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  "path": "/news/new-york-times-transgender-athletes",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-30T18:52:56.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.advocate.com",
  "tags": [
    "Ab hernandez",
    "Athletes",
    "California",
    "Cisgender",
    "High school",
    "New york times",
    "Sports",
    "Student athletes",
    "Track and field",
    "Transgender rights",
    "Transgender youth",
    "Trump",
    "Transgender",
    "report",
    "As The Advocate has reported",
    "Joanna Harper,",
    "studying the ways hormone therapy makes a difference",
    "What does the science say about transgender women in sports?",
    "suing",
    "referenced",
    "Think transgender women have an advantage in sports? A new study disputes the idea",
    "reported",
    "Assigned Media",
    "parent of a transgender teenager raised concerns",
    "launched",
    "argued",
    "7 takeaways from Supreme Court arguments about bans on trans women and girls in sports"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nA _New York Times_ preview of this weekend’s California state track and field championships has renewed criticism of the newspaper’s coverage of transgender athletes. The publication provided little context and no interviews with trans people or with supporters of transgender inclusion.\n\nThe focus of the _Times_ report is AB Hernandez, a 17-year-old transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley, who returns to the state meet one year after winning two gold medals amid controversy over her participation.\n\nAs The Advocate has reported, state policy requires her to share first-place gold medals and the podium with cisgender high school girls, who finish after her. It guarantees that even if a trans student-athlete like Hernandez finishes first, the highest-finishing cisgender athlete is also awarded first place.\n\nNot everyone in the transgender community is opposed to that. Out trans sports scientist Joanna Harper, who has been studying the ways hormone therapy makes a difference in trans people’s athletic performance for two decades, told _The Advocate_ she agrees with the state’s podium policy.\n\n**Related** : What does the science say about transgender women in sports? \n\n\"Given that California allows trans girls to compete in the female category without hormones, then don't think it is unreasonable to have a shared podium,\" Harper said. The policy was adopted as California seeks to preserve participation opportunities for transgender students while responding to concerns raised by opponents. The state is currently suing the Trump administration over demands that it abandon its transgender-inclusive athletics policy.\n\nPresident Donald Trump referenced Hernandez’s case last year without naming her directly and threatened to withhold federal funding if California continued allowing transgender girls to compete under current rules.\n\nThe _Times_ article, published Friday, noted that Hernandez could return to defend her titles and potentially win additional championships.\n\nThe story also highlighted pending rulings in Supreme Court cases involving bans on transgender athletes in West Virginia and Idaho. The article noted that a ruling is unlikely to alter California’s policy.\n\n**Related** : Think transgender women have an advantage in sports? A new study disputes the idea\n\nEarlier this month, _The Advocate_ reported on an analysis published by Assigned Media that found that while _The Times_ produced more transgender-related coverage than any outlet examined, it was the least likely to quote transgender people or transgender advocacy organizations in stories primarily focused on transgender issues.\n\nLast month, a former subscriber who is the parent of a transgender teenager raised concerns about that coverage during a shareholder meeting, arguing that _Times_ reporting on transgender issues has been cited by the Trump administration and others \"to justify discrimination and harm.\" Publisher A.G. Sulzberger defended the newspaper's reporting as \"fair and comprehensive.\"\n\nIn 2024, GLAAD launched a campaign criticizing what it described as biased and inaccurate coverage of transgender issues by the newspaper. That same year, writer Riki Wilchins argued that _The Times'_ coverage helped shape public skepticism toward transgender people and transgender rights.\n\n**Related** : _7 takeaways from Supreme Court arguments about bans on trans women and girls in sports_\n\n_The Advocate_ contacted _Times_ reporter Juliet Macur and executive editor Joe Kahn to seek comment on Friday’s story and on broader concerns of the newspaper’s transgender coverage. Neither responded before publication. Among the questions sent by The Advocate were how reporting decisions were made regarding source selection and why the story did not include more perspectives from supporters of transgender inclusion in sports.\n\nFriday’s article did include comments from Chris Erchull, a senior staff attorney at GLAD Law, who represents transgender clients. Erchull told The Advocate that he does not expect any forthcoming Supreme Court ruling on state transgender athlete bans to affect California’s policy.\n\n\"There's pretty much zero chance that it will have any bearing on what California is doing,\" Erchull told _The Advocate_ by phone. \"In fact, the California policy right now with respect to AB,\" he said, \"is actually very friendly to the people who raise all these concerns about fairness and opportunities.\"",
  "title": "For a trans California senior, it’s a track meet. For The New York Times, it’s a debate"
}