XPost: alt.transgendered, talk.politics.guns, alt.society.liberalism   
   XPost: sac.politics   
   From: put.queers.down@glaad.org   
      
   Two transgender female high school athletes were no-shows for   
   their race at the California State preliminary Track and Field   
   Championship on Friday — a week after they clinched a spot in   
   the elite race.   
      
   Athena Ryan, from Sonoma Academy, and Lorelei Barrett of Sherman   
   Oaks Buckley, opted not to participate in the scheduled girl’s   
   1,600-meter run at Buchanan High in Clovis, Calif., according to   
   The Los Angeles Times.   
      
   “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 to the   
   outlet.   
      
   The CIF expressed that the organization “strongly denounces   
   discriminatory or harassing behaviors” the student-athletes have   
   been subjected to and are disappointed the runners have chosen   
   not to compete.   
      
   Athena Ryan of Sonoma Academy did not show up to the state   
   championship following mounting backlash from critics upset she   
   is competing as a female.   
   Athena Ryan of Sonoma Academy did not show up to the state   
   championship following mounting backlash from critics upset she   
   is competing as a female.   
   Twitter/@Riley_Gaines_   
   Last week, Ryan and Barrett qualified to compete for a chance of   
   winning states after placing in the top three of the girls’   
   1,600-meter races at their respective sectional meets.   
      
   Ryan, a junior, finished in second place as protests formed,   
   calling her participation in the competition unfair to the other   
   girls.   
      
   She also came under fire after a runner who placed fourth was   
   seen on video waving to the crowd before appearing to give a   
   thumbs-down — a gesture taken entirely out of context, the   
   school told The Post.   
      
   Barrett, who won third at the Southern Section Masters event   
   last Saturday, was also subjected to similar pressure from the   
   crowd, with a spectator allegedly yelling to “Trip her”   
   repeatedly while she ran her 1,600-meter race, which can be   
   heard on a video.   
      
   Lorelei Barrett of Sherman Oaks Buckley won second place in her   
   sectional meet to compete in the state championship this weekend.   
   Lorelei Barrett of Sherman Oaks Buckley won third place in her   
   sectional meet last week to compete in the state championship   
   this weekend.   
   Twitter/@Riley_Gaines_   
   The Post reached out to Sonoma Academy and Sherman Oaks Buckley.   
      
   The outlet asked five local coaches of runners who were in line   
   to compete in Friday’s 1,600-meter heat were asked they felt   
   about transgender females being allegeable.   
      
   Three coaches said they would support any athlete who shows up   
   to compete, regardless of how they identify.   
      
   The two other coaches shared that they believed transgender   
   girls should run in their own separate races, the outlet   
   reported.   
      
   Protesters came out to the meet last week to voice their   
   displeasure that Ryan was allowed to compete with the other   
   females.   
   Protesters came out to the meet last week to voice their   
   displeasure that Ryan was allowed to compete with the other   
   females.   
   Twitter/Womenarereals   
   Ryan (third from left) after winning a spot to compete in the   
   state championship last week, after she secured the second place   
   spot.   
   Ryan (third from left) after winning a spot to compete in the   
   state championship last week, after she secured the second place   
   spot.   
   Twitter/Womenarereals   
   “Adults have created this problem,” said Oaks Christian coach   
   Wesley Smith. “Adults need to fix this problem.”   
      
   The California Interscholastic Federation enacted its “Gender   
   Identity Participation” rules in 2013, stating, “All students   
   should have the opportunity to participate in CIF athletics   
   and/or activities in a manner that is consistent with their   
   gender identity.”   
      
   “All of our athletes, all the eligible athletes, are afforded   
   the opportunity to compete with the gender they feel most   
   comfortable with,” Brian Seymour, the CIF’s associate executive   
   director, told The Los Angeles Times.   
      
   College swimming star Riley Gaines slammed the two runners for   
   not competing saying,: “Did they realize they clearly possess an   
   unfair advantage?”   
      
   University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky   
   swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the   
      
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