Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Freedom Caucus is continuing its cause against a Springfield YMCA that sided on behalf of a transgender female who was allowed to use a girl's locker room during swim practice. The Freedom Caucus has said the YMCA lied about the girl, Abigail Wheeler, who said she was kicked out of the facility and off her swim team after surfacing the complaint. 

“The YMCA continues to change their story instead of simply admitting the truth of what happened to Abbigail Wheeler at their facility,” the Illinois Freedom Caucus said on Facebook. “We along with other organizations have asked for information about the incident involving Wheeler multiple times. We also asked over a two-week period for information regarding any internal investigation on their part and all of these requests have been ignored. Now they have publicly stated in the State Journal-Register that there was an investigation and a written record when there simply has been no evidence such an investigation ever took place. The YMCA continues to change their story instead of simply admitting the truth of what happened to Abbigail Wheeler at their facility."

Freedom Caucus Chairman State Rep. Chris Miller (R-Charleston) spoke at a rally held July 13 in Springfield in support of Wheeler. 

“If biological males don’t want to change in front of other biological males – then let them change by themselves in a gender-neutral bathroom,” Miller said. “If it is wrong to require biological males to change in front of other biological males because they are uncomfortable then why is it OK to disregard the feelings and concerns of biological women who don’t want to share their private spaces with naked men.” “Of course, the only solution the radical left will allow is the one that forces young women to share their locker rooms with men.”

The July 13 press conference was also advocated by former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines. Concerns have been raised about the potential infringement upon the rights of female athletes, as well as the potential for privacy violations and discomfort for the girls involved.

The Illinois Freedom Caucus is comprised of State Representatives Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich), Chris Miller (R-Oakland), Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville), Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City), and Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur).