Transgender freshman takes 3rd at girls’ track state championship meet 

A male transgender athlete claimed bronze at a girls’ outdoor track and field state championship meet last weekend. 

Freshman Becky Pepper-Jackson took third in the discus (121 feet, 11 inches) at the West Virginia High School State Track and Field Championships. 

At the meet, the Bridgeport High School student also finished eighth in shot put (34 feet, 2 1/4 inches). 

While West Virginia law prevents transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports, Pepper-Jackson won an exception in 2023. 

The athlete’s family challenged the state law in court, and a U.S. district judge granted the athlete an injunction. This means the law cannot be enforced against him during the case, WV Metro News reports. 

However, Gov. Patrick Morrisey doesn’t think Pepper-Jackson’s scores should count in the girls’ category. 

“A boy is competing in girls’ sports at the high school state track meet in West Virginia. It’s wrong and unfair,” he said in a statement. “I’m again urging officials to keep separate scores so that the true winners can be awarded once we win in court.” 

The news comes as California high jumper AB Hernandez appears poised to win the high jump event at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state championship meet this weekend. 

President Donald Trump urged the CIF to stop Hernandez from competing. 

“California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow ‘MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS,'” Trump posted on Truth Social. “This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won ‘everything,’ and is now qualified to compete in the ‘State Finals’ next weekend. As a Male, he was a less than average competitor. As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable. THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.  

“Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to,” he added. “The Governor, himself, said it is ‘UNFAIR.’ I will speak to him today to find out which way he wants to go??? In the meantime I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals. This is a totally ridiculous situation!!!” 

Trump’s post references an executive order he signed earlier this year directing federal agencies to withhold funding from states and schools that let males compete in women’s sports. 

In response to Trump’s social media post, the CIF announced it will allow any biologically female athlete who was bumped from qualifying for the state championship by a transgender competitor to compete in the meet. 

Other transgender athletes who won girls’ track state titles last year could also potentially repeat. Past winners include Soren Stark-Chessa of Maine, Lizzy Bidwell of Connecticut, Ada Gallagher of Oregon and Veronica Garcia of Washington.