Illinois' transgender athlete policy sparks controversy in the state
Illinois has become the latest blue state to ensure transgender athletes can play girls sports. Republicans in the state are aggressively trying to change that.
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced it will not comply with President Donald Trump's executive order to keep trans athletes out of girls and women's sports.
In a public letter to state GOP lawmakers, the IHSA said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Department of Human Rights have declared that state law requires that transgender athletes be allowed to participate based on gender identity.
Illinois is using a similar playbook to the one being used by Maine in its ongoing feud with the Trump administration over the issue, citing the state's human rights laws as a barrier to banning biological males from girls sports.
"As a result of the foregoing, compliance with the Executive Order could place the IHSA out of compliance with the Illinois Human Rights Act and vice versa," IHSA Board President Dan Tully wrote in the letter.
Tully added that the IHSA finds itself in "an untenable position" as the organization seeks clarity on conflicting directions from state authorities and the Trump administration.
"There is a growing narrative seeking to politicize the IHSA's response. However, as it plainly explains in the copy of the letter provided below, the IHSA is seeking clarity on conflicting state and federal law so that we can remain in compliance," an IHSA statement said.
Illinois GOP lawmakers sent their own letter to the IHSA in March asking what the body will do to change policy after Trump's executive order passed. Transgender athletes have been permitted to compete in girls sports in Illinois since 2011.
In response to the IHSA's recent announcement, several prominent state GOP lawmakers have spoken out in opposition to the rule.
Rep. Blaine Wilhour, who led the initiative to send the first letter to IHSA over the issue, told Fox News Digital he is calling on Illinois school districts and school boards to pass local resolutions banning trans athletes from girls sports.
"I think every school district needs to make it clear that we are protecting the sanctity of girls sports, and we believe in local control of those decisions," Wilhour said. "I would demand that all of your local districts take this stand and do that. Because when push comes to shove, we win on these issues, but we just need people to be bold and step out there and do the right thing."
Wilhour condemned Gov. JB Pritzker and the Democratic majority in the state's legislature for the state's laws that enable trans inclusion in girls sports. Wilhour added that he is calling on the Trump administration to intervene and potentially cut funding in response.
"The whole policy is sick. Either you believe in fair competition or you don't. The Democrat Party today, and specifically JB Pritzker, does not believe in fair competition. They put their woke ideology over protecting girls in sports," Wilhour said.
"[The Trump administration is] going to have to engage here, and the leverage that they've got is federal funding. We take millions in federal funding from the government every year. And we don't really savor the situation where that would be withheld. … But I'll take my chances with doing the right thing. … Banning boys from participating in girls sports is the right thing to do, so we need to do the tough things to make it happen."
Wilhour also encouraged the IHSA to overrule the state government's direction and ban trans athletes from girls sports anyway.
Maine has already seen the type of intervention that Wilhour is calling for, both internally and federally.
Maine School District 70 moved to ban trans athletes from girls sports and comply with Trump, defying state law, earlier this week.
Maine has also already seen its federal funding cut by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Justice has launched a lawsuit against the state for its continued defiance of Trump's order.
A federal Title IX investigation is already underway in Illinois after a Deerfield mother alleged her daughter was forced to change in front of a trans student.
Deerfield Public Schools District 109 is facing a probe by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights after Illinois mother Nicole Georgas brought light to the situation.
She filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice after alleging school administrators attempted to force her 13-year-old daughter to change in front of a transgender student in the girls locker room last month.
She revealed the complaint during a board of education meeting for Deerfield Public School District 109 last week, claiming the incident happened last month after her daughter refused to change into her uniform during physical education because a biological male student had been present.
Deerfield Public Schools District 109 responded to the investigation in a statement to Fox News Digital and, like the IHSA, cited the Illinois Human Rights Act for its protocols.
"Deerfield Public Schools District 109 complies with state law. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits all public school districts from discriminating on the basis of sex, including gender identity, and mandates that students must be permitted access to the locker room and bathroom that aligns with their gender identity," the statement said.
The district also called on families to voice their concerns over certain policies.
"The district and the board are united with our leaders and educators on this issue and have a shared commitment to upholding the law," the statement added.
"The district and the board call upon all of those expressing concerns or perspectives on this issue with our staff and educators to do so in a respectful and civil manner. We are glad to work with families to address any individual concerns and determine appropriate next steps to support your child's well-being and participation."
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