A high school athlete was seen giving a thumbs down on the medal podium after losing a shot at the state championships to a transgender athlete.
Adeline Johnson finished fourth in the 1600-meter race at California’s North Coast Meet of Champions on Saturday, where Athena Ryan, a transgender woman, placed second.
In a video from the medal ceremony, Johnson can be seen waving to people in the crowd before giving his thumbs down.
Ryan, along with the first and third place winners, will advance to the California Interscholastic Federation State Track & Field Championships next week.
The video comes as protesters were also at the rally holding signs demanding to “protect women’s sports.” Clashes between the protesters, others and security led to those carrying the banner being removed from the stadium.
Adeline Johnson, who placed fourth in a high school track and field competition, gave a thumbs down after she lost a state championship shot to a trans athlete
Johnson (left) placed fourth while Athena Ryan (right), a transgender woman, placed second in the North Coast Meet of Champions of California
The video of Johnson’s apparent dismay at her loss was posted by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports.
According to their Twitter bio, the group is a “network of female athletes and our supporters who advocate for women-protected categories in sports.”
The video incorrectly referred to Ryan as a “trans-identifying man,” but pointed to Johnson’s thumbs-down reaction to her instead.
ICONS wasn’t the only group watching the California track and field game over the weekend, as another group going by “Women Are Real” on social media also showed up to voice their opposition.
A group of angry protesters held up a banner reading “Protect Female Sports” outside the athletics competition in Dublin, California.
A video posted to the Women Are Real Twitter account showed an altercation involving another woman objecting to the banner.
“That’s f**kng disgusting,” the woman said. “I find that damn offensive.”
Another video shows security removing the group from the premises.
“They kick us out because we care about women and girls,” says one protester.
The video of Johnson’s apparent dismay at her loss was posted by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports and shared on social media
Ryan spoke to MileSplit after the race and seemed unbothered by the protests.
In second place in the 1-mile race, she finished with a time of 4:55.91.
‘I did not expect that. I dropped about 17 seconds on my best season of the last two weeks,” Ryan said in a post-race interview.
“After last weekend, I didn’t think I could run low 5s again. I just came here to break 5 – I’m just glad I finished it,” she continued.
Before taking second place in the state championship qualifier, she was sixth in the 1Preliminary round of 600 meters.
The California Interscholastic Federation follows the Gender Identity Participation rules first introduced in 2013.
“All students must be given the opportunity to participate in CIF athletics and/or activities in a manner consistent with their gender identity,” the regulations read.
“Athletes will participate in programs that match their gender identity or most consistently expressed gender,” the guide continues.
The rules also state that once a student is eligible, they do not have to renew each school year.
Ryan’s second-place finish pushed Johnson out of the race for the women’s state title
‘I did not expect that. I dropped about 17 seconds on my best season in the last two weeks,” Ryan said in a post-race interview with MileSplit.
The transgender athlete’s victory has since sparked outrage online, as the debate over transgender athletes in girls’ sports rages on.
In April, House Republicans passed a ban on transgender women and girls from participating in female-school athletics.
No Democrats joined their conservative counterparts in voting for the bill, which will not pass the Senate.
Republicans say it’s about protecting women’s rights, while Democrats say it opens a new salvo to attack trans kids who are already being bullied in school.
“Anyone who claims to be a feminist or believes in what feminism is based on should probably get behind us,” said Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, at a press conference at the time.
Those on the other side of the aisle vehemently disagreed with the Republicans.
“These kids are kids and should be able to play with their friends. This isn’t about protecting women and girls, it’s about attacking trans kids,” said Wisconsin Democratic Representative Mark Pocan.