California mom speaks with compassion but brutal honesty about presence of trans athlete in daughter’s sport
Given how polarized the United States is on almost every issue, it’s understandable that most people are fooled into thinking that their positions must be absolute. All or nothing.
You are either completely for something or against it. In between, no.
The transgender movement seems to work in a similar way. Any opposition, any disagreement with any faction can immediately lead to accusations of transphobia, hatred and bigotry.
AB Hernandez poses with the second- and third-place finishers and a co-champion after being named co-champion in the girls high jump at the 2026 CIF Southern Division Track and Field Masters Meet on May 23, 2026 in Moorpark, California. (OutKick/Fox News Digital)
Dedicated California athlete mom Jennifer Oliver boldly turned that idea on its head when speaking to OutKick about the issue of biological males in women’s sports.
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Oliver may not like that transgender athlete AB Hernandez, a biological male from Jurupa Valley, prevented his daughter Nieve Oliver, a sophomore from Camarillo, from taking the top spot on the podium in the high jump at the girls high school state qualifying track and field meet Saturday at Moorpark High School in northwest Los Angeles.
But Oliver says that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like Hernandez or Hernandez’s lifestyle. This also doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel compassion and empathy for Hernandez.
“There is no hate,” Oliver said. “None. My daughter is very inclusive. We get along with everyone. This has nothing to do with any of that. But we also need to do the right thing. My daughter hopes that responsible adults will do the right thing.”
Trans athlete AB Hernandez competes ahead of female opponent Reese Hogan during the California girls track and field meet on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Moorpark, Calif. (Fox News Digital.)
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So what is right?
That’s easy for those like Oliver who advocate for the protection of girls’ and women’s sports. Justice. Safety. Respect.
Oliver believes that once a biological male is allowed his own space and sporting activities, girls will be deprived of all of this.
Hernandez, who won two California state titles in girls track and field (high jump and triple jump) last year, is now in position to win three more titles. At Saturday’s state qualifying meet, Hernandez won not only the high jump and triple jump, but also the long jump. Hernandez will compete in these events next weekend at the state meet at Buchanan High School in Clovis.
Meanwhile, Nieve Oliver will also compete at state in the high jump. But she and four other girls who jumped 1.80 at Moorpark were left out of saying they had the best jump of the day because of Hernandez’s 1.80 jump.
“Adults need to make the right decision here. Absolutely. And so far that hasn’t happened,” Oliver said. “Thank goodness, high jumping is not a contact sport. My daughter also plays girls’ flag football. If there was such a problem in flag football, I don’t think I would let her compete. I’m very worried it wouldn’t be safe.”
AB Hernandez, a transgender student at Jurupa Valley High School, competes in the girls high jump at the 2026 CIF Southern Division Track and Field Masters Meet on May 23, 2026 in Moorpark, California. (OutKick/Fox News Digital)
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Likewise, Oliver does not believe it is fair for a biological male to compete against women in any sport. He thinks the state of California’s willful disregard of President Donald Trump’s February 2025 executive order banning men from playing in women’s sports will eventually be addressed by the courts.
Oliver asks in frustration, “What can we (parents) really do right now?” he asked. “We can wait until the season is over and hope that this situation plays out in the courts and we can only hope that the courts make the right decision. That’s really what needs to happen.”
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To hedge its bets, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) created a rule in the later rounds of state track meets that the transgender athlete who wins an event must share the top spot on the podium with the highest-placed woman; this seems almost a bland admission that this situation is inherently problematic.
AB Hernandez, a transgender student at Jurupa Valley High School, competes in the girls long jump at the 2026 CIF Southern Division Track and Field Masters Meet on May 23, 2026 in Moorpark, California. (OutKick/Fox News Digital)
“I think the bottom line is that everyone knows who won, we all do,” Oliver said of the shared podium comedy. “And that way you feel bad for the EU. I mean, it’s not about the person (EU). Not at all. It’s not about any particular community. It’s not about any of that. It’s just… it should never have gotten to this point in the first place.”
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“Biology is biology. We hope they get it right next year. It’s time to do the right thing.”
Of course, it is true that every young athlete deserves a place to compete and develop. But this place needs to be the right place, both fair and safe; not only for an athlete, but also for everyone.
