Two California high school volleyball players refuse to play alongside transgender teammate

JURUPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: Two high school girls in California are taking a hard pass on their own volleyball team, refusing to suit up as long as a biological male athlete is on the roster.

Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh, both players at Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, told Fox News they won’t step foot on the court or in the locker room alongside their trans teammate. The pair skipped the Thursday, September 4, matchup against Chaffey High School in protest.

Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh voice protest

Alyssa McPherson admitted it wasn’t easy walking away from the sport she loves, but said safety and fairness were on the line.

“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 for all female athletes,” she said.

Her teammate Hazameh added she wanted her stand to light a fire under 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,” Hazameh explained.

“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,” she added. 

Teams forfeit matches as district defends policy

The pushback isn’t limited to Jurupa Valley’s gym. At least four opposing schools have already forfeited their matches this season rather than take on the team. Thursday’s faceoff with Chaffey was only scheduled to replace one of those cancellations.

Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD) told Fox News it’s working overtime to keep the schedule intact.

“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.

This isn’t the first time the school has made headlines. The same trans athlete, senior AB Hernandez, competed in girls’ track and field last spring and advanced to the state championships in the high jump and triple jump. The story blew up when Donald Trump weighed in days before the state meet.

Now Hernandez’s final volleyball season is being shadowed by criticism not only from rival schools but from within the team itself.

Jurupa Valley's administration says their hands are tied

Jurupa Valley’s administration says their hands are tied. In a previous statement to Fox News, the district said the controversy should be directed at lawmakers, not school officials.

“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 read.

The district added, “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.”

California has allowed biological males to compete in girls’ sports since 2013.

Trump order sparks clash with California CIF

The tension escalated this year after Donald Trump signed his “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order on February 5. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), which governs high school athletics, quickly announced it would defy the order.

That defiance sparked a clash with the federal government. In July, the Department of Justice sued the CIF and the California Department of Education (CDE) for refusing to comply. This came just weeks after Hernandez’s state track championship appearance.

Now, with one more high school volleyball season left, Hernandez remains on the court. But McPherson and Hazameh are watching from the sidelines.