As California’s gubernatorial primary enters its final days, one candidate is refusing to hedge, dodge, or soften his stance on transgender youth. Democratic candidate Tom Steyer has emerged as one of the most vocal supporters of transgender high school athlete AB Hernandez, offering a level of public support that many LGBTQ+ advocates say has become increasingly rare in modern politics.
Hernandez, a 17-year-old student-athlete from Jurupa Valley High School, once again qualified for the California state track and field championships in the high jump, triple jump, and long jump. Her participation has become the center of a national political debate, drawing protests from conservative activists and politicians who oppose transgender girls competing in girls’ sports.
While Republican candidate Steve Hilton traveled to the state championships to criticize Hernandez’s participation, Steyer released a video highlighting a previous conversation with the athlete. Rather than discussing polling numbers, legal battles, or political calculations, Steyer focused on Hernandez as a young person deserving encouragement and support.
“I’m so proud of you for what you’re doing,” Steyer told Hernandez in the video. He praised her dedication, success, and willingness to compete despite the intense public scrutiny surrounding her participation.
What made the interaction notable was its tone. Politicians often offer carefully crafted statements designed to satisfy multiple audiences at once. Steyer’s remarks felt different. Rather than treating Hernandez as a political issue, he spoke to her directly as an athlete and a teenager navigating extraordinary circumstances.
Steyer reinforced that message when sharing the video online, writing that the role of government is to protect Californians, particularly vulnerable communities such as transgender youth.
His support also comes at a time when some Democratic strategists have urged candidates to distance themselves from transgender issues out of concern for electoral backlash. Steyer has instead chosen to openly defend transgender young people even as the issue becomes a major talking point in the governor’s race.
For Hernandez, that support clearly mattered. Speaking after qualifying for the championship finals, she said it was “really nice” to have someone of Steyer’s stature publicly standing with her.
Regardless of where California voters ultimately land in the governor’s race, Steyer’s comments offered something many transgender youth rarely receive from elected officials: visible, unapologetic support without conditions, caveats, or attempts to change the subject. In a political environment where transgender people are frequently discussed rather than listened to, that distinction may be more meaningful than any campaign promise.
