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EXCLUSIVE: Two high school girls volleyball players in California are refusing to participate on their team as long as it rosters a biological male trans athlete.
Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh of Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, California, told Fox News Digital they will not play or use the locker room alongside the trans athlete. Both players sat out of the team’s Thursday night game against Chaffey High School.
“Deciding to sit out was a difficult decision to make because I love this sport and I love to compete, but this current situation with a biological male on the team is very unsafe and unfair not only for me, but all female athletes,” McPherson said.
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Hazameh said she hopes her decision not to play will “encourage” others.
“Although sitting out was a very difficult decision for me because of how much I love this sport, I don’t feel comfortable sharing the locker room nor the court with a biological male because I chose to play on a girls volleyball team, and it’s just unfair and unsafe to everyone being affected by this situation. I was scared to stand up before, but I realized someone must make the initiative to stand for what’s right. So, I hope my actions encourage others to use their voice as well,” Hazameh said.
At least four confirmed opposing teams have forfeited games to Jurupa Valley this season. Thursday’s game against Chaffey was added to Jurupa Valley’s schedule in response to the recent forfeits.
Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD) previously told Fox News Digital it was scheduling new games to supplement its schedule after the previous forfeits.
“JUSD is intent on providing our hardworking and dedicated student-athletes the opportunity to play by working to replace canceled games with matches against other schools that are willing to compete,” the district said.
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The school has been under national scrutiny dating back to last spring’s track and field season as the very same trans athlete, AB Hernandez, made a run to the girls state championships in the high jump and triple jump. President Donald Trump magnified the attention when he sent a warning to California in the days leading up to the state championship in May.
Now, Hernandez, in the midst of the senior’s final volleyball season, is being criticized not just by opposing teams, but longtime teammates.
Fox News Digital has reached out to JUSD in response to McPherson and Hazameh’s statements.
The school district previously provided a statement exclusively to Fox News Digital, suggesting blame for the ongoing controversy involving Hernandez should be directed toward government officials and lawmakers.
“School districts do not write laws for the state of California, nor do they have the power to ignore them or change them. However, as primarily state-funded agencies, they are required to follow them. As these issues play out in our courts and the media, any advocacy on these matters should be directed at state and federal officials elected to make laws and policies that affect public education,” the statement said.
“We empathize with all students who are impacted by issues beyond their control. JUSD is committed to upholding the law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of, among other characteristics, gender, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation in any program or activity, ensuring that all pupils feel safe, supported and affirmed for who they are at school.”
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California law has enabled biological males to compete in girls’ high school sports dating back to 2013.
After Trump signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order on Feb. 5, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) was one of the first state high school sports leagues to announce it would defy the order.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the CIF and California Department of Education (CDE) in July for defying Trump’s mandate to keep biological males out of girls’ sports. The lawsuit came in the aftermath of Hernandez’s state championships.
Now, as the trans teen embarks on one more high school volleyball season, two teammates will be absent.
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