California school district's motion bans transgender athletes from girls sports

At the contentious meeting, the Redlands Unified School Board voted 3-2 to pass the motion that bars transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports.

Redlands Unified School Board passes motion banning transgender athletes from girls' sports. / Arcadia Invitational via Image of Sport

The Redlands Unified School District, which is located in Southern California (roughly 63 miles east of Los Angeles in San Bernardino County) approved a motion to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls sports.

The resolution in the board meeting's agenda on Tuesday, April22 is titled 'Fairness in Girls’ Interscholastic Sports'.

A report from the San Bernardino Sun says it was a 'marathon meeting' the board voted 3-2, and 'parrots language in a failed state Assembly bill that would have barred transgendered athletes from sports that do not align with their gender at birth'.

Board President Michelle Rendler and members Candy Olson and Jeanette Wilson voted in favor. Trustees Melissa Ayala-Quintero and Patty Holohan voted no, according to the Sun.

"The resolution passed with no discussion besides a comment from Olson, who said she was glad to have recognition when she was a student-athlete because she was not up against biological males," the Sun's Jordan Darling reported.

Other neighboring school districts and boards have passed the same motion, including Temecula and Chino Valley — both within the last month.

A report from CBS Los Angeles' Chelsea Hylton says the meeting was 'contentious'. Hylton cited hundreds of parents and community members waiting in the wings to hear the results and/or have a chance to address the board during the public comment portion of the meeting.

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS

The most notable story associated with transgender athletes competing in girls high school athletics came in May of 2023. Track runners Lorelei Barrett of Sherman Oaks Buckley and Athena Ryan of Santa Rosa Sonoma Academy — two transgender student-athletes — finished third and second in their respective running events to qualify for the CIF State finals.

However, leading up the finals, the two athletes faced backlash and decided to not compete in the CIF State finals.

“The CIF is disappointed for two of our student-athletes and their families because due to the actions of others, they found it necessary to withdraw from the State Track and Field Championships out of concern for the student’s well being,” the California Interscholastic Federation, the governing body for high school sports in California, wrote in a statement provided to The Los Angeles Times.

“The CIF strongly denounces discriminatory or harassing behaviors that impact our student-athletes’ opportunities to participate in interscholastic competitions.”

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