two inches behind. “Already Lost”: Crean Lutheran senior Reese Hogan, who went viral last year for stepping onto the first-place spot in a defiant solo protest after losing a title to Hernandez, spoke out about the immense psychological toll on female athletes. “It’s just really disappointing to go into a competition knowing you already lost,” Hogan stated. “I basically worked my whole career to get to that point.” The Federal Hammer: DOJ Sues California over Title IX While Sacramento relies on bureaucratic gymnastics to mask biological realities, the federal government is moving to dismantle California’s open-category framework entirely. The Lawsuit: The U.S. Department of Justice, working alongside the Department of Education, has filed a landmark federal lawsuit against California’s education agencies. The suit alleges that by forcing biological girls to compete against male-bodied athletes, California is in direct violation of Title IX—the federal civil rights law enacted to ensure equal, sex-segregated opportunities for women. The Investigation Expands: Federal investigators have expanded their probe to include 17 public institutions across California. Furthermore, the Trump administration has banned transgender athletes from all NCAA women’s competitions via executive order, cutting off the path for biological males to take collegiate women’s scholarships. The “Unbeatable” Standard: The President took to social media to blast the Moorpark results, reiterating his warning to Governor Newsom. “As a Male, he was a less than average competitor,” the President noted. “As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.” The Newsom Defense: Labeling Parents as ‘Bullies’ As outrage boils over from trackside stands to local law enforcement offices, Governor Newsom’s administration has dug in, framing the defense of female sports as an act of political malice. The “Cynical” Label: A source within Newsom’s office fired back at the grass-roots “Save Girls Sports” rallies outside the stadium, stating that the Governor “rejects the right wing’s cynical attempt to weaponize this debate as an excuse to vilify individual kids.” The Activists Respond: Sophia Lorey, a former university soccer player and lead organizer for Save Girls Sports, delivered a scathing rebuttal to Sacramento’s rhetoric. “Shame on Governor Newsom for calling the girls behind me bullies,” Lorey said. “These girls are not bullies for defending fairness and female sports.” Law Enforcement Steps In: The controversy has even drawn the ire of local leaders. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco issued a blistering statement condemning school officials and the CIF. “There is no place in girls’ sports to allow boys to compete against them,” Bianco said. “Supposed leaders at CIF, school districts, and our schools are failing our girls.” Final Word The “co-champion” podium gimmick in Moorpark is the definitive proof that California’s radical sports policies are unsustainable. When you look past the noise of “inclusion” slogans and focus on the data—the DOJ’s federal Title IX lawsuit and the girls stripped of outright state titles—you gain a clearer picture of a state government in total denial of biological science. Quality information replaces the narrative of “progress” with the reality of a system that would rather hand out extra medals than defend the integrity of women’s achievements. It allows you to see that forcing a biological girl to share her podium step doesn’t create equality; it erases her victory. By choosing to defend this “calamity,” Gavin Newsom has guaranteed that California’s high school track finals will be decided in a federal courtroom. Where Facts, Context, and Perspective Matter At The Modern Memo, our goal is simple: to provide clear, well-researched reporting in a media landscape that often feels overwhelming. We focus on substance over sensationalism, and context over commentary. If you value thoughtful analysis, transparent sourcing, and stories that go beyond the headline, we invite you to share our work. Informed conversations start with reliable information, and sharing helps ensure important stories reach a wider audience. Journalism works best when readers engage, question, and participate. By reading and sharing, you’re supporting a more informed public and a healthier media ecosystem. The Modern Memo may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. 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