California Family Council Honors Brave Female Athletes Standing for Fairness in Women’s Sports

On Saturday evening, the California Family Council (CFC) hosted its annual Gala in Costa Mesa, gathering over 360 supporters united around advancing God’s design for life, family, and liberty. One of the evening’s most powerful moments came when CFC honored a remarkable group of young women who have boldly stood up to defend fairness and truth in girls’ sports.

The award presentation was led by CFC Outreach Director Sophia Lorey, a former collegiate soccer player and one of California’s leading advocates for protecting women’s athletics. As Sophia reminded the audience, “One of the battles we fight that is closest to my heart, especially as a former collegiate athlete, is protecting fairness in girls’ sports and spaces.”

From the stage, Sophia recounted how CFC has “spoken at CIF meetings, gathered over 20,000 petition signatures, and partnered with courageous young women who are refusing to be silent when adults fail them.”

The crowd rose to its feet in a standing ovation after all these brave athletes were introduced,  each one a symbol of courage and conviction in the face of cultural and institutional hostility.

Honoring the Courageous

• Hadeel Hazameh & Alyssa McPherson – Southern California high school volleyball players suing CIF, their school district, and the California Department of Education after being forced to share locker rooms and teams with a male athlete who repeatedly engaged in harassment.
• Kaitlyn Slavin & Taylor Starling – High school cross country athletes who filed a federal lawsuit against Riverside Unified School District after Taylor lost her race placement to a male, and both girls were vilified and compared to wearing swastikas for wearing Save Girls’ Sports shirts.
• Olivia Viola & Reese Hogan – Track and field athletes who lost podium spots and state-level recognition after being forced to compete against a male athlete through CIF.
• Celeste Duyst – A Central California runner forced to share a locker room with a male and later shamed by her own coach and school officials for speaking out.
• Madison Shaw, Gracie Shaw & Brielle Galli – Junior college volleyball players from Northern California who lost starting positions to a male athlete and filed Title IX complaints after being made to share locker room and team space.
• Jenice Barragon, Brizieida Lopez, Ariana Macedo, Norma Macedo, Evah Sophia Maxwell, Crystal Rasura, and Aimee Villarreal – A Southern California high school volleyball team that made national headlines after forfeiting a match rather than compete against a male athlete.
• Lesley Ledesma – A courageous high school junior who led a student walkout after encountering a male student in her girls’ restroom.
• Kailee Wooll & Brooklyn Hendrikx – Two eighth graders, just 13 years old, who organized a school-wide walkout when their school board tried to label girls “mentally ill” for objecting to males in their locker room.

“These young women have endured humiliation, loss, and injustice,” Lorey said. “Yet they chose courage over silence. They stood up when adults failed them. They fought back when their opportunities were stolen. They refused to be shamed for defending truth.”

As Lorey concluded her remarks, the room erupted in applause, the audience of 360 standing shoulder to shoulder in affirmation of the girls’ bravery and moral clarity.

A Special Moment with Bethany Hamilton

The evening’s celebration was made even more meaningful by the presence of Bethany Hamilton, the world-renowned professional surfer, shark attack survivor, and outspoken Christian who has also taken a stand for protecting female-only sports. Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack at age 13, shared a message of perseverance and faith, commending the young athletes for their moral strength.

Meeting Hamilton was an unforgettable highlight for the honorees. “Bethany’s courage has inspired millions,” Lorey said afterward. “Tonight, she stood beside a new generation of girls who are showing that same kind of courage in defending truth and fairness.”

Continuing the Fight

CFC President Jonathan Keller pledged the organization’s commitment to fighting for the protection of women-only sports and private spaces:

“These girls represent the very heart of what we fight for:  truth, fairness, and the God-given dignity of women. California Family Council will never stop defending them, and we will never stop fighting for God’s design for life, family, and liberty.”

For Sophia Lorey, the moment summed up what drives her mission every day: “As long as I have a voice, I will keep using it to defend the girls who are standing up for truth, because this fight is not just about sports. It’s about acknowledging reality, honoring womanhood, and protecting the next generation.”